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1994-09-26
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This unique plane was developed by a British aircraft manufacturer called
Hawker Siddeley which is now part of British Aerospace. Hawker designed
an aircraft that could take off and land vertically. Like a helicopter, the plane
could hover and go backwards as well as sideways. It was a concept that
would revolutionize combat aircraft. Sold to the British Royal Air Force as
the Harrier, it was soon nicknamed the "Jump Jet".
Interest from the United States came in the late 1960s, when the Marine
Corps ordered 20 planes under the designation of AV-8A. The Marines even-
tually ordered 100 AV-8As with most being built under license by McDonnel
Douglas in the United States. The aircraft suited the Marines well as they
needed a support operations craft to assist troops in remote places requiring
amphibious landings.
McDonnell Douglas developed the plane further. They gave it a new wing
design and an improved Rolls Royce engine. This new version was called
the AV-8B Harrier II. The Marines purchased 320 AV-8Bs, of which 28 were
two-seat trainers.
The AV-8B is built to fly straight up and down, but it can also take off from a
runway like a conventional plane. The fuselage and wings are able to su-
pport more weight than their 9.5 ton limit for vertical takeoff; extra weapons
or fuel can be loaded to a maximum weight of 15 tons if the plane is taking
off from a runway. The AV-8B does not have great performance in terms of
speed or range. This is not as important as the AV-8B's ability to accom-
pany the ground forces wherever they may go. Its great carrying capacity,
hitting power and reliability are the AV-8B's greatest assets.
Armament includes a five-barrel General Electric 25mm gatling gun and a
wide variety of bombs and rockets. Six pylon positions under the wings and
one under the fuselage provide space for handing other weapons. Up to six-
teen 500 pound general purpose bombs can be carried, as well as combi-
nations of missiles, rockets, fuel tanks, and electronic jamming pods.