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McDonnell Douglas AV-8B Harrier II
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The McDonnell Douglas AV-8B Harrier II is a family of second-generation vertical/short takeoff and landing or V/STOL jet multirole aircraft of the late 20th century. British Aerospace rejoined the project in the early 1980s, and it has been managed by Boeing/BAE Systems since the 1990s. Developed from the earlier Hawker Siddeley Harriers, it is primarily used for light attack or multi-role tasks, typically operated from small aircraft carriers. Versions are used by several NATO countries, including the United Kingdom, Spain, Italy, and the United States. The aircraft is known as the AV-8B Harrier II in USMC service and the Harrier GR7/GR9 in RAF service. Though it shares the designation letter number with the earlier AV-8A Harrier, the AV-8B Harrier II was extensively redesigned by McDonnell Douglas. The AV-8A was a previous-generation Hawker Siddeley Harrier GR.1A procured for the US Marine Corps. Both models are commonly referred to as the Harrier Jump-jet.
Development
The Harrier II is notable as an example of US-UK cooperation and of Cold War defense achievements. Of note is the U.S aid funding early development of the Hawker P.1127 under the Mutual Weapons Development Program (MWDP), and the salvaging of what was left of the AV-16 Advanced Harrier Program by McDonnell Douglas, making the second-generation family possible.
McDonnell Douglas had restarted its own program which was nearing production status when British Aerospace (BAe) rejoined the program in the 1980s. They then jointly produced the aircraft, and BAe developed second generation Harriers from the aircraft. By the 1990s McDonnell Douglas merged with Boeing, and BAe was merged into BAE Systems who went on to manage the family into the early 21st century.
The AV-8B had its direct origins in a joint British-U.S. project (Hawker-Siddeley and McDonnell Douglas) for a much-improved Harrier aircraft, the AV-16. However cost over-runs in engine development on the part of Rolls Royce and in the aircraft development caused the British to pull out of the program.
Interest remained in the U.S., so a less ambitious, though still expensive project was undertaken by McDonnell on their own catered to U.S. needs. Using things learned from AV-16 development, though dropping some things such as further Pegasus development, the development work continued leading to the AV-8B for the U.S. Marine Corps. The aircraft was centered on the Marines' need for a light ground attack airplane and focused on payload and range as opposed to speed. In the early 1980s, the British restarted development of their own second generation Harrier based on the U.S. design which led eventually to the GR.5.
The first two YAV-8B prototypes were converted from existing AV-8A airframes.
Production
Aircraft were built by McDonnell Douglas and British Aerospace (later BAE Systems), the latter at their Kingston & Dunsfold facilities in Surrey, in the UK. The factories were also home to the Hawker Hunter, and BAe Hawk T1.
Variants
Several variants of the Harrier are used by four countries' military forces. The Royal Air Force and Fleet Air Arm of the United Kingdom operate a number of variants and versions starting in the late 1980s, including the GR7/7A, GR9/9A, T10 and T12 versions. (see RAF Harrier II). The United States Marine Corps has operated the McDonnell Douglas AV-8B and TAV-8B since 1985. The Spanish Naval air wing (Arma Aerea De La Armada) operates the AV-8B+ and AV-8B, as well as a TAV-8B (leasing). The Italian Navy air wing (Aviazione di Marina Militare) also uses the AV-8B+ and TAV-8B. Harrier variants can vary significantly depending on the exact model, even among a single country's aircraft.
AV-8B Harrier II
The first AV-8B Harrier IIs produced were commonly known as the "Day Attack" variant, and are no longer in service. Most were upgraded to Night Attack Harrier or Harrier II Plus standards, with the remainder being withdrawn from service.
Fielded in 1991, the Night Attack Harrier incorporated a Navigation Forward Looking Infrared camera (NAVFLIR). The cockpit was also upgraded, including compatibility with night vision goggles. Concurrent with the new version of the aircraft was introduced a more powerful Rolls Royce Pegasus II engine. It was originally intended to be designated AV-8D.
The Harrier II Plus is very similar to the Night Attack variant, with the addition of an APG-65 radar (the same as in early F/A-18 Hornets) in an extended nose, making it capable of operating advanced missiles such as the AIM-120 AMRAAM. Used by USMC, Spanish Navy, and Italian Navy.
AV-8C Harrier An upgraded version developed from the AV-8A model as an interim pending delivery of the AV-8B. The airframe was not based on the AV-8B Harrier II.
TAV-8B Harrier II
A US Marine Corps TAV-8B Harrier II.
EAV-8B Matador II
Spanish Navy version.
Harrier GR-series (UK Variants)
Main article: BAE Harrier II
Operators
Italy
Specifications & Performance Data (AV-8B Harrier II)
| McDonnell Douglas/British Aerospace AV-8B Harrier II | |
|---|---|
| |
| Country of Origin: | United States of America and the United Kingdom |
| Service: | United States Marine Corps |
| Primary Function: | V/STOL Close-Support |
| Manufacturer: | McDonnell Douglas/BAe |
| Accommodation: | One |
| Powerplants | |
| No. Engines: | One |
| Rolls-Royce | |
| Engine Designation: | F402-RR-408 (Pegasus 11-61) vectored-thrust turbofan |
| Engine Power: | 23,800-lbs st (dry) |
| Weights | |
| Empty Weight: | 12,800-lbs |
| Maximum Short Takeoff Weight: | 31,000-lbs |
| Maximum Vertical Takeoff Weight: | 18,900-lbs |
| Performance | |
| Maximum Level Speed: | 662 mph at sea level |
| Service Ceiling: | 50,000 feet |
| 14,715 feet per minute at Sea Level | |
| Combat Radius: | 103 miles |
| Ferry Range: | 1,700 miles unrefueled |
| Dimensions | |
| Wingspan: | 30 feet 4 inches |
| Length: | 46 feet 4 inches |
| Height: | 11 feet 7.75 inches |
| Wing Area: | 230 square feet |
| Armament | |
| Fixed Armament: | One GAU-12A 25-mm cannon (optional) with 300 rounds |
| Stores: |
Maximum ordnance 13,235 pounds, including AGM-65s, Rockeye cluster bombs and AIM-9Ls for self defense |
| Comments | |
| Background: |
The AV-8B Harrier II today is one of the truly unique and most widely known of military aircraft. It is unique as the only fixed wing V/STOL aircraft in the free world. It also is unusual in the international nature of its development, which brought the design from the first British P.1127 prototype to the AV-8B Harrier II of today. When the AV-8B Harrier II was first flown in the fall of 1981, 21 years had elapsed since the original Hawker P.1127 first hovered in untethered flight. This basic design, only one of many promising concepts of the time, has weathered its growing up period and reached maturity in the AV-8B. The 1957 design for the P.1127 was based on a French engine concept, adopted and improved upon by the British. The project was funded by the British Bristol Engine Co. and by the U.S. Government through the Mutual Weapons Development Program. With the basic configuration of the engine largely determined and with development work under way, Hawker Aircraft Ltd. engineers directed their attention to designing a V/STOL aircraft that would use the engine. Without government/military customer support, they produced a single-engine attack-reconnaissance design that was as simple a V/STOL aircraft as could be devised. Other than the engine's swivelling nozzles, the reaction control system was the only complication in the effort to provide V/STOL capability. The initial P.1127 was rolled out in the summer of 1960, by which time RAF interest in the aircraft had finally resulted in funding by the British Government for the two prototypes. First hovers in the fall were made with a severely stripped airplane. This was due to the fact that the first Pegasus engines were cleared for flight at just over 11,000 pounds thrust. With potential NATO and other foreign interest in the P.1127, four additional airplanes were ordered to continue development. As the project proceeded into the early sixties international interest in V/STOL tactical aircraft led to an agreement to conduct a tripartite operation, with the United Kingdom, West Germany and the United States sharing equally in development and evaluation. Nine P.1127s were ordered and designated Kestrel F.G.A. 1s in the RAF name system. A number of major configuration changes were incorporated in it although the basic concept remained unchanged. Within the United States it was a tri-service venture (Army, Navy, Air Force) with the Army functioning as the lead service. However, the final interservice agreement later transferred responsibility for this category of aircraft to the Air Force. Following completion of the operational evaluation in the United Kingdom, six of the Kestrels were shipped to the United States in 1966, designated XV-6As. Here they underwent national trials, including shipboard tests. Two subsequently served in a research role with NASA. While the Kestrel operation trials were being completed and the six aircraft were headed for the United States, the RAF ordered an updated version, the P.1127 (RAF), subsequently given the designation Harrier GR 1. Retaining its basic concept, Hawker-Siddley extensively redesigned the P.1127 for production. Before it entered RAF service, the U.S. Marine Corps expressed a major interest in the Harrier for attack missions, and procurement of Marine AV-8As was initiated. The Harrier entered service with the RAF and the U.S. Marines in the early seventies. It was followed in both services by a limited number of two-place trainer versions, designated TAV-8As for the Marines. Both Hawker-Siddley in the United Kingdom and McDonnell Douglas Aircraft in the United States who had become the American associate contractor, could see ways to improve the Harrier. In 1973, a joint advanced Harrier program was undertaken but the costs of both airplane and Rolls-Royce engine development led to abandonment of the proposed AV-16A advanced Harrier. Building on the technical accomplishments of the joint program, McDonnell evolved a revised design configuration, incorporating a composite structure wing, which promised most of the AV-16's capabilities without a new Pegasus development. Following full-scale wind-tunnel tests and flight and structural test confirmation with two YAV-8B prototypes, the AV-8B is now in full scale production as the Harrier II. The first AV-8B squadron stood up in 1985. Upgrading of the AV-8A with some of the systems improvements of the AV-8B resulted in the AV-8C configuration. Two test aircraft were reconfigured for evaluation and a limited AV-8C conversion program was undertaken. An ongoing remanufacture program for selected Harriers in the inventory will provide new engines and radar, a Forward Looking Infrared Radar (FLIR), moving map and night vision goggles. These improvements will give the Harrier a day and night attack capability, and will extend the service life into the next century as well as greatly improving warfighting capability. |
Popular Culture
The Harrier's unique characteristics have led to it being featured a number of films and video games.
References & Credits