Page 103 - Demo

103we were actually operating well north of the Arctic Circle at Troms%u00f6 (innorthern Norway) that within two months we would be fighting a warfrom an aircraft carrier some 8000 miles from home, I frankly would nothave believed them.A warning order issued on 8 April, told the squadron to prepare foroperations from a carrier as attrition replacements for Sea Harrier combatlosses.Modification of the aircraft was the first major task. A number ofnavalisation modifications were required, including the fitting ofshackles onto the outriggers for lashing-down, anti-corrosion treatment(especially for the engine, etc) and the fitting of specialist transponderequipment to assist recoveries to the carrier in bad weather. Now theRoyal Air Force Harrier, at that time the GR3, had been bought as anattack aircraft, with only integral guns for self-defence. If we were to beused to replace Sea Harriers, a better air defence capability would be ahigh priority and so within a few days of receiving the initial warningorder, both industry and the Service were working 24 hours a day inorder to give the aircraft an air-to-air missile fit. Thanks to a great deal ofeffort and ingenuity, our aircraft were equipped with Sidewinder and thesystem proved and tested less than three weeks later.Further modifications, which were later incorporated to increase theaircraft%u2019s capability, included the installation of a flare and chaffdispenser for self protection, an active electronic jammer to counterenemy radars, and the ability to carry and fire American ARMs. Whilstthe modification programme was being carried out, nominated pilotswent through an intensive work-up programme. This included realisticair combat training against French Mirage and Etendard aircraft, air-toair missile firing (of which we had had no previous experience),operational weapon delivery profiles, ultra low flying and initiation intothe Ski-Jump Club.At the same time as we were given our warning order to prepare,work began to find a means of getting the reinforcement aircraft, whichwere due to include not only my GR3s but also additional Sea Harriersand helicopters, south to the TEZ. After a detailed inspection, it wasdecided that the container ship Atlantic Conveyor would provide theplatform and the ship was rapidly adapted for its new role in LiverpoolDocks.The helicopters were loaded in the UK but the GR3s and Sea Harriers