The AV-8B Harrier II was born as the heir to the throne of the first-generation Harrier.
But, it is an entirely different aircraft even it has similar lines to its predecessor.
The second-generation Harrier was also an Angolo Saxon design but was created on the
other side of the Atlantic.
Now, we are investigating the AV-8B Harrier II, the successful heir to the throne.
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The second-generation Harriers have more adventurous combat service than their predecessors.
The McDonnell Douglas AV-8B Harrier II and British Aerospace Harrier II, have successfully
passed many tests in many battles.
Just six years after the Harrier, which had low range and payload capacity, entered service,
both the UK and the USA had already begun to look for its successor.
So, Hawker Siddeley and McDonnell Douglas started a joint development programme for
an advanced variant, which would have twice the range and payload capability, in 1973.
This new aircraft, unofficially called AV-16, would have the more powerful Pegasus 15 turbofan.
But, the new engine was too big to be fitted into the existing variants of the Harrier.
Yet, the UK left the programme in 1975, and the USA abandoned it one year later.
So, these two countries decided to continue their own programmes separately.
The Brits were considering modifying existing aircraft with a new larger wing.
But, the USA focused on a complete redesign process.
Washington authorized the programme, which was to design an improved Harrier variant
without a new engine development effort, in 1976.
So, two AV-8As were modified with new wings, revised intakes, redesigned exhaust nozzles.
These early prototypes, designated as YAV-8B, also had other aerodynamic differences.
But, their forward fuselage and cockpit were similar to the first-generation Harrier.
Our many viewers may ask how was a US aviation company able to develop a version of the Harrier
without being subject to industrial rights restrictions?
In the 1960s, Hawker Siddeley had gained the right to modify the F-4 Phantom II's design
according to the UK's requirements.
In return, this British company had given the same rights to McDonnell Douglas for the
Harrier.
The YAV-8B made its first flight on November 9, 1978.
The trials showed that the modified aircraft had better payload capacity, range, and short
takeoff and vertical landing, shortly STOVL, performance.
So, Washington approved the further development stage in 1979.
But like the previous Harriers, this new variant also caused many debates.
Although its performance was superior to AV-8As, the aircraft still had short-range and payload
capacity.
The US Navy was pressing heavily for the US Marine Corps to abandon the new Harrier and
join the F/A-18 programme to get a larger share of the budget.
The help came from the other side of the Atlantic.
The Brits returned to the programme in 1981.
But, British Aerospace, which was now responsible for the Harrier programme, became a subcontractor
instead of the full partner.
The AV-8B Harrier made its first flight on November 5, 1981.
The US Marine Corps took the first production aircraft over in 1983.
The AV-8B reached squadron level operational capability two years later.
The first British Aerospace-built development aircraft, Harrier GR5, met the skies on April
30, 1985, entered service in 1987 and reached the squadron level operational capability
in 1989.
The reason for this delay was the Royal Air Force's initial decision to equip the aircraft
with the FIN 1075 inertial navigation system.
Yet this system had reliability issues, and later the Brits replaced it with ANS-130.
The initial integration and certification progress caused the delay.
Different from the first-generation Harrier, the AV-8B has six wing hardpoints as one 25mm
five-barrel GAU-12 Equalizer 25 cannon.
Its internal fuel capacity is 50 per cent higher.
The outrigger landing gear legs are under the mid-span instead of the wingtips.
This design change helps to reduce the turning radius during taxiing.
The engine intakes of the second-generation Harriers are larger than its predecessor and
have a revised inlet.
The aircraft also has a supercritical wing, hands-on-throttle-and-stick control, and increased
engineered lateral stability.
These changes have improved the Harrier's flight capability dramatically.
To improve all-around visibility, the McDonnell Douglas engineers have raised the cockpit
by 27 centimetres and added the aircraft a bubble canopy.
The multi-purpose display of the AV-8B has been taken from the F/A-18.
The composite materials were extensively used, especially in front fuselage, tail assembly,
one-piece supercritical wing, rudder, flaps and nose.
26 per cent of the aircraft's structure is composites.
The rear fuselage was extended by 46 centimetres to balance the redesigned front fuselage.
The vertical stabilizer of the AV-8B directly comes from the Sea Harrier.
The AV-8B Harrier II cannot vertically take off when it’s fully loaded.
Like its predecessor, the second-generation Harrier can fly backwards.
The British Harrier II had different avionics from the US variant.
Besides, its wing featured a stainless steel leading edge, which provided different flex
characteristics and a higher bird strike protection than the AV-8B.
Also, the second-generation British Harriers had an additional pylon under each wing.
They were equipped with the ZEUS electronic countermeasure system.
British aircraft had two 25mm single-barrel cannons.
The first production AV-8B Harrier IIs had only day attack capability.
Its version, built for the Spanish Navy, was known as EAV-8B Matador II or VA-2 Matador.
The later AV-8B Harrier II Night Attack variant was equipped with a forward-looking infrared
camera and a more powerful F402-RR-408 engine.
Also, its upgraded cockpit was compatible with night-vision goggles.
It was initially designated as AV-8D but renamed AV-8B(NA) later.
The AV-8B Harrier II+ variant is similar to the AV-8B(NA) but has the APG-65 radar, which
was taken from early F/A-18, instead of forward-looking infrared.
This radar gives the capability of launching the AIM-120 AMRAAM missile to the aircraft.
Its version, built for the Spanish Navy, is known as EAV-8B Matador II+.
The TAV-8B Harrier II is the two-seat trainer version.
This variant has no combat capability.
The Harrier GR5 was the first production variant of the British Harrier IIs.
There was also the GR5A version, which incorporated changes in the design in anticipation of the
GR7 upgrade.
The Harrier GR7 had night-time operational capability.
It was equipped with nose-mounted forward-looking infrared and night vision goggles, an electronic
countermeasures suite, and new displays.
All these variants had the 98 kiloNewton Pegasus Mk 105 turbofans.
The GR7A variant was equipped with the 105 kiloNewton Pegasus Mk 107 engine, which also
had a better performance during "hot and high" and carrier-borne operations.
Later, the UK upgraded the GR7s avionics and weapons and redesignated them as GR9.
The Harrier GR9As were the upgraded variant of the GR7As.
The two-seat training variant of the British Harrier IIs was the Harrier T10.
Different from TAV-8B, this model retained combat capability.
The Harrier T12 was the upgraded two-seat training variant with the GR9's avionics.
Italy, Spain, and the USA are still using the second-generation Harriers.
The UK retired its Harrier IIs.
The AV-8B Harrier II+ has a length of 14.12 metres, a wingspan of 9.25 metres, and a height
of 3.55 metres.
Its wing area is 22.61 square metres.
The empty weight of the aircraft is 6.340 kilograms, while its maximum takeoff weight
is 11,100 kilograms.
One 105 kiloNewton Rolls-Royce Pegasus F402-RR-408 turbofan engine provides a maximum speed of
1,083 kilometres per hour, in other words, 585 knots.
The aircraft can reach a range of 3,300 kilometres.
The AV-8B's combat radius is over 550 kilometres.
Its service ceiling is 15,250 metres, in other words, 50,000 feet.
The aircraft has one 25mm five-barrel GAU-12 Equalizer rotary cannon in underbelly pods
and six hardpoints.
It can carry AIM-9 Sidewinder, AIM-120 AMRAAM air-to-air, AGM-65 Maverick air-to-surface
missiles, rocket pods, and different types of bombs.
As mentioned before, the second-generation Harriers have busy combat careers.
The US Marine Corps extensively used its AV-8Bs in the 1991 Gulf War.
It deployed the Harrier IIs on USS Nassau and Tarawa amphibious assault ships and land
bases.
The AV-8B was baptized with fire on January 17, 1991.
The aircraft attacked the Iraqi artillery, which was shelling Khafji.
During the war, 86 US AV-8Bs performed nearly 3,500 sorties.
Their mission availability rate was over 90 per cent.
Still, the Iraqi surface-to-air missiles managed to shoot down five AV-8Bs.
According to General Norman Schwarzkopf, the Harrier II was one of the seven weapons, which
played a crucial role in the war.
The US AV-8Bs also fought in the 1999 Kosova War.
One aircraft was lost.
Later, they answered the call of duty in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Over these countries, the AV-8Bs had the LITENING II targeting pods.
In the 2003 Iraq War, 60 US Harrier IIs performed over 1,000 sorties.
They successfully conducted airstrikes on Sirte/Libya on April 5, 2011.
But, the situation was not always beer and skittles for them.
In Afghanistan, Six US AB-8Bs were destroyed by the Taliban during the raid carried out
on September 14, 2012.
Later, they have continued to fight against the ISIL over Iraq and Libya.
The British Harrier IIs were baptized with fire in 1995 over former Yugoslavia.
The Royal Air Force's GR7s, stationed at Gioia del Colle Air Base in Italy, carried out the
strike and reconnaissance missions in over 120 sorties.
They also provided target designation support for laser-guided bombs dropped by the Jaguars.
Four years later, during the Kosovo War, the GR7s fought against former Yugoslavia again.
12 British Harriers successfully carried out 870 sorties and destroyed many targets with
high precision.
During 2003 Operation Telic, they now had the capability of launching AGM-65 missiles.
The British Harrier IIs conducted reconnaissance and strike missions, destroyed SCUD missile
launchers, hit the Iraqi fuel depots in Basra to cripple enemy ground vehicles and provided
close air support.
In 2006, the Royal Air Force began to deploy the Harrier GR7s to Afghanistan.
They carried out many close air support missions.
During these missions, the aircraft generally carried rocket pods.
According to British media, there were some complaints in the British Army about the Harrier's
insufficient cannon power for the job.
Some officers even addressed the Harrier's close air support capability as “totally
useless” compared to the A-10.
In Afghanistan, one Harrier GR9 was destroyed by the Taliban on the ground on October 14,
2005.
The Italian Navy's AV-8Bs participated in air operations over Somalia and Albania in
1995 and 1997, respectively.
But, they did not fire at anger.
The Italian Harrier IIs were baptized with fire in 1999, during the Kosovo War.
They carried out more than 60 sorties and conducted strike missions.
The Italian AV-8Bs also participated in the 2011 military intervention in Libya and dropped
160 guided bombs on Libyan targets.
The Spanish EAV-8Bs participated in Operation Deny Flight, enforcing the UN's no-fly zone
over Bosnia and Herzegovina.
As some of our viewers commented under our Harrier Part I video, the scene in the movie
True Lies was one of the most memorable appearances of this beautiful bird of prey.
The student becomes the master.
The second generation of the Harrier has been more successful than the first generation.
The aircraft is now getting ready for its well-deserved retirement.
After ten years, we will probably see this legendary beauty only in the aviation museums.
But, the Harrier will continue vertically landing on military aviation enthusiasts hearts.
Thanks for watching our video.
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