AV-8B Harrier II Plus

AV-8B Harrier II Plus
Country	USA
Type	Vertical/short takeoff and landing

Photo gallery of a AV-8B Harrier II Plus, The McDonnell Douglas AV-8B Harrier II is a second-generation vertical/short takeoff and landing (V/STOL) ground-attack aircraft.

Source: AV-8B Harrier II Plus on Wiki

AV-8B Harrier II Plus
Photographer	Shawn Antunes
Localisation	Unknow
Photos	100

AV-8B Harrier II Plus 01

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AV-8B Harrier II Plus 08

AV-8B Harrier II Plus 10

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AV-8C Harrier Walk Around
Photographer	Shawn Antunes
Localisation	Unknow
Photos	227

AV-8C Harrier

AV-8C Harrier Walk Around
Photographer	Burhand Donke
Localisation	Unknow
Photos	25

AV-8C Harrier 01

AV-8C Harrier 02

AV-8C Harrier 03

AV-8C Harrier 04

AV-8C Harrier 05

AV-8C Harrier 06

AV-8C Harrier 07

AV-8C Harrier 08

AV-8C Harrier 09

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The Vertical Jump-Jet with a Sting

The AV-8B Harrier II Plus is the most advanced version of the famous “Jump Jet” family. While earlier Harriers were strictly “day fighters” limited to visual range, the Harrier II Plus (introduced in 1993) added the APG-65 radar—the same radar used in the early F/A-18 Hornet. This transformed the Harrier from a close-air-support specialist into a true multi-role fighter capable of “Beyond Visual Range” (BVR) combat using the AIM-120 AMRAAM. It allowed the U.S. Marine Corps, Italy, and Spain to operate miniature aircraft carriers with a level of air-superiority previously reserved for full-sized “supercarriers.”

Attribute	Technical Specification (AV-8B Harrier II Plus)
Role	V/STOL Multi-role Attack Aircraft
Crew	1 (Pilot)
Engine	1 × Rolls-Royce Pegasus F402-RR-408 vectored-thrust turbofan (23,500 lbf)
Maximum Speed	1,083 km/h (673 mph / Mach 0.9)
Combat Radius	556 km (300 nmi) with payload
Main Armament	1 × 25 mm GAU-12 Equalizer 5-barrel Gatling cannon
Missile Payload	AIM-120 AMRAAM, AIM-9 Sidewinder, AGM-65 Maverick
V/STOL Capability	Vertical Take-Off and Landing / Short Take-Off and Vertical Landing

Design Engineering: Thrust Vectoring Mastery

The Pegasus Engine: The heart of the Harrier is the Rolls-Royce Pegasus. It uses four rotating nozzles (two for cold air in the front, two for hot exhaust in the back) that can tilt from 0° for horizontal flight to 98.5° for vertical hover and braking.
Reaction Control System (RCS): Since traditional wings and rudders don’t work in a stationary hover, the Harrier uses tiny “puffer ducts” in the nose, tail, and wingtips. These vent high-pressure engine air to allow the pilot to pitch, roll, and yaw while hanging in mid-air.
The “Plus” Nose: The “Plus” variant is easily identified by its lengthened, bulbous nose. This extension was necessary to house the APG-65 radar, which finally gave the Harrier the ability to hunt in the dark and fire radar-guided missiles.
Supercritical Wing: The Harrier II wing is significantly larger than the original 1960s Harrier. It is made largely of composites (carbon fiber) and uses a “supercritical” airfoil design to increase lift and allow for more fuel storage, drastically improving the plane’s once-criticized short legs.

Operational History: The Marines’ Swiss Army Knife

Desert Storm and Beyond: U.S. Marine Corps Harriers were often the first fixed-wing aircraft on the scene. Because they could operate from improvised “FARP” (Forward Arming and Refueling Points) right behind the front lines, their response time was faster than traditional jets flying from distant bases.
“Viffing” (Vectoring in Forward Flight): During dogfights, Harrier pilots can rotate their nozzles slightly downward while moving forward. This creates a sudden “jump” or braking effect that can cause an enemy fighter to overshoot, turning the Harrier from the hunted into the hunter.
The “Small Carrier” Revolution: The Harrier II Plus allowed nations like Italy (on the Giuseppe Garibaldi) and Spain (on the Príncipe de Asturias) to have a “Fleet Defender” that could shoot down enemy bombers at long range, despite only having small V/STOL carriers.
Retirement and the F-35B: After decades of service, the Harrier II Plus is being replaced by the F-35B Lightning II. While the F-35 is stealthy and supersonic, many pilots still miss the raw, “seat-of-the-pants” flying required to master the Harrier’s notoriously difficult vertical landings.