In this article, we will take a look at the capabilities and main models of the Harrier vertical flight fighter designed and built by the Hawker Sidley company in the UK.
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The Harrier Jump Jet was designed following a breakthrough in the aviation industry. The unique feature of vertical flight for this plane provides the possibility of landing and taking off in places such as car parking or a flat area in the middle of forests. The vertical-flying Harrier also reduced the need to use or build large airfields or air bases.
One of the advantages of the Harrier over other attack aircraft was that, unlike most of them, which had supersonic speeds, the Harrier was a subsonic aircraft. In the following, we will examine the capabilities of the top model of this fighter jet.
Vertical flying fighter Harrier
For nearly four decades, the McDonnell Douglas AV-8B Harrier II was the only vertical-flying aircraft in the US military’s inventory. The AV-8B Harrier II is a single-engine attack aircraft of the Harrier family of vertical take-off and landing capability, used by the Spanish Navy, the Italian Navy, and the United States Marine Corps.
This unique aircraft can go up and down vertically like a helicopter, hover, fly sideways and even go backwards.
While most jet engines produce only forward thrust, the Harrier II has four thrust nozzles that are adjustable through range of motion. But when it comes to going the distance, the AV-8B Harrier II is just as capable as a conventional horizontal-flying jet, reaching a top speed of 673 mph.
The focal point of the Harrier II redesign was the massive Rolls-Royce Pegasus turbofan engine with 22,000 pounds of thrust. The first pre-production Harrier II took to the skies in 1981, and by 1985, the new model had been fully tested and entered service with the United States Navy (USMC).
After the initial delivery of the improved version, the Marines wasted no time in getting the Harrier II into service. The veteran has served in the war between 1990 and 2003, Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and other NATO conflicts.
The Harrier II’s presence was instrumental in Operation Desert Storm, delivering more than six million pounds of weapons and other supplies to the front lines.
The AV-8B received another upgrade in 1992, becoming the AV-8B Harrier II Plus. In addition to the more powerful engine, the Plus used advanced electronic equipment for better performance at night and in bad weather.
More than 340 cars of this model have been built so far. Production of the jet ended in 2003, but Boeing continues to support the AV-8B Harriers in the United States, Italy, and Spain. However, this fantastic fighter will be phased out in 2029 in favor of the Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning II.
The AV-8B Harrier was also involved in an infamous Pepsi advertising campaign in 1996. Advertising executives thought that the promise of winning one of these jets in exchange for earning 7 million points could boost sales of the company’s products. On the other hand, getting this point seemed almost impossible and it was somewhat comical.
But the promotion didn’t go as well as they hoped, and John Leonard, a college student, found a loophole and instead of collecting Pepsi cans, he bought Pepsi points for 10 cents each. This means that the $23 million jet could be obtained at an affordable price of $700,000.
After winning points and not receiving an award, John Leonard eventually sued Pepsi for defamation, but the court ruled that the ad was just a joke and that not every ordinary person could own these special fighters.
Other vertical flight fighter models Harrier
Hawker Siddeley Harrier (Hawker Siddeley Harrier) is the first generation of Harrier aircraft, which is also known as Harrier AV-8A. The Hawker Sidley Harrier was built between 1967 and 1970 and was first used by the British Royal Air Force.
This fighter uses Prat Endotin F 402RR engine with good fuel consumption, radar warning system, electronic warfare system, friend-from-enemy identification system, and two Cyndonder missiles.
A total of 110 planes were made of this jet, some of which were developed for training purposes and some were two-seaters.
The Sea Harrier is a fighter-defense fighter designed for naval use and used by the British Royal Navy and the Indian Navy.
Sea Harrier has air defense, ground attack and air-sea capabilities and uses the Pegasus Mark 104 engine. The first version of this plane entered service in 1980, which had a different nose and a new cabin compared to other models. The capabilities of this model made it have a better rear view.
The Sea Harrier served on three British fleets and had an impressive presence in aerial combat. The British Navy sent this aircraft to the war zone on two ships to support ground forces and air cover.
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