Photo Album - British Aerospace Harrier GR Mk.3

Country of origin: United Kingdom
Constructor: Hawker-Siddeley
Function: Vertical take-off attack aircraft - STOL / V / STOL
Empty Weight: 6.140kg
Maximum weight / take-off: 11.430kg
Length: 14,27m
Wingspan: 7.70m
Height: 3,63m
Number of weapon supports: 5
Crew: 1
Engine: 1 × Rolls-Royce Pegasus 103 turbofan 21,500 lbf (95.6 kN)
Maximum speed: 1,176 km/h
Maximum altitude: 15,600 meters
Autonomy: 2.200km
Combat Autonomy: 370 Km
Armament / Equipment

• Cannons
• 2 × 30 mm ADEN cannons
• Air-to-Air Missiles
• AIM-9 Sidewinder (Range: 18 km)
• Air-Surface Missiles
• Matra rocket pods with 18 × SNEB 68 mm
• Pumps
• Mk.82, 500 pound bombs
• Radars
• Raytheon Systems AN / APG-65 - Multi-mode / Pulse Dopler (Average range: 136Km)

User Countries:

• Tailândia
• Índia
• Spain
• United Kingdom
• United States

The «Harrier» type aircraft were the first fixed wing and vertical take-off aircraft to enter into operation.

This type of solution began to be studied since the early 1960s and several tests were carried out during that period, which ended up helping to redefine the concepts of the use of airpower by Great Britain.

The Harriers were supposed to serve as British air force aircraft for the purpose of attacking the ground, and the first Harriers placed in service served for this function.

When the Royal Navy's decision to cancel plans to deactivate its aircraft carrier fleet, the concept of covered-race cruiser was introduced, a euphemism for designating a small aircraft carrier, capable of operating high-speed aircraft. vertical take-off.

It is as a result of this that it is decided to produce a version of the Harrier intended for operation from aircraft carriers, which will be known as Sea-Harrier.

Harrier II is the second generation of light attack STOL / V / STOL jet aircraft, used by the United States Marine Corps, Royal Air Force (RAF), Spanish Navy and the Italian Navy. Harrier is known for its vertical take-off capability.

The plane is known as AV-8B Harrier II within the Marines, and by the RAF as GR7 / GR9. The AV-8A was an unmodified Hawker Siddeley Harrier GR.3, requested by the Marines. The AV-8B is a redesign of this aircraft, incorporating new composite wings, a new cockpit and avionics, as well as a more powerful engine. The new wings make it possible to take off higher weight loads, as well as armaments, although the Harrier II's more powerful engine is slower at 80 km/h (50 mph) than its predecessor.

Harrier proved his worth in the Malvinas war, where he faced and defeated much faster fighters from the Argentine Air Force's Dassault Mirage III family.