Source : Matthew Graham (News & Star)
(Image: Solway Aviation Museum)
Solway Aviation Museum have welcomed a major new exhibit after confirming it is acquiring a Sea Harrier F/A2 jet, serial number ZE697.
The aircraft was transported from Lincolnshire to Carlisle, with a specialist team from the museum working alongside Lawson’s Haulage Ltd to carefully move the airframe.
Built in 1988, ZE697 originally entered service as a Sea Harrier FRS1 before being upgraded to the more advanced F/A2 variant in 1993.
The Sea Harrier was a cornerstone of the Royal Navy’s Fleet Air Arm during the late Cold War and post-Cold War era, designed to operate from aircraft carriers.
Although earlier Sea Harrier FRS1 aircraft famously proved their worth during the Falklands War in 1982, where they played a decisive role in securing air superiority, later F/A2 variants like ZE697 were central to Britain’s maritime air defence throughout the 1990s.
Equipped with the powerful Blue Vixen radar and capable of firing advanced beyond-visual-range missiles, the F/A2 was primarily tasked with protecting the fleet and enforcing airspace control.
The aircraft remained in frontline service until 2002, shortly before the Sea Harrier was retired from Royal Navy use.
Museum representatives have described the jet as “another kit to build,” with restoration and display work now set to begin once it arrives on site.
The arrival of the Sea Harrier F/A2 adds another significant chapter to Solway Aviation Museum’s growing collection, offering visitors a close-up look at one of Britain’s most iconic naval aircraft and a key symbol of late-20th-century military aviation.