HARRIER II/HARRIER II PLUS
The RAF has taken delivery of the Harrier T Mk10 two-seat operational trainer, based on the TAV-8B airframe. A total of 13 of the aircraft have been ordered. McDonnell Douglas is continuing to work on remanufacturing 73 USMC AV-8Bs to the Harrier II Plus standard. The Italian navy's order for 16 AV-8B Plus aircraft is due to be completed by 1997, as is the Spanish order for eight aircraft. The first three Italian navy aircraft were assembled in the USA, while the remainder are being built by Alenia. In Spain CASA is carrying out final assembly, to replace the navy's eight AV8-A Matadors. These aircraft are being sold to Thailand.
An MoU covering joint development and production of the radar-equipped Harrier II Plus was established by Italy, Spain and the USA. The Spanish navy had an original requirement for 12 aircraft. Funding limitations have curtailed its ambitions, however. The USMC also has 27 new Harrier II Plus on order.
The night-attack AV-8B, of which production is complete, incorporates FLIR sensor, pilot night-vision goggles, modified HUD, upward-firing chaff-and-flare dispensers and a 106kN R-R Pegasus 11-61 engine. The USMC plans a two-stage retrofit of early-production AV-8Bs, fitting the night-attack equipment first, to be followed later by the radar.
BAe manufactures some 40% of the AV-8B airframe. Delivery of 94 Harrier IIs to the RAF started in July 1987, with an initial batch of GR5s, followed by 21 interim-standard GR5As for storage and later conversion to night-attack GR7s. Two GR5 development aircraft were also built and, in 1989, were reconfigured as GR7 development vehicles. The GR7, which is generally similar to the USMC's night-attack AV-8B, has FLIR sensor, digital moving-map display, night-vision goggles and modified HUD. GR7s entered service with the RAF during 1993.
Customers (Harrier II/Harrier II plus): Italy 2/16, Spain 12/8, UK 96, USA 227/35.
Source: Flight International
