McDonnell Douglas AV-8B Harrier II facts for kids

US AV-8B Harrier hovering

The McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing) AV-8B Harrier II is a special kind of airplane. It's a powerful jet that can attack targets on the ground. This aircraft is part of the famous Harrier Jump Jet family. What makes it unique is its ability to take off and land vertically or in a very short distance. This is called V/STOL, which stands for "vertical or short takeoff and landing."

Imagine a jet that can hover in the air like a helicopter! The Harrier II can do that. But it can also fly very fast, almost at supersonic speeds. It was designed in the late 1970s. It was an improved version of the original British Hawker Siddeley Harrier. The plane is named after the Harrier, a type of bird of prey.

The AV-8B Harrier II is mainly used for light attack or many different kinds of missions. These jobs include helping troops on the ground. It also flies reconnaissance missions to gather information. The United States Marine Corps (USMC) uses the AV-8B. So do the Spanish Navy and the Italian Navy. There is also a special two-seat version called the TAV-8B. This version is used for training pilots.

How the Harrier II Was Made

The idea for the AV-8B Harrier II began in the early 1970s. The United States and the United Kingdom (UK) worked together. They wanted to fix some issues with the first Harrier jets. They first thought about using a bigger, stronger Pegasus engine. This would make the Harrier fly even better. But the UK stopped being part of the project in 1975.

After the UK left, McDonnell Douglas completely redesigned the older AV-8A Harrier. This is how the AV-8B was created. The new plane looked similar to the old one. But it had a brand new wing and a higher cockpit. The main body, called the fuselage, was also redesigned. It had more places to attach weapons under its wings. Many other changes were made to its structure and how it flew through the air.

The AV-8B uses an improved version of the Pegasus engine. This powerful engine gives the jet its amazing V/STOL ability. The first AV-8B flew in November 1981. It started being used by the USMC in January 1985. Later, the Harrier II got upgrades. These allowed it to attack at night and use radar. These improved versions were called the AV-8B(NA) and AV-8B Harrier II Plus.

In 1981, the UK, through British Aerospace, joined the project again. After some company mergers, Boeing and BAE Systems have worked together on the Harrier program. About 340 of these aircraft were built. The production program lasted 22 years and ended in 2003.

Images for kids

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  A YAV-8B being changed from an AV-8A. It does not have the raised cockpit of later AV-8Bs.

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  A Spanish Navy AV-8B Plus flying. The nose holds the Hughes APG-65 pulse-Doppler radar.

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  The underside of an AV-8B Harrier II.

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  Marines changing the wing of an AV-8B at Camp Bastion, Afghanistan (2012).

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  An AV-8B hovering during the 2012 Miramar Air Show.

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  A USMC AV-8B hovers. Many more are parked on the deck of amphibious assault ship USS Bataan. This was one month after the start of the Iraq War.

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  An AV-8B Harrier getting fuel during training.

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  An Italian Navy AV-8B Harrier II taking off from Cavour.

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  An EAV-8B Harrier II performing at RIAT in 2019.

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  The TAV-8B trainer version of the Harrier.

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  A drawing showing different views of the AV-8B Harrier II.

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  A detached 25 mm cannon pod being worked on by ground crew.

See also

In Spanish: McDonnell Douglas AV-8B Harrier II para niños