Customer Reviews
Joint Force harrier Review - By: Tiger One, 04 Oct 2008 
Such an immature book, almost like boys own, one of the worst military history books I have read. I am sure that it will not be missed.
As good as it gets in a Harrier. - By: Peter A. Colwill, 10 Sep 2008 
First of all I would like to thank Peter Thompson for his review which prompted me to purchase & read this account by Commander Ade Orchard on the part played by the Gr7 crewsin the Afghan theatre of war.
It has been well written & is a documented account of the time spent by the Royal Navy on a land based, ground attack tour of duty.
This is a very educated read & comes without all the humerous anecdotes of lifein the mess rooms & bunk houses. No accounts of wives, children or what they are missing back home.
This is what the reader wants to hear...scrambles to get airborne, pressure on crews to direct attacks at the right targets, lifein the cockpit of a Harrier jump jet & what happens when the going gets tough & things go wrong....this hero stayed cool, calm & collected under immense pressures & it is an honour to have read his book.
Much like the pilots during WW2 they remain a cut above the rest & have a quality that few of us share.
A damm good read...this will become essential reading for many many years to come.
An excellent read, un-put-downable! - By: Ian Annand, 04 Sep 2008 An excellent book that will appeal to military historians & those just looking for a good, genuine read. The pace & detail is just right, a real human story.
Joint Force Harrier - By: Peter Thompson, 01 Sep 2008 Joint Force Harrier is the personal story of Commander Ade Orchard the first Officer Commanding 800 Naval Air Squadron following its transition from the Sea Harrier FA2 to the Harrier GR7. Commander Orchard details the Squadrons highs & lows from standing up on 3rd April 2006, through a work up on HMS Illustrious, to deployment to the Afghan airbase of Khandahar, & goes onin depth to outline the trials, tribulations, & fears of a commanding officer, & his personnel on a front line ground attack squadron,in an all to real shooting war.
The book is a gripping read throughout; putting it down almost became a chore. Commander Orchard detailsin an easily digestible manner the preparations for, & the detailin which, every sortie is planned & executed, & the level of professionalism that is inherentin ensuring that the right target is accurately identified evenin the heat of the battle, both by thosein the air & those on the ground.
If you enjoy reading about military history, military aviation, just like the Harrier, or simply want to try to understand what the pressures & conditionsin Afghanistan are like for the men & women that serve there, thenin my opinion you really should add this fine book to your bookshelves, & I can assure that you will read it again & again.
