Home > RAF Harrier II
| AV-8 Harrier II
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RAF Harrier GR7
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| Description
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| Role | Attack aircraft
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| Crew | 1 or 2
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| First Flight | November 9 1978
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| Entered Service | GR5: July 1 1987
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| Manufacturer | BAE Systems (UK versions)
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| Dimensions
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| Length | 46 ft 4 in | 14.1 m
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| Wingspan | 30 ft 4 in | 9.2 m
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| Height | 11 ft 9 in | 3.5 m
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| Wing Area | ft² | m²
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| Weights
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| Empty | 12,500 lb | 5,700 kg
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| Loaded | lb | kg
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| Maximum Takeoff | lb | kg
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| Capacity |
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| Powerplant
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| Engines | GR7/GR9 : One Rolls-Royce Pegasus 105
GR7A/GR9A: One Rolls-Royce Pegasus 107
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| Thrust | lbf | kN
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| Performance
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| Maximum Speed | 661 mph | 1,065 km/h
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| Combat Range | miles | km
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| Ferry Range | miles | km
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| Service Ceiling | 50,000 ft | 15,000 m
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| Rate of Climb | ft/min | m/min
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| Wing Loading | lb/ft² | kg/m²
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| Thrust/Weight |
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| Power/Mass | hp/lb | kW/kg
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| Avionics
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| Avionics |
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| Armament
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| Guns |
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| Bombs | Paveway 2, Paveway 3 and general purpose bomb s
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| Missiles | Maverick, Brimstone, Storm Shadow, Sidewinder, ASRAAM
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| Rockets | CRV-7
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| Other |
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The Harrier GR5, GR7, GR7A, GR9 and GR9A are all Royal Air Force variants of the BAE Systems/ Boeing Harrier II.
The programme is a joint development between BAE and Boeing (initially British Aerospace and McDonnell Douglas). For UK variants BAE is the prime contractor and Boeing sub-contractor while for the USMC AV-8 Harrier II variants Boeing is prime contractor and BAE sub-contractor.
The Harrier II is an extensively modified version of the first generation Hawker Siddeley HarrierSee also BAE Sea Harrier The Hawker Siddeley Harrier and the AV-8A are the first generation of the Harrier series, a successful close-support and reconnaissance fighter aircraft with V/STOL capabilities. The Harrier continues to serve today as the Harrier GR Mk.1/Mk.3 series which first flew in December, 1967. The original aluminium alloy fuselage was replaced by a fuselage which makes extensive use of composites, providing significant weight reduction, increased payload/range. A totally new one piece wing provides around 14 per cent more area and increased thickness.
Unlike the Harrier II plus upgrade the RAF have chosen not to integrate a radar into its aircraft, which would give them an Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air Missile (BVRAAM) capability. The primary AAM of the AV-8B+ is the AIM-120 AMRAAMThe AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range, Air-to-Air Missile or AMRAAM (pronounced am-ram), commonly known to air crews as the 'Slammer is a new generation air-to-air missile, developed as the result of an agreement between the United States and other NATO count using its APG-65 radar. With the retirement of the Sea Harrier it has been suggested that its Blue Vixen radar could be transferred to the GR9 fleet however the Ministry of DefenceThis articles deals with the British ministry, see defence minister for other countries. Whitehall, Westminster, London The Ministry of Defence MoD is the United Kingdom government department charged with managing the military. Ministers as of 22 August, has rejected this as risky and too expensive, Defence Minister Adam Ingram estimated the cost would be in excess of £600m.†
