"At Hawker Aircraft Ltd in 1957 Ralph Hooper took responsibility for the conceptual design of the Hawker P.1127, which was developed through the Kestrel to the Harrier and Sea Harrier and eventually into the Harrier II. He was entirely responsible for originating the unique layout and engineering features of the vectored thrust design. He set the technical direction of the project and led the design and development effort that culminated in the flying of the prototypes, with successful vertical take-off and landing, hovering and transitions to and from conventional wingborne flight.
    He then supervised the development of this aircraft into the Kestrel, used by the international evaluation squadron, which led on to the Hawker Siddeley Harrier GRMk1 that entered service with the RAF in 1969 and was bought by the US Marine Corps as the AV-8A. He was later responsible for the technical direction of the UK side of the US/UK Harrier II programme which established many of the links between the two countries that form the foundation for the STOVL F-35B Lightning II.
    The Harrier family, the world's first operational fixed wing jet V/STOL combat aircraft, have been in service for the past thirty-nine years and have proven themselves in numerous military operations including the Falklands, Persian Gulf, Balkans and Afghanistan. The Harrier family therefore represents not just a successful example of technical achievement in V/STOL, but also a potent military capability.
    The Harrier family has run to 839 airframes and is in active service with seven air arms in six nations. It has been manufactured in the UK and USA sustaining many thousands of aerospace jobs in BAE Systems, Boeing, Roll-Royce and numerous other companies around the world and will continue in front line operations, and provide aerospace employment, for many years to come.
    The Harrier family is unique in the technical and operational success it has achieved, which eluded numerous other fixed-wing V/STOL concepts. Ralph played a vitally important role in the design, development and production of the Harrier.
    The FE Newbold V/STOL Award is presented to recognise outstanding creative contributions to the advancement and realisation of powered lift flight in one or more of the following areas: initiation, definition and/or management of key V/STOL programmes; developing of enabling technologies including critical methodology; programme engineering and design; and/or other relevant related activities or combinations thereof which have advanced the science of powered lift flight.
    For the Harrier Ralph did all of these things and more."
    Mike Turner, Chief Executive of BAE Systems, was unable to attend the dinner but sent the following message, read out by Simon:-
    "Ralph Hooper has made an outstanding contribution to the Company, the country and STOVL worldwide. From the early days of the P.1127, to Kestrel through to the Harrier programme Ralph has led the way. I worked with him at the end of his career at British Aerospace Kingston and it was crystal clear to me from my very first meeting with Ralph that he was an exceptionally talented man who was held in the highest esteem by all his peers in the industry. This award is certainly fully deserved, if slightly overdue! I am sorry I cannot be with you to make this award, but my congratulations to you Ralph."