List of Harrier variants explained

This is a list of variants of the Harrier jump jet family of V/STOL ground attack fighter aircraft.

Hawker Siddeley P.1127

P.1127
  • Experimental V/STOL fighter, two prototypes and four development aircraft.[1]
    Kestrel FGA.1
  • Aircraft for the tripartite evaluation squadron, nine built, six later transferred to the United States where they were designated XV-6A.[2]
    P.1127 (RAF)
  • Development V/STOL ground attack and reconnaissance fighter, six built as pre-production evaluation aircraft before the type was ordered into production as the Harrier GR1.[3]
    XV-6A
  • United States military designation for the six Kestrel FGA.1 transferred to the United States.[2]
    VZ-12
  • United States Army designation for two P.1127 development aircraft, not delivered.[4]

    Hawker Siddeley Harrier

    Single-seat

    Harrier GR.1
  • Initial production version for RAF, powered by 19,000 lbf (84.7 kN) Rolls-Royce Pegasus 6 (Pegasus Mk 101 in RAF service).[5] A total of 61 built.[6]
    Harrier GR.1A
  • Upgraded version of the GR.1, the main difference being the uprated (20,500 lbf (91.4 kN)) Pegasus 10 (or Pegasus Mk 102) engine.[7] 17 GR.1As new-built and a further 41 GR.1s upgraded to GR.1A configuration, for a total of 58 GR.1As.
    Harrier GR.3
  • Featured its sensors (such as a laser tracker in the lengthened nose and radar warning receiver on the fin and tail boom) and a further uprated (21,500 lbf (95.9 kN)) Pegasus 11 (Pegasus Mk 103).[7] [8] A total of 40 new built, with last delivered in December 1986,[9] and about 62 converted from GR.1/GR.1As.[10]
    AV-8A Harrier
  • Single-seat ground-attack, close air support, reconnaissance, and fighter aircraft, powered by Pegasus 11 (designated F102-RR-402 by US) with simplified nav/attack system.[11] 102 ordered for the USMC. Company designation Harrier Mk 50.[12] [13]
    AV-8C: Upgraded AV-8A for the USMC.[14]
    AV-8S Matador
  • Export version of the AV-8A Harrier for the Spanish Navy, later sold to the Royal Thai Navy. Spanish Navy designation VA-1 Matador. Company designation Harrier Mk 53 for the first production batch, and Mk 55 for the second batch.

    Two-seat

    Harrier T.2
  • Lengthened two-seat training version for the RAF, powered by Pegasus Mk 101 engine and with taller fin.[15]
    Harrier T.2A
  • Upgraded T.2, powered by a Pegasus Mk 102.[16]
    Harrier T.4
  • Two-seat training version for the Royal Air Force, equivalent to the GR.3, with Pegasus Mk 103 engine, laser seeker and radar warning receiver. Reverted to short fin of single seater.[16]
    Harrier T.4A
  • T.4 without laser seeker .[17]
    Harrier T.4N
  • Two-seat training version of the T.4A for the Royal Navy, with avionics (excluding radar) based on Sea Harrier FRS.1.[18]
    Harrier T.4(I)
  • Conversion of ex-RAF T.4 airframes by BAE Systems, for the Indian Navy. Attrition replacements for India's Harrier T.60. Delivered from December 2003.[19]
    Harrier T.8
  • Naval trainer modified from early trainer variants and fitted with Sea Harrier F(A).2 avionics.[20]
    Harrier T.52
  • Two-seat company demonstrator of an export variant of the T.2, originally Pegasus 102 powered but uprated to Pegasus 103 following an accident in 1971, one built first flown 15 September 1971. Registered G-VTOL[21]
    Harrier T.60
  • Export version of the T4N two-seat training version for the Indian Navy.[22]
    TAV-8A Harrier
  • Two-seater training version for the USMC, powered by a Pegasus Mk 103. Company designation Harrier Mk 54. Eight built.[23]
    TAV-8S Matador
  • Export version of the TAV-8A Harrier for the Spanish Navy. Later sold to the Royal Thai Navy. Spanish Navy designation VAE-1 Matador. Company designation Harrier Mk 54.[24]

    British Aerospace Sea Harrier

    Sea Harrier FRS.1
  • 57 FRS1s were delivered between 1978 and 1988; most survivors converted to Sea Harrier FA2 specifications from 1993.[25]
    Sea Harrier FRS.51
  • Single-seat fighter, reconnaissance and attack aircraft made for the Indian Navy, similar to the British FRS1. Unlike the FRS1 Sea Harrier, it is fitted with Matra R550 Magic air-to-air missiles.[26] These aircraft were later upgraded with the Elta EL/M-2032 radar and the Rafael Derby BVRAAM missiles.[27]
    Sea Harrier F(A).2
  • Upgrade of FRS1 fleet in 1993, featuring the Blue Vixen Pulse-Doppler radar and the AIM-120 AMRAAM missile making it the best European Naval jet Fighter.[25]

    McDonnell Douglas AV-8B Harrier II

    YAV-8B: Two prototypes converted in 1978 from existing AV-8A airframes (BuNo 158394, 158395).[1]
    AV-8B Harrier II
  • "Day Attack" variant. 4 full scale development (FSD) aircraft were built in 1982, followed by 162 production aircraft, built 1983–1989. Most were later upgraded to one of the following two variants, while the remainder were withdrawn from service.[1]
    AV-8B Harrier II Night Attack
  • Incorporates a Navigation Forward Looking Infrared camera (NAVFLIR). Upgraded cockpit, compatible with night vision goggles. More powerful Rolls-Royce Pegasus 11 engine. Originally designated AV-8D.[1]
    AV-8B Harrier II+
  • Similar to the Night Attack variant, with the addition of an APG-65 radar. It is used by the USMC, Spanish Navy, and Italian Navy. 72 were converted from existing AV-8B, 43 were newly built from 1993 to 1997.[1]
    TAV-8B Harrier II
  • Two-seat trainer version. 23 were built between 1986 and 1992.[1]
    TAV-8B Harrier II+
  • Two two-seat trainer aircraft built for Italy 1990 to 1991.[1]
    EAV-8B Matador II
  • Company designation for the Spanish Navy version. 12 were built 1987 to 1988.[1]
    EAV-8B Matador II+
  • AV-8B Harrier II+ for Spanish Navy, 11 were converted from EAV-8B, 8 were new built 1995 to 1997.[1]

    British Aerospace Harrier II

    GR5
  • The GR5 was the RAF's first second-generation Harrier. The GR5 differed from the USMC AV-8B in avionics fit, weapons and countermeasures. Forty one GR5s were built.[1]
    GR5A
  • The GR5A was a minor variant of the Harrier which incorporated changes in the design in anticipation of the GR7 upgrade.[1]
    GR7
  • The GR7 was an upgraded version of the Harrier GR5.
    GR7A
  • The GR7A is a GR7 with an uprated Rolls-Royce Pegasus 107 engine. The Mk 107 engine provides around 3,000 lbf (13 kN) extra thrust than the Mk 105's 21,750 lbf (98 kN) thrust, increasing aircraft performance during "hot and high" and carrier-borne operations.[1]
    GR9
  • The Harrier GR9 is an avionics and weapons upgrade of the standard GR7.[1]
    GR9A
  • The Harrier GR9A is an avionics and weapons upgrade of the uprated engined GR7As. All GR9s are capable of accepting the Mk 107 Pegasus engine to become GR9As.[1]
    T10
  • The Harrier T10 is the original two seat training variant of the second-generation RAF Harrier. The RAF used the USMC trainer, the TAV-8B, as the basis for the design.[1]
    T12
  • The RAF needed trainers to reflect the upgrade of the GR7 to GR9. Nine T10 aircraft were to receive the JUMP updates under the designation T12, but retain the less powerful Pegasus 105 engine.[1] [28]

    References

    Notes
  • Citations
    • Bibliography

    Further reading

    External links

    Notes and References

    1. Jenkins 1998
    2. Evans, A. "American Harrier – Part One." Model Aircraft Monthly, Vol. 8, Issue 4, pp. 36–39.
    3. Mason 1986, p. 78.
    4. Swanborough and Bowers 1990, p. 338.
    5. Jackson 1991, p. 51.
    6. Evans 1998, pp. 172–173.
    7. Jackson 1991, p. 54.
    8. Evans 1998, pp. 31, 33.
    9. Evans 1998, pp. 174, 176.
    10. Evans 1998, p. 33.
    11. Evans 1998, p. 43.
    12. Taylor 1988, p. 290.
    13. Under British military aircraft designations export variants of aircraft tend to receive Mark numbers starting from 50.
    14. Nordeen 2006, p. 35.
    15. Evans 1998, pp. 27–28.
    16. Evans 1998, p. 28.
    17. Evans 1998, pp. 28, 30.
    18. Evans 1998, pp. 67–68.
    19. Web site: Majalis. 10. 1. BAE Systems. 5 September 2015. https://web.archive.org/web/20160304100644/http://www.majalisksa.com/majalis10/eng/PAGES1-14.pdf. 4 March 2016. dead.
    20. Evans 1998, pp. 152–153.
    21. Jackson 1973, p. 351.
    22. Evans 1998, p. 82.
    23. Evans 1998, p. 50.
    24. Nordeen 2006, p. 14.
    25. Nordeen 2006, p. 11.
    26. Web site: Heralding the Next Gen weapons . Financial Express . 7 February 2007.
    27. http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/NAVY/Galleries/AirArm/Harrier/ Bharat-Rakshak.com
    28. The great GR9 journey . Defence Management Journal . 40 . 2008 . 20 March 2011 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110722100522/http://www.defencemanagement.com/article.asp?id=329&content_name=Aviation&article=9493 . 22 July 2011 .

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