Harrier Jump Jet

Harrier Jump Jet
A Harrier GR7A of 800 Naval Air Sqn, Royal Navy
Role	V/STOL strike aircraft
National origin	United Kingdom/United States
Manufacturer	Hawker Siddeley BAe/McDonnell Douglas Boeing/BAE Systems
First flight	28 December 1967
Introduction	1969
Status	In service
Primary users	United States Marine Corps Royal Air Force (retired) Royal Navy (retired) Indian Navy
Produced	1967–2003
Developed from	Hawker P.1127
Variants	Hawker Siddeley Harrier BAe Sea Harrier McDonnell Douglas AV-8B Harrier II BAe Harrier II

The Harrier, informally referred to as the Harrier Jump Jet, is a family of jet fighters capable of vertical/short takeoff and landing (V/STOL) operations. Originally developed by UK manufacturer Hawker Siddeley in the 1960s, the Harrier emerged as the only truly successful V/STOL design of the many attempted during that era, despite being a subsonic aircraft, unlike most of its competitors. It was conceived to operate from improvised bases, such as car parks or forest clearings, without requiring large and vulnerable air bases. Later, the design was adapted for use from aircraft carriers.

There are two generations and four main variants of the Harrier family, developed by both UK and US manufacturers:

• Hawker Siddeley Harrier
  • British Aerospace Sea Harrier
• McDonnell Douglas AV-8B Harrier II
  • British Aerospace Harrier II

The Hawker Siddeley Harrier is the first generation-version and is also known as the AV-8A Harrier. The Sea Harrier is a naval strike/air defence fighter. The AV-8B and BAE Harrier II are the US and British variants respectively of the second generation Harrier aircraft.

Development

Background

Following an approach by the Bristol Engine Company in 1957 that they were planning a directed thrust engine, Hawker Aircraft came up with a design for an aeroplane that could meet the NATO specification for a "Light Tactical Support Fighter". There was no financial support for the development from HM Treasury, but aid was found through NATO's Mutual Weapon Development Project (MWDP).

The Hawker P.1127 was ordered as a prototype and flew in 1960. NATO developed a specification (NBMR-3) for a VTOL aircraft, but one that was expected to have the performance of an aircraft like the F-4 Phantom II. Hawker drafted a supersonic version of the P.1127, the P.1150, and also the Hawker P.1154, which would meet NBMR-3. The latter was a winner of the NATO competition and development continued, initially for both services, until cancelled, by the new government on cost grounds, at the point of prototype construction in 1965.

Work on the P.1127 continued with nine evaluation aircraft, the Hawker Siddeley Kestrel, ordered. These started flying in 1964 and were assessed by the "Tri-partite Evaluation Squadron", which consisted of British, US and German pilots. With the cancellation of the P.1154, the RAF ordered a modified P.1127/Kestrel as the Harrier GR.1 in 1966.

First-generation Harriers

The Hawker Siddeley Harrier GR.1/GR.3 and the AV-8A Harrier were the first generation of the Harrier series, the first operational close-support and reconnaissance attack aircraft with vertical/short takeoff and landing (V/STOL) capabilities. These were developed directly from the Hawker P.1127 prototype and the Kestrel evaluation aircraft.

The British Aerospace Sea Harrier is a naval V/STOL jet fighter, reconnaissance and attack aircraft, a development of the Hawker Siddeley Harrier. The first version entered service with the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm in April 1980 as the Sea Harrier FRS.1, and was informally known as the Shar. The upgraded Sea Harrier FA2 entered service in 1993. It was withdrawn from Royal Navy service in March 2006. The Sea Harrier FRS Mk.51 is in active service with the Indian Navy, which operates the jet from its aircraft carrier INS Viraat.

Second-generation Harriers

The Harrier was extensively redeveloped by McDonnell Douglas and British Aerospace (now parts of Boeing and BAE Systems, respectively), leading to the Boeing/BAE Systems AV-8B Harrier II. This is a family of second-generation V/STOL jet multi-role aircraft, including the British Aerospace-built Harrier GR5/GR7/GR9, which entered service in the mid-1980s. The AV-8B is primarily used for light attack or multi-role tasks, typically operated from small aircraft carriers. Versions are used by several NATO countries, including Spain, Italy, and the United States. The BAE Systems/Boeing Harrier II is a modified version of the AV-8B Harrier II that was used by the Royal Air Force (RAF) and the Royal Navy until 2010.

Between 1969 and 2003, 824 Harrier variants were delivered. While the manufacture of new Harriers concluded in 1997, the last remanufactured aircraft (Harrier II Plus configuration) was delivered in December 2003 which ended the Harrier production line.

Operation

The Harrier Jump Jet, capable of taking off vertically, can only do so at less than its maximum loaded weight. In most cases, a short take off is performed, using forward speed to achieve aerodynamic lift, which uses fuel more economically than a vertical take off. On aircraft carriers, a ski-jump ramp is employed at the bow of the carrier to assist the aircraft in becoming airborne.

Landings are typically performed very differently. Although a conventional landing is possible, the range of speeds at which this can be done is narrow due to relatively vulnerable outrigger undercarriage. Operationally, a near-vertical landing with some forward speed is preferred.

Replacement

As of June 2015, the F-35B STOVL variant of the F-35 Lightning II (formerly the Joint Strike Fighter) is intended to replace the AV-8B Harrier II in service with the US Marine Corps while the RAF and Royal Navy are scheduled to introduce the F-35B in 2016 with their first F35 group, 617 Squadron. and the Italian Navy in 2018-2019.
In 2010, it was announced that the RAF and RN would retire their remaining Harriers by 2011, and in December 2010 the RAF's Harrier GR9s made their last operational flights. In June 2011, the MoD denied press reports that the aircraft are to be sold to the US Marine Corps for spares to support their AV-8B fleet, but options for disposal are still being considered. However, at the end of November 2011, Defence Minister Peter Luff announced the sale of the final 72 Harriers to the US Marine Corps. As many as possible of the 72 Harrier GR9s will be converted to match AV-8B Night Attack configuration to augment the total AV-8B end strength (this will allow the USMC to retire some high-flight-hour F/A-18D aircraft), while the remaining aircraft will be used as spare parts sources for the airworthy fleet.

Variants

Main article: List of Harrier variants

Hawker P.1127

(1960)

Kestrel FGA.1

(1964)

Harrier GR.1/1A/3/3A

(from 1966)

Harrier T.2/2A/4/4A/8/52/60

(from 1970)

AV-8A/C/S Harrier Mk.50/53/55/Matador

TAV-8A/S Harrier Mk.54/Matador

Sea Harrier FRS.1/FRS.51/F(A).2

(from 1978)

AV-8B Harrier II/EAV-8B Matador II/AV-8B Harrier II Night Attack/AV-8B Harrier II Plus

(from 1983)

TAV-8B Harrier II/ETAV-8B Matador II/

Harrier GR.5/5A/7/7A/9/9A

(from 1985)

Harrier T.10/12

• 

  The Hawker P.1127, predecessor of the Harrier

• 

  An RAF Harrier GR3 on display at Bletchley Park, England

• 

  Royal Navy Sea Harrier FA2s of 801 Naval Air Squadron on the deck of HMS Illustrious in the Persian Gulf

• 

  US Marine Corps AV-8B Harrier

• 

  AV-8B Harrier landing aboard Principe de Asturias

• Bae harrier gr9 zg502 takeoff arp.jpg

  RAF Harrier GR9 arrives at RIAT 2008

Operators

Main article: List of Harrier operators

Operators of the Harrier (all variants)

A Spanish Navy AV-8S Matador aircraft

United States Marine Corps AV-8A of VMA-231 in 1980

India

• Indian Navy

Italy

• Italian Navy

Spain

• Spanish Navy

Thailand

• Royal Thai Navy (former)

United Kingdom

• Royal Air Force (former)
• Royal Navy (former)

United States

• United States Marine Corps

Specifications

An unusual feature of the Harrier family of aircraft is their use of two types of flight control to provide pitch, roll and yaw control: conventional control surfaces for wingborne flight, and a system of reaction control valves directing jets of bleed air from the high-pressure compressor of the engine out through the extremities of the nose, tail, and at the wingtips during vectored thrust–borne flight and hover modes. The two systems are fully interlinked but air is not supplied to the reaction control valves during conventional wingborne flight.

	Kestrel FGA.1	Harrier GR3/AV-8A	Sea Harrier FA2	Harrier GR9	AV-8B+ Harrier
Crew	One (Two for trainer versions)
Length
Wingspan
Height
Empty Weight				?
Maximum take-off weight (short takeoff)
Max speed
Combat radius
Engine	Pegasus 6	Pegasus 11 Mk 101	Pegasus 11 Mk 106	Pegasus 11 Mk 107	Pegasus 11 Mk 105
Thrust
Radar	None	None	Blue Fox / Blue Vixen	None	AN/APG-65

Sources: Norden

See also

• Harrier Jump Jet family losses
• Aircraft in fiction#Harrier family

Related development

• Hawker Siddeley P.1154
• Hawker P.1127/Kestrel
• Hawker Siddeley Harrier
• McDonnell-Douglas AV-8B Harrier II
• British Aerospace Harrier II

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

• Bell X-14
• Hunting H.126
• Rockwell XFV-12
• Ryan XV-5 Vertifan
• Short SC.1
• Yakovlev Yak-36
• Yakovlev Yak-38

Related lists

• List of VTOL aircraft
• List of aircraft of the Fleet Air Arm
• List of attack aircraft
• List of fighter aircraft
• List of aircraft of the RAF
• List of military aircraft of the United States
• List of Harrier Jump Jet family losses
• List of active United States military aircraft
• List of active United Kingdom military aircraft

References

Notes

Citations

Bibliography

• Bishop, Chris and Chris Chant. Aircraft Carriers. Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA: Zenith Imprint, 2004. ISBN 0-7603-2005-5.
• Braybrook, Roy. Battle for the Falklands: Air Forces. Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing, 1982. ISBN 0-85045-493-X.
• Brown, Kevin. "The Plane That Makes Airfields Obsolete". Popular Mechanics, 133(6), June 1970, pp. 80–83.
• Bull, Stephen. Encyclopedia of Military Rechnology and Innovation. Westport, Connecticut, USA: Greenwood Publishing, 2004. ISBN 1-57356-557-1.
• Burr, Lawrence and Peter Bull. US Fast Battleships 1938–91: The Iowa Class. New York, USA: Osprey Publishing, 2010. ISBN 1-84603-511-2.
• Buttler, Tony. British Secret Projects: Jet Fighters Since 1950. Hinckley, UK: Midland Publishing, 2000. ISBN 1-85780-095-8.
• Congress Committee on Appropriations. "Department of Defense Appropriations for 1979: Part 5". Washington D.C., USA: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1979.
• Cowan, Charles W. (ed.) Flypast 2. Windsor, Berkshire, UK: Profile Publications Ltd., 1972. ISBN 0-85383-191-2.
• Davies, Peter and Anthony M. Thornborough. The Harrier Story. Annapolis, Maryland, USA: Naval Institute Press, 1997. ISBN 978-1-55750-357-2.
• Ellis, Ken. Wrecks & Relics, 21st edition. Manchester, UK: Crécy Publishing, 2008. ISBN 978-0-85979-134-2.
• Evans, Andy. BAe/McDonald Douglas Harrier. Ramsbury, UK: The Crowood Press, 1998. ISBN 1-86126-105-5.
• Farley, John. A View from the Hover: My Life in Aviation. Bath, UK: Seager Publishing, 2008. ISBN 978-0-9532752-5-0.
• Freedman, Lawrence. The Official History of the Falklands Campaign. Volume II: War and Diplomacy. London, UK: Routledge, 2007. ISBN 978-0-415-41911-6.
• Friedman, Norman. U.S. Aircraft Carriers: an Illustrated Design History. Annapolis, Maryland, USA: Naval Institute Press, 1983. ISBN 0-87021-739-9.
• Gunston, W. T. "Pegasus updating prospects". Flight International, 22 January 1977, pp. 189–191.
• Hannah, Donald. Hawker FlyPast Reference Library. Stamford, Lincolnshire, UK: Key Publishing Ltd., 1982. ISBN 0-946219-01-X.
• Jackson, Paul. "British Aerospace/McDonnell Douglas Harrier". World Air Power Journal, Volume 6, Summer 1991. pp. 46–105.
• James, Derek N. Hawker, an Aircraft Album No. 5. New York: Arco Publishing Company, 1973. ISBN 0-668-02699-5. (First published in the UK by Ian Allan in 1972)
• Jefford, C.G., ed. The RAF Harrier Story. London: Royal Air Force Historical Society, 2006. ISBN 0-9530345-2-6.
• Jenkins, Dennis R. Boeing / BAe Harrier. North Branch, Minnesota: Specialty Press, 1998. ISBN 1-58007-014-0.
• Layman, R D and Stephen McLaughlin. The Hybrid Warship. London: Conway, 1991. ISBN 0-85177-555-1.
• Markman, Steve and Bill Holder. Straight Up: A History of Vertical Flight. Atglen, PA: Schiffer Publishing, 2000. ISBN 0-7643-1204-9.
• Mason, Francis K. Harrier. Wellingborough, UK: Patrick Stephens Limited, Third edition, 1986. ISBN 0-85059-801-X.
• Mason, Francis K. Hawker Aircraft since 1920. London: Putnam, 1991. ISBN 0-85177-839-9
• Mason, Francis K. Hawker Aircraft since 1920. London: Putnam Publishing, 1971. ISBN 0-370-00066-8.
• Miller, David M. O. and Chris Miller. "Modern Naval Combat". Crescent Books, 1986. ISBN 0-517-61350-6.
• Moxton, Julian. "Supersonic Harrier: One Step Closer". Flight International, 4 December 1982, pp. 1633–1635.
• Spick, Mike and Bill Gunston. The Great Book of Modern Warplanes. Osceola, WI: MBI Publishing, 2000. ISBN 0-7603-0893-4.
• Sturtivant, Ray. Fleet Air Arm Fixed-Wing Aircraft since 1946. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians), 2004. ISBN 0-85130-283-1.
• Sturtivant, Ray. RAF Flying Training and Support Units since 1912. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians), 2007. ISBN 0-85130-365-X.
• Swanborough, Gordon and Peter M. Bowers. United States Navy Aircraft since 1911. Putnam Aeronautical, 1990. ISBN 0-87021-792-5.
• Vann, Frank. Harrier Jump Jet. New York, USA: Bdd Promotional Book Co, 1990. ISBN 0-7924-5140-6.

Further reading

• Farley, John, OBE. A View From The Hover: My Life In Aviation. Bath, UK: Seager Publishing/Flyer Books, 2010, first edition 2008. ISBN 978-0-9532752-0-5.
• Polmar, Norman, and Dana Bell. One Hundred Years of World Military Aircraft. Annapolis, Maryland, USA: Naval Institute Press, 2003. ISBN 1-59114-686-0.

External links

• The P.1127 Analysed – a 1962 Flight International article on the Hawker P.1127
• P.1127 Development – a 1963 Flight International article on the development of the Hawker P.1127
• British Aerospace Sea Harrier
• Sea Harrier Still Alive and Kicking (archive article)
• Harrier history website
• Harriers lost in the Falklands
• Up-to-date resource of all UK Harriers and Designations
• Harrier development & service, 4 part series
• Photographs of Harrier G R Mk 7 deployed aboard HMS Illustrious
• RTP-TV AeroSpace Show: Video of Harrier Hovering
• AV-8B Plus product page at Boeing.com
• AV-8B Harrier II fact sheet and AV-8B Harrier II history page at Navy.mil
• AV-8B Harrier page at globalsecurity.org
• McDonnell Douglas/British Aerospace AV-8B Harrier II Attack Fighter page on Aerospaceweb.org
• 3D view of Harrier AV-8B at the National Museum of the Marines Corps site
• Greg Goebel Harriers
• Photos of this aircraft on Airliners.net
• Defense Industry Daily: AV-8B Harrier finding Success in Iraq (30 March 2005)
• Harrier page on globalsecurity.org