Hawker Siddeley Harrier
| Hawker Siddeley Harrier | |
|---|---|
 FRS.Mk 1 Sea Harrier of the Royal Navy |
|
| Type: | VTOL - ground attack aircraft |
| Design country: | |
| Manufacturer: | |
| First flight: |
December 28, 1967 |
| Commissioning: |
April 1st 1969 |
| Production time: |
1967 to the 1970s |
| Number of pieces: |
347 |
The Hawker Siddeley Harrier is a single-engine vertical take-off and landing fighter aircraft made in the UK . The machine named after the bird of prey species of the orders ( English harrier ) and its developer Hawker Siddeley . The Harrier is based on the test aircraft and test vehicle Hawker P.1127 .
The McDonnell Douglas AV-8 B Harrier II represents a comprehensive further development . It is also known as the second generation of the Harrier.
history
P.1127 as a development base
The Harrier is based to a large extent on the test vehicle Hawker P.1127 , flown for the first time in October 1960 , which under the name Kestrel in the Tripartite Evaluation Squadron was also able to prove its suitability as a fighter aircraft for close air support. The particular importance of the VTOL concept used here can be seen in the fact that the RAF commissioned the development and procurement of the aircraft despite the 1957 Defense White Paper , which provided for developments in the armaments sector to be shifted from manned aircraft to missiles.
According to project engineer Gordon Lewis, the close cooperation between Hawker Aircraft (mainly responsible for the development of the airframe ) and the engine manufacturer Bristol Engine was decisive for the development of the Harrier despite all the technical difficulties and political influencing factors. In June 1960 a contract for the production of two prototypes was signed. Of the total of six prototypes, three crashed; one of them during an air show at the Paris Air Show in 1963.
Field testing with the Kestrel
At the end of 1962, the United Kingdom, the United States and the Federal Republic of Germany agreed to purchase a total of nine further pre-series aircraft under the designation Kestrel FGA.1 in order to determine the performance and potential of V / STOL aircraft under field conditions. For this purpose, the Tripartite Evaluation Squadron (TES) (also Tri-partite Evaluation Squadron) was set up. As a result, a new deployment concept for V / STOL combat aircraft should be drawn up. The TES was the first military unit to be equipped with V / STOL aircraft. The operational readiness of the Kestrel was determined on November 15, 1964. Ten pilots (four each from the United Kingdom and the United States and two from Germany) formed the team of test pilots for this evaluation. The important question of cost allocation was also settled within the framework of these agreements. A not inconsiderable part of the development costs for the new types of engines from Bristol Siddeley (later: Rolls-Royce ) was paid by the USA and the BMVg West-Germany (as part of the VAK 191B and almost 40% alone as part of the Dornier Do-31 development ) carried. With the very high share of US funding, the US Department of Defense (DoD) secured a significant say in the future development of these promising European projects.
By the end of the evaluation in November 1965, a total of 1366 take-offs and landings had taken place. One aircraft was destroyed during the tests, and six more were transferred to the United States under the designation XV-6A Kestrel and subjected to further testing. The two remaining British Kestrel were also assigned to further test phases at the RAE Bedford military research facility, one of the two machines being equipped with the Pegasus 6 engine.
Further development to the Harrier
Even before the Tripartite Evaluation Squadron was set up, Hawker began specific plans for a supersonic version of the P.1127. First investigations took place in 1960 with the P.1150. After the abandonment of this project, the following P.1154 should meet the requirements laid down in OR.356 (Operational Requirement 356) for a supersonic VTOL fighter aircraft for the RAF and Royal Navy. However, the Navy lost interest in 1964 and on February 2, 1965, the new British Labor government stopped development of the P.1154. At the same time, the government announced that an upgraded version of the Kestrel would be procured for the RAF. This redesigned model was supposed to be cheaper, if less powerful, than the P.1154, but to a large extent take over its avionics. The hope was that all three countries participating in the TES (Great Britain, USA, Germany) would purchase this aircraft, but this did not happen.
Great Britain placed the first order in 1965 for a development batch of six pre-production aircraft with the designation P.1127 (RAF), later also called Harrier GR.1 (DB). The first flights of the six pre-production machines took place between August 31, 1966 and July 14, 1967. The development machines have undergone extensive testing at the RAE , the A & AEE and the Blind Landing Experimental Unit (BLEU). This also took place under almost tropical temperatures in Sicily. Flights were even carried out from the helicopter platform of the Italian Andrea Doria and on the Argentine carrier 25 de Mayo .
The first batch of the subsequent series production of the GR.1 (also GR.Mk.1) comprised 60 copies. The first flights of these aircraft took place between December 1967 and March 1971. The 17 machines of a second construction lot flew for the first time between June 1971 and June 1972. Most of the units were modified to GR.3 from 1972 onwards.
From the beginning of 1971, the Pegasus 10 (RAF: Mk 102, USMC: F402-RR-400), a more powerful engine version with a thrust of 91.2 kN, was used in the conversion and production of the Harrier GR.1A, 17 of which were between June 1971 and January 1972 were rebuilt. By the end of 1974, the conversion of the existing Harrier was also completed. In addition to the Pegasus 11 (RAF: Mk. 103, thrust: 95.7 kN), the following variant GR.3 also received the LRMTS in the fuselage nose and a radar warning system (ARI.18223RWR) in a panel at the tip of the vertical tail fin for the cover to the front and on the back of the fin for the 180o backwards. All GR.3 had a 70mm F95 left-facing camera for reconnaissance purposes. The RAF had set up mobile Reconaissance Intelligence Centers at two locations for film evaluation . The first batch of this series variant (the third in total) comprised twelve machines from January 1976. As part of the last regular construction lot, 24 Gr.3s were produced from 1980 to 1982. To compensate for losses in the Falklands War, four more copies were finally made, which results in a total of 118 pieces.
United States Marine Corps
Since participating in the US Tri-Service Trials (TST) in 1968 with the six Kestrel of the former Tri-Partite Squadron brought to the US, the US Marine Corps (USMC) has been very interested in the procurement of the Harrier. The US Navy, which is responsible for the procurement of the USMC's aircraft, sent a test team to England, which also judged the Harrier to be very suitable for the intended purpose. The primary motivation behind the procurement was the Harrier's advantages in providing close air support for amphibious landing operations. This should take place in three phases: first from ships ( LHA or LPH type) at sea, then from simple places in the landing head of the operation and finally from established airfields. For a short time it was considered to set up a license production in the USA, but in the end this was not considered economical due to the small number of units.
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After disputes in the Senate / Congress over the procurement of equipment for the American armed forces outside the USA, the US government provided the funds for the fiscal years 1971/72 for the procurement of twelve aircraft. Under the US armed forces designation AV-8A (factory designation Harrier Mk.50) these Harrier were delivered to the unit VMA-513 stationed on the USS Guam . After NASA had already carried out initial tests with an XV-6A in 1971 on the possibilities of vectoring-in-forward-flight (VIFF), which means swiveling the nozzle outlets in forward flight outside of the normal take-off and landing process, a start was made 1972 started joint program of the USA with Great Britain these investigations continued. The results of attempts by the VMA-513 on maneuverability in aerial combat played an important role here. It was shown that the Harrier was able to prevail against the F-4 Phantom II and F-86 Saber when using VIFF technology . In the Falklands War , the Sea Harriers of the Fleet Air Arm used this method with great success in aerial combat.
This first construction lot was followed by four others, which were also assigned to individual fiscal years. By 1975 the USMC had received 110 machines, all of which were built in Kingston and brought to the USA as air freight. The first examples were powered by the Pegasus 102 engine and used the Ferranti 541 inertial navigation system, while the later machines received the more powerful Pegasus 103 and the American baseline system.
Spanish Navy
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Due to the political reservations as a result of the Francoist dictatorship , Spain could not negotiate the purchase of six aircraft directly with Hawker in 1973, but had to use the US government as an intermediary. The order was attached to the last construction lot of the USMC. The AV-8A (Mk. 50) were also manufactured in Kingston and shipped to the USA in 1976, where the Spanish pilots underwent their retraining on the type. A machine was lost in the process. The AV-8A then served in the Escuadrilla 008 stationed in Rota of the Spanish Navy ( Armada Española ) under the name Matador . The unit was often stationed on the ex-US Navy aircraft carrier Dédalo .
In 1977 Spain ordered four more machines under the designation AV-8S Matador (Harrier Mk.55), the last aircraft serving as a replacement for the one that crashed in the USA.
Development of two-seaters
The two-seater trainer version received a 1.19 m longer fuselage bow and a tail fin that was raised by 28 cm and moved 84 cm to the rear. The rear seat is increased by 46 cm compared to the front. On April 24, 1969, the first of a total of 27 Harrier T.2s flew, the last of which was delivered to the RAF on October 2, 1987 as the last Harrier of the first generation. Retrofits and conversions with the improved engines led to the designations T.2A (Mk. 102) and T.4 (Mk 103). A further development to the T.6 was planned for the T.4 and should integrate the night combat capabilities of the Mk.7. Those plans were abandoned in 1990 when it was decided to source newly built T.10s based on the Harrier II airframe. The only two-seater with night combat capabilities remained the XW267, which had been modified by the RAE .
commitment
On April 1, 1969, clearance for use with the RAF was granted, although at that time only 20% of the machines were already equipped with the Ferranti 541 inertial navigation / attack system (see #Navigation and target support ). From April to December 1969 the No. 1 Squadron the first 20 series GR.1. From the beginning it was planned to equip two squadrons with Harrier. In England the No. 1 squ. in Wittering and in Germany the No. IV Squ. planned in Wildenrath. The No. 233 Operational Conversion Unit (OCU) also set up in Wittering. After the Harrier's flexibility in these units had become apparent, the No. 3 and 20 Squ. in Wildenrath with the replacement of their equipment by the Harrier. The first two-seat training aircraft also followed in 1970.
In 1977 the RAF-Harrier moved to the RAF Gütersloh location in Germany , with No. 20 squ. was dissolved. Due to the local conditions, the nominally 36 aircraft were divided into only two squadrons, the No. 3 and 4 Squadron. The No. 3 and 4 Squadron were stationed in RAF Laarbruch (Weeze) from 1992 to 1999 , then relocated to England and decommissioned a few years later. Exercises were held two to three times a year, with the squadrons divided into flights of six aircraft each and relocated to exercise areas without fixed infrastructure. However, the Royal Engineers prepared the appropriate places with quick-to-lay aluminum planks for the jump start and vertical landing. Take-off runways were 230 m long, while the land area was 21 m × 21 m.
The refitting of the RAF units with the GR.5 and GR.7 versions began in 1988 and was almost completed in early 1991. Only with the OCU and the No. 1417 Flight in Belize there were still some GR.3s left. On December 15, 2010, Harrier took off from RAF Cottesmore Air Station 16 on a final flight in a diamond formation; this ended the era of the Hawker Siddeley Harrier in Great Britain.
Falklands War
During the Falklands War , the Harrier proved to be on a par with pure fighter aircraft , such as the Dassault Mirage III used by the Argentine armed forces , in aerial combat . This is partly because of the AIM-9L Sidewinder air-to-air missiles supplied by the United States, but mainly because the never intended pivoting of the thrusters during the flight made maneuvers previously impossible. For the initially planned use as a fighter-bomber for close air support , however, the Harrier was too weakly armored.
Status today
The first generation of the Harrier (GR.1 / T.2 / GR.3 / T.4 / T.8), which also includes the Sea Harrier (FRS.1, FA.2, FRS.51), flies, after India decommissioned its Sea Harrier FRS.1 in 2016, only the Thai Navy remained . All other users use the AV-8B Harrier II version, which has been further developed by the US company McDonnell Douglas .
construction
Flight control
The controls of the Harrier largely correspond to those of the P.1127. So the hover control and stability control around the longitudinal axis with the help of the flutter valves Reaction Control Valves (RCV) at the wing ends were retained. A second pair of valves for the yaw axis control is located in the stern and in the bow of the fuselage. The RCVs are fed by air drawn from the sixth stage of the high pressure compressor section of the engine. Since this air is already very warm, the pipes for the routing to the valves are made of stainless steel. In an early test phase, two baffles were added under the rear part of the fuselage in order to maintain the "air cushion" and the associated higher pressure under the fuselage while floating close to the ground. The lower hull weapon containers later added as standard armament achieve the same effect and also contribute to the typical appearance of the Harrier.
Airframe
With the transition from the P.1127 to the Harrier, the design received its third wing construction with an enlarged span, with the tips reaching beyond the articulation points of the landing gear arms. The wings received a total of four external load stations, at which 2000 lb or 455 l additional tanks could be carried inside and 680 lb outside. To change the engine, the entire wing of all Harriers has to be removed in one piece. The negative V-position of the wing, which is built on three spars, is unusually large at 12 degrees. The sweep in 1/4 of the wing chord is 34 degrees.
The hull is mostly made of aluminum alloys. However, titanium materials are used in thermally highly stressed areas, such as the hot engine outlets and the areas in their immediate vicinity. Under the rear fuselage area there are two attachment points for “strakes” or “cannon pods” (with two 30 mm ADEN automatic cannons on RAF aircraft) and an optional external load station in the fuselage center line. A refueling probe for filling the 2865 liter fuselage tank can optionally be attached above the left engine intake. The hydraulically retractable landing gear consists of a single nose wheel, twin wheels under the rear fuselage area and a pair of wheels on outriggers with a gauge of 6.76 m. The struts of the main landing gear can deflect 18 cm before they hit the dampers. The pilot sits on a Martin-Baker Mk 9 rocket-propelled zero-zero ejection seat.
Engine
The Pegasus -6 engine of the first Harrier had the military designation Mk. 101 and produced a thrust of 84.5 kN (19,000 lb st). The changes compared to the Pegasus 5 concerned the fan, which was now made entirely of a titanium alloy, nozzles with two baffles and a water injection system. The four jet outlets can be rotated over a range of 98 ° 30 ′ from horizontal, meaning the Harrier is capable of flying backwards at approximately 32 km / h (20 mph). Although the outlets are usually attached to the removed engine during demonstrations, the nozzle outlets are cell components and are permanently connected to them for reasons of stability. The rotation is done by a pneumatically driven Air Motor Servo Unit (AMSU), which receives the required compressed air as bleed air from the sixth stage of the high-pressure compressor. The AMSU operates a system of shafts and drive chains (standard motorcycle chains) that ensure the rotation. If a nozzle cannot be rotated, the drives of the three remaining nozzles shear off, so that all four nozzles remain in the same position and a dangerous asymmetrical distribution of thrust is avoided. At low speeds, eight flaps automatically open on each engine inlet, providing additional intake air. In addition, an automatically operated flap near the cockpit (bleed door) removes the boundary layer of the fuselage flow in the intake area of the engine.
Unlike the Kestrel, the Harrier has auto stabilization to reduce the pilot's workload. The four reaction control valves are located in the aircraft nose, in the tail and at the wing ends and are connected to the respective control element (rudder, elevator and aileron). When the control is in the neutral position, all valves are closed. The valves are opened and high-pressure bleed air is blown out in proportion to the deflection of the control elements. The permanent coupling ensures that the aerodynamic control surfaces are also moved in the hovering state, but the control is carried out by the RCVs.
To compensate for the lack of radar equipment, the Harrier used two then relatively new methods for navigation and for use in ground support. For these tasks, the Harrier inherited the Ferranti FE541 inertial navigation system from the P.1154 . The main display instrument was a moving map on which one's own position is shown in the center. Without a continuous update by TACAN and compass, the position error on the position display adds up to around 3.7 km per flight hour. The second innovation was the head-up display . The first series Harrier lacked the Ferranti Type 106 LRMTS (Laser Ranger and Marked Target Seeker), which was not used in series production of the single-seat Harrier until 1976. But it was retrofitted in all machines and some training aircraft.
Media reception
- In the film James Bond 007 - The Breath of Death , the British intelligence service MI6 uses a Harrier T.2, which starts up vertically from a converted gasometer on the Slovakian - Austrian border, to guide the overflowing general of the KGB - Georgi Koskow - as quickly as possible into the UK bring.
- In True Lies , Arnold Schwarzenegger works as a secret agent with a Harrier to save his daughter from the violence of terrorists.
variants
For the series designations, see the information on the designation system of British aircraft and the designation system for aircraft of the US armed forces .
Overview
- Harrier GR.1
- The Hawker Siddeley Harrier GR.1 was the first series model developed from the Kestrel . Its first flight took place on December 28, 1967. It was put into service by the Royal Air Force (RAF) on April 1, 1969. The ski jump technique (ends of the flight deck bent upwards) for the STOVL take- off of the Harrier on the aircraft carriers of the Royal Navy (RN) was tested at the Royal Navy airfield RNAS Yeovilton (HMS Heron) in Somerset .
- Harrier GR.1A
- The GR.1A was an improved version of the GR.1. The biggest difference was the improved Pegasus Mk-102 engine. The RAF put 58 GR.1As into service, of which 17 were newly produced and 41 GR.1s were converted.
- Harrier T.2
- Eleven of these armed trainers were built for the RAF. The first machine had its maiden flight in April 1969 and was delivered in 1970.
- Harrier T.2A
- Improved version of the T.2 with a Pegasus Mk 102 engine for the RAF. Four of them were rebuilt and delivered in 1972/1973, the rest were converted T.2s.
- Harrier GR.3
- The single-seat Harrier GR.3 had improved sensors compared to the GR.1 / GR.1A, such as a laser rangefinder in the extended nose, equipment for electronic countermeasures and a further improved Pegasus Mk. 103 engine. It was the most powerful variant of the first Harrier generation. This model was also used in the Falklands War. 40 pieces were rebuilt as GR.3, the rest were modernized GR.1 / GR.1A. The RAF ordered a total of 118 pieces of the GR.1 / GR.3 variant of the Harrier.
- Harrier T.4 / T4.A
- Two-seat trainer version for the RAF similar to the GR.3 standard for single-seaters. The RAF received twelve newly built and modernized T.2 and T.2A between 1976 and 1983.
- Harrier T.4N
- Two-seat trainer version for the RN. From 1983 this received two new and two T.4 / T.4A from RAF holdings.
- Harrier T.8
- Two-seat trainer version for the RN. The five machines were modernized T.4 and T.4N.
- Harrier T.52
- Manufacturer's single prototype from 1971.
- Harrier T.60
- Two-seat trainer version for Sea Harrier FRS.51 of the Indian Navy , which received four pieces between 1984 and 1992.
- Sea Harrier FRS.1
- Pattern based on the GR.3 for the Fleet Air Arm of the RN for aircraft carrier use, but with improved visibility of the cockpit, improved radar and seaworthy materials. From 1978 a total of 57 units were put into service.
- Sea Harrier FA.2
- Improved version of FRS.1, which implemented the experiences gained from the Falklands War. The modifications were initially referred to as the FRS.2 upgrade. New radar-guided air-to-air guided missiles AIM-120, an improved Blue Vixen radar with look-down capabilities and an improved cockpit were used. The range has also been expanded. The first flight took place in 1988. Orders for 34 converted and 19 new aircraft were placed by the Royal Navy .
- Sea Harrier FRS.51
- The manufacturer modified the Sea Harrier FRS.1 for the Indian Navy. Among other things, the air-to-air guided missile Matra R550 Magic was integrated. Between 1984 and 1992 India received 57 aircraft carrier vehicles.
- AV-8A Harrier
- Single-seat ground attack version for use in close air support and as a reconnaissance aircraft. The United States Marine Corps (USMC) AV-8A were very similar to the early GR.1 version, but equipped with the engine of the GR.3. 113 aircraft have been ordered for the USMC and the Spanish Navy . The AV-8A was armed with two 30mm ADEN cannon pods under the fuselage and two AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles. The aircraft was powered by a Rolls Royce Pegasus Mk 103 engine with 95.6 kN of thrust. The guy was very agile and, as a powerful fighter-bomber, was able to outmaneuver all combat aircraft of the time in the subsonic range. The manufacturer's name was Harrier Mk.50.
- AV-8C Harrier
- Improved AV-8A with modified airframe, Pegasus Mk. 15 and supercritical airfoil. AV-8C was only a provisional designation, was later renamed XV-16 and has no relation to Harrier II . AV-8B was kept free for the trainer version, the later TAV-8A. The project was not pursued any further, as the United States Navy , which was intended as a customer, preferred the Rockwell XFV-12 instead .
- AV-8S Matador
- Export version of the AV-8A Harrier for the Spanish Navy, Armada Española , later sold to the Royal Thai Navy (RTN). The name of the Spanish Navy is VA-1 Matador, the manufacturer's name is Harrier Mk.53 for the first production batch and Harrier Mk.55 for the second batch.
- TAV-8A Harrier
- Two-seat trainer version for the USMC. Manufacturer designation: Harrier Mk.54.
- TAV-8S Matador
- Export version of the TAV-8A Harrier for the Spanish Navy. Later also sold to RTN. The designation of the Spanish Navy is VAE-1 Matador, the manufacturer's designation is Harrier Mk.54.
Production according to variants
| Variants) | Service serial numbers | number |
|---|---|---|
| P.1127 | XP831, XP836, XP972, XP976, XP980, XP984 | 6th |
| Kestrel FGA.1 | XS688 to XS696 | 9 |
| GR.1 (Development Batch) | XV276 to XV281 | 6th |
| GR.1 (1st construction lot) | XV738 to XV762, XV776 to XV810 | 60 |
| GR.1 | Replacement aircraft XW630 | 1 |
| GR.1 (2nd construction lot) | XW916 to XW924, XW763 to XW770 | 17th |
| T.2 (development aircraft) | XW174, XW175 | 2 |
| T.2 / T.2A (1st series) | XW264 to XW272, XW925 to XW927 | 12 |
| AV-8A (Mark 50) (1st construction lot FY 71) | BuNo. 158384 to 158395 | 12 |
| AV-8A (Mark 50) (2nd construction lot FY 72) | BuNo. 158694 to 158711 | 18th |
| AV-8A (Mark 50) (3rd construction lot FY 73) | BuNo. 158948 to 158977 | 30th |
| AV-8A (Mark 50) (4th construction lot FY 74) | BuNo. 159230 to 159259 | 30th |
| AV-8A (Mark 50) (5th construction lot FY 75) | BuNo. 159366 to 159377 | 12 |
| T. Mk.52 | G-VTOL / ZA250 (factory machine) | 1 |
| T.4, T.4A and T.4N | XW933, XW934, XZ145 to XZ147, XZ445, ZB600 to ZB606 | 13 (2 + 4 + 4 + 3) |
| TAV-8A T.Mark 54 | BuNo. 159378 to 159385 | 8th |
| GR.3 | XZ128 to XZ139, XZ963 to XZ973, XZ987 to XZ999 | 36 (12 + 24) |
| AV-8S / Harrier Mark 55 (also AV-8A / Harrier Mark 50) | 11 in 2 lots (6 + 5) | |
| TAV-8S / Harrier Mark 58 | 2 | |
| Sea Harrier | XZ438 to XZ440 | 3 |
| Sea Harrier FRS.1 | XZ450 to XZ460, XZ491 to XZ500, ZA174 to ZA177, ZA190 to ZA195, ZD578 to ZD582, ZD607 to ZD615 |
45 (31 + 14) |
| Indian Sea Harrier FRS Mark 51, T. Mark 60 | 14 (6 + 7 + 1) |
Technical specifications
| Parameter | Harrier GR.3 data | Data from Sea Harrier FA.2 |
|---|---|---|
| crew | 1 | |
| length | 13.87 m | 14.17 m |
| span | 7.70 m | |
| Wing area | 18.69 m² | |
| Wing extension | 3.2 | |
| Wing loading |
|
|
| height | 3.45 m | 3.71 m |
| Empty mass | 5,579 kg | 6,580 kg |
| Normal takeoff mass | 11,340 kg | 11,884 kg |
| Top speed | 1186 km / h | 1190 km / h |
| Service ceiling | 15,240 m | 15,545 m |
| Use radius | 490 km | approx. 550 km |
| Armament | External loads up to 2268 kg | External loads up to 3630 kg |
| Engine | a Rolls-Royce Pegasus Mk 103 turbofan engine | a Rolls-Royce Pegasus Mk 106 turbofan engine |
| Thrust | 95.65 kN | 96.73 kN |
| Thrust-to-weight ratio |
|
|
Armament
Lower hull container
- 2 × 30 mm revolver automatic cannons Royal Small Arms Factory ADEN Mk.4 each in an external container with 130 rounds of ammunition each
External load stations
Armament of up to 2268 kg at five external load stations under the two wings and under the fuselage:
Air-to-air guided missile
- 2–4 × LAU-7 / A start rails for 1 × Ford AIM-9D / G / L / M "Sidewinder" each - infrared controlled for short distances
- 2 × start rails for 1 × Matra R.550 “Magic” each (only Indian Sea Harrier FRS.Mk.51) - infrared-controlled for short distances
- 4 × LAU-106 start rails for 1 × Raytheon AIM-120B "AMRAAM" each (Sea Harrier FA.2 only)
Air-to-ground guided missiles
- 2 × Matra / Hawker-Siddeley AS-37 "Martel" - anti-radar guided missiles (only Harrier GR.3 / Sea Harrier FRS.Mk.1)
- 2 × MBDA ALARM - anti-radar guided missile (Sea Harrier FA.2 only)
- 2 × BAe Sea Eagle anti-ship missile (Indian Sea Harrier FRS.Mk.51 only)
Unguided air-to-surface missiles
- 4 × MATRA F4 tubular launch rocket container for 18 × unguided SNEB (TDA) air-to-ground missiles, caliber 68 mm
- 4 × MATRA 116M tubular launch rocket container for 19 × unguided SNEB air-to-ground missiles, caliber 68 mm
- 4 × rocket tube launch container LAU-10C / A for each 4 × unguided ZUNI air-to-surface rockets, caliber 127 mm
Guided bombs
- 2 × Emerson GBU-123B "Skipper" (454 kg, rocket-assisted laser-guided bomb)
- 2 × GBU-16B / B "Paveway II" (454 kg, laser-guided glide bomb)
Unguided British bombs
- 7 × Hunting Engineering BL755 (264 kg anti-tank cluster bomb with 7 × 21 bomblets)
- 5 × Royal Ordnance MC / GP Mk.10 (1,000 lb / 454 kg free-fall bomb )
- 5 × Royal Ordnance MC / GP Mk.20 (540 lb / 245 kg free-fall bomb)
- 2 × Lepus (80 kg light bomb , lighting using magnesium, fall delayed by parachute)
- 1 × WE.177 (parachute-delayed 10 kt nuclear bomb)
American unguided bombs
- 6 × Mark 81 LDGP (119 kg free fall bomb )
- 6 × Mark 82 LDGP (227 kg free fall bomb)
- 2 × Mark 83 LDGP (460 kg free-fall bomb)
- 5 × Mk.77 Mod 5 (235 kg / 520 lb napalm firebomb)
- 4 × Mark 20 "Rockeye II" / CBU-100 (220 kg cluster bomb)
Additional container
- 2 × drop-off additional tanks for 455 liters of kerosene
- 2 × drop-off additional tanks for 854 liters of kerosene (Sea Harrier only)
- 2 × Port Facing Oblique (PFO) reconnaissance containers with an F.95 camera
Self-defense systems
Radar warning devices From the Harrier GR.3 and the SeaHarrier FA.2 onwards, radar warning devices were installed.
Decoy launcher Shortly before the Falklands War, the RN had BAe AN / ALE-40 decoys built into its SeaHarrier.
Users
User states
- 57 × Sea Harrier FRS.51
- 4 × Harrier T.60
- 14 × AV-8B + (originally 16)
- 2 × TAV-8B
- 10 × AV-8S (VA.1)
- 2 × TAV-8S Matador (VAE.1)
- 7 × AV-8S
- 2 × TAV-8S Matador - all received from Spain, the last airworthy copy was decommissioned in 2006
United Kingdom
Royal Air Force
- 118 × Harrier GR1 / GR1A / GR3
- 15 × T2 / T2A
- 14 × T4 / T4A
- 49 × Harrier T4N / T8
- 76 × Sea Harrier FRS1 / FA2
United States
United States Marine Corps
- 113 × AV-8A / C Harrier
- 8 × TAV-8A Harrier
Station locations in Germany
-
Royal Air Force Germany
- RAF Gütersloh , January 1977 to April 1992, Harrier GR3 / T4 ( 3rd and 4th Squadron , GTF )
- RAF Wildenrath , June 1970 to April 1977, Harrier GR1A / T2 / GR3 / T4 ( 3rd , 4th and 20th Squadron )
Note: The number of squadrons was reduced when the Harrier Force was relocated to Gütersloh because of the local conditions there; the number of machines in total - a nominal 36 pieces - remained almost constant over the two decades. From the end of 1990, Gütersloh Station Flight (GTF) continued to flow a few T4s, as the second Harrier generation, which had meanwhile flown in the two squadrons, did not yet have a two-seater.
Remaining in German museums
The XV278 (GR.1) can be found in the Bundeswehr Air Force Museum in Berlin-Gatow and the XZ998 (GR.3) in the Hermeskeil exhibition .
See also
Web links
- http://www.luftfahrtmuseum.com/htmd/dtf/hhar2.htm
- Photos of Harrier of the 233 OCU (accessed May 18, 2017)
- Brief history of the No. 1 squ. as the first unit with VTOL aircraft (accessed May 18, 2017)
- Photos of Harrier the No. IV Squ. (accessed on May 18, 2017)
literature
- Francis K. Mason: Hawker Aircraft since 1920. Putnam Aeronautical Books, 1991, 3rd revised edition, ISBN 1-55750-351-6 , pp. 421-445.
- Mastery in Marine Harrying. In: AIR Enthusiast February 1973, pp. 59–62.
- Paul Jackson: British Aerospace / McDonnell Douglas Harrier. In: World Air Power Journal Vol. 6, Summer 1991, pp. 46-105.
Individual evidence
- ^ Francis K. Mason, 1991, pp. 610–623 (Appendix)
- ^ CG Jefford (Ed.): The RAF Harrier Story. Royal Air Force Historical Society, London 2006, ISBN 0-9530345-2-6 , p. 23.
- ^ Modern Fighting Aircraft. Volume 5, Harrier, London 1984, ISBN 0-668-06069-7 .
- ^ DGLR report 2000-01: The German vertical take-off planes. ISBN 3-932182-10-3 , German Aerospace Society, 2000.
- ^ CG Jefford (Ed.): The RAF Harrier Story. Royal Air Force Historical Society, London 2006, ISBN 0-9530345-2-6 , p. 47.
- ^ A. Evans: American Harrier - Part One. Model Aircraft Monthly. Vol. 8/4. Pp. 36-39.
- ↑ Kenneth J. Mason, Charles R. Rosburg: USAF Evaluation of the Harrier GR Mk 1. - AD0855032. Air Force Flight Test Center Edwards AFB, June 1969. pp. 419 f.
- ↑ World Air Power Journal 6. 1991, p. 88.
- ↑ Mastery in Marine Harrying. P. 58 f.
- ↑ Mastery in Marine Harrying. P. 58 f.
- ↑ Mason, 1991, p. 426
- ↑ Spotting Group Gütersloh ( Memento from May 2, 2018 in the Internet Archive )
- ↑ Thunder & Lightnings - Airfield Viewing Guide - RAF Cottesmore. Retrieved September 5, 2019 .
- ^ Defense News, March 21, 2016: Indian Navy Retires Sea Harriers
- ^ Hugh Cowin: Harrier's flight control. In: FLIGHT International, May 18, 1972, p. 736.
- ↑ Archive link ( Memento from 7 July 2010 in the Internet Archive )
- ↑ Hawker Siddeley AV-8A Harrier. Retrieved September 5, 2019 .
- ^ British Aerospace / McDonnell Douglas Harrier. In: World Airpower Journal, Vol. 6, Summer 1991, p. 74.