Guy Alcala opined thusly to my remark that I had never witnessed RAF
Harriers use VIFFing (in the early 80s)

Probably because they weren't using it.

Guy, that I, like many here respect your posts and research goes
without saying (usually) so with tongue firmly in cheek I must
respond..."Gee ya reckon? Clearly I have a keen grasp of the
obvious." LOL

The RAF Harriers were tasked and trained for attack, the FAA and
to a lesser extent the USMC were more A/A oriented.

I do indeed grasp the implication WRT VIFFing and the nature of the
FAA vs RAF mission/training, I omitted that from my post for brevity,
simply to demonstrate that at least RAF Harriers were not using the
technique at the time.

But my friend you never tangled with RAF Harriers over Germany.
Everybody and I mean everybody in fast jets routinely hassled...the
PCA started at 7000' MSL so this totally UNAUTHORIZED dogfighting went
on from 250' AGL and above; it included the guys from Gutersloh. They
didn't merely grovel into a tail chase, ISTR watching them use split
plane and counterflow entries at low altitude.

The Brits had done some tentative early testing, but the USMC did the
majority of the development.

Hey...it appears that I'm learning and retaining stuff gleaned from
some very bright fellows on this forum. Cool.

Juvat