Summary
- The Harrier Jump Jet, a VTOL attack jet developed in the 1960s, remained a dominant force in V/STOL fighter aircraft for an impressive 46 years.
- Despite being phased out, some militaries like the Italian Navy, Spanish Navy, and USMC still utilize the Harrier.
- Upgrades are being made to the Harrier to keep it competitive, including avionics and software upgrades.
The Hawker Harrier was the first operational Vertical/Short Takeoff and Landing (V/STOL) ground-attack fighter aircraft produced by the British aerospace company Hawker Siddeley. It was developed from the experimental Hawker XV-6A Kestrel and introduced on April 1st, 1969.

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The Harrier was developed to operate with minimal ground infrastructure, takeoff, and land with little to no runway. It was designed primarily for close air support and operated by aircraft carriers and amphibious assault ships. However, the aircraft’s maneuverability allows it to be utilized as a short-range air-to-air fighter as well.
Photo: Sgt. Samuel Ruiz | US Marine Corps
The Harrier remained the only genuinely effective V/STOL fighter aircraft until the F-35B Lighting II was introduced in 2015, allowing it to dominate the niche role for an impressive 46 years. Which speaks volumes about how technologically advanced the aircraft was for its time. However, the complexity of the aircraft’s VTOL system made maintenance difficult and costly, preventing it from the kind of longevity expected.
- Length: 46 ft 10 in (14.27 m)
- Wingspan: 25 ft 5 in (7.75 m), 29 ft 8 in (9 m) with ferry tips fitted
- Height: 11 ft 11 in (3.63 m)
- Empty weight: 13,535 lb (6,139 kg)
- Max takeoff weight: 25,200 lb (11,431 kg)
- Fuel capacity: 5,060 lb (2,295 kg) internal
- Powerplant: 1 × Rolls-Royce Pegasus 103 vectored-thrust high-bypass turbofan engine
- Thrust: 21,500 lbf (96 kN) thrust with water injection
Today, the Harrier is being phased out and will soon be a museum piece, but some militaries still utilize the aircraft to great effect.
The future of the Harrier
Military force |
Aircraft |
Variant |
Type/mission |
Number in service |
---|---|---|---|---|
Italian Naval Aviation |
AV-8B Harrier II |
AV-8B+ |
Attack |
14 |
Spanish Navy |
AV-8B Harrier II |
AV-8B (1x TAV-8B double seat trainer) |
Multirole |
11 |
United States Marine Corps (USMC) |
AV-8B Harrier II |
AV-8B/+ (12x TAV-8B double seat trainer) |
Attack/Trainer |
87 |
Globally, the Harrier is being phased out in favor of the Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning II. Some current aircraft operators are the Italian Navy, Spanish Navy, and United States Marine Corps (USMC).
The Italian Navy will be the first to phase out the Harrier out of the three remaining operators and plans to stop utilizing its 15 aircraft by 2025.
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The largest operator is the USMC, which has opted to keep the Hawker Harrier operational until 2029 despite the arrival of the F-35B. The inventory comprises 87 aircraft, 12 TAV-8B training models, 34 night attack aircraft, and 74 radar aircraft. The Spanish Navy plans to utilize the AV-8B Harrier until the scheduled retirement date in 2030, making it the last operator to phase out the aircraft. The Spanish Navu currently operates 11 aircraft.
Upgrades to keep it effective
- Maximum speed: 635 knots (731 mph, 1,176 km/h) at sea level
- Maximum diving speed: Mach 1.3
- Combat range: 360 NM (410 mi, 670 km) ho-lo-hi with 4,400 lb (1,996 kg) payload, 200 NM (230 mi; 370 km) lo-lo with 4,400 lb (1,996 kg) payload
- Ferry range: 1,850 NM (2,130 mi, 3,430 km) with 330 imp gal (400 US gal; 1,500 L) drop-tanks, 3,000 NM (3,500 mi; 5,600 km) with one AAR
- Endurance: 1 hour 30 minutes combat air patrol 100 NM (120 mi; 190 km) from base. Seven hours plus with one AAR
- Service ceiling: 51,200 ft (15,600 m)
- g limits: +7.8 −4.2
- Time to altitude: 40,000 ft (12,192 m) in 2 minutes 23 seconds from a vertical take-off
The Harrier is a trailblazer, but the aircraft is now over half a century old, and in warfare, you need every advantage you can get. In January 2021, the US Department of the Navy awarded Vertex Aerospace a $123 million Contracted Maintenance, Modification, Aircrew, and Related Services (CMMARS) task order to keep the Harrier competitive.
The Harrier will receive various upgrades, starting with the avionics and software upgrades, including the introduction of RNP/RNAV, LINK-16, ADS-B, and Helmet Mounted Cueing Systems. The aircraft will also be fitted with Gen Four LITENING targeting sensors to help track targets at long ranges.
To increase its firepower, the Harrier will be armed with the ability to carry AIM-9X Sidewinder Block II short-range air-to-air missiles and AIM-120C Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missiles.

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