British Aerospace Harrier II - "The More, the Harrier"

[Headnaught 502]

Overhead view of a Harrier GR.9, 2006. The thin Sidewinder pylons in front of the outrigger gear are easily distinguishable from the payload pylons.

By Chris Lofting - http://www.airliners.net/photo/UK---Air/British-Aerospace-Harrier/1070070/L/, GFDL 1.2, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=20652548

 

Today I would like to suggest the British Aerospace Harrier II, otherwise known as the GR.5, GR.7/GR.7A, and GR.9/GR.9A. The Harrier II represents a large improvement over the previous Harrier Jump Jet and would make for a powerful multi-role aircraft for the British tech tree.

 

TL;DR pros/cons: the Harrier II is a significant improvement over the original Harrier, with better defenses, powerful and modern weaponry, and night operations capability.

 

Pros:

• Redesigned airframe and stronger engine allows the Harrier II to carry much more payload than the original
• Can mount powerful weapons such as Maverick missile, AIM-9L Sidewinder, Paveway guided bombs, etc.
• ECM system and MAWS provide next-level threat protection from radar and IR missiles
• GR.7 and GR.9 models have night-fighting capability with NVGs for the pilot and FLIR in the nose for forward thermal vision
• Dedicated Sidewinder pylons allow for full payload capability without sacrificing self-defense (similar to Jaguar GR.1A)
• Leading edge extensions give the Harrier II much better maneuverability than the original Harrier
• VTOL capability and acceleration are even better in the Harrier II
• GR.7 and GR.9 have very high countermeasure capacity, as well as advanced IR decoys which are essentially flares with no visible emissions

Cons :

• No radar capability or radar missiles, unlike the Sea Harrier or AV-8B Plus
• No guns in service use, unlike the Sea Harrier or AV-8B series
• GR.5 has relatively low countermeasure capacity
• Subsonic

 

Genesis

 

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The AV-16 was an unofficial designation for the "Advanced Harrier" program. This larger model was supposed to be capable of breaking the sound barrier, but projected costs were too high for the involved parties.

 

In the early 70's, the United States and Britain were both interested in improving the capabilities of the Harrier Jump Jet. The "Advanced Harrier" program was a joint effort between McDonnell-Douglas and Hawker Siddeley to improve the capabilities of the aircraft. This called for a new engine, the Pegasus 15, but developing this new model would cost more than the stringent British defense budget would allow. Hawker made the decision to pull out of the program in 1975 and decided to continue with their own developments. The U.S. also decided that the Advanced Harrier wasn't worth the cost, so designers had to innovate in other ways.

 

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Hawker design for a "big wing" Harrier. This never made it past the drawing board.

 

Hawker engineers, unable to utilize the Pegasus 15, instead began investigating other ways to improve the Harrier airframe. A new, larger wing design was considered for the aircraft to provide increased lift and performance. Progress was made, but the projected development cost was too high, so they stopped working on it. However, this effort would not be in vain, as McDonnell engineers were able to take the new wing concept and develop it into something special.

 

McDonnell designers in the US were mainly interested in giving the plane more range and more payload capability. Without the ability to improve the engine power, the main focus was the airframe. The new wing from Hawker was a good start for engineers, but it needed something more. Designers realized that if the airframe and wing was constructed from advanced composite materials instead of alloys, the airframe could not only be made stronger, but lighter as well. Design tests confirmed that the new plane would have better low-speed performance, utilizing revamped intakes, exhaust nozzles, flaps, and new longitudinal strakes. As an improved model of the AV-8 Harrier, McDonnell-Douglas named it the AV-8B Harrier II.

 

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One of the first FSD (Full Scale Demonstrator) AV-8B prototypes. It had a lot of changes from the previous Harrier.

 

The new wing had its sweep angle reduced for better stability at high angles of attack, and the new wing area allowed for six underwing pylons for the aircraft. Wind tunnel testing also led to an improved cockpit design. The new AV-8B design was promising, but political pressures in the U.S. meant that the project would only go ahead if a major export customer could be found - and the U.S. decided to contact the British Ministry of Defence. It's a little ridiculous to think that the Harrier - a British design - was going to be exported to Britain, but the AV-8B was generally an American undertaking up to that point. The British budget was strecthed thin, but most of the development costs of the Harrier II were footed by the U.S. government, and that was an offer they couldn't refuse. BAe decided to work jointly with McDonnell-Douglas to improve the design, and the RAF placed orders for Harrier GR.5s in 1981. BAe and McDonnell-Douglas were jointly responsible for producing the Harrier II, and similarly, Rolls-Royce and Pratt & Whittney were jointly responsible for the engine production.

 

Unique Requirements

 

Avionic equipment was left unspecified in the agreements because the USMC and the RAF had completely different operational requirements for the aircraft. While the U.S. was content with more simple avionics for close air support roles exclusively, the RAF wanted a more versatile aircraft, as their aircraft was meant to be capable against the toughest Soviet air defenses. The Harrier GR.5 incorporated a ballistic computer for bombing on the left, an moving map display on the right, and a heads-up display (HUD) in the center of the cockpit. The GR.5 appears to use the same Radar Warning Receiver (RWR) as the Harrier GR.3.

 

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Cockpit of the Harrier GR.5. Almost all the readouts are digital in this aircraft of the future.

 

British engineers developed a Digital Engine Control System (DECS) for the Pegasus engine, allowing for smooth control and output at all throttle levels. Compared to the AV-8B, the Harrier GR.5 added two extra hardpoints on the wings ahead of the outer landing gear dedicated to carrying AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles. This freed up the outer two pylons, which the U.S. normally used for Sidewinders, and let the Harrier carry a full range of payloads in conjunction with the Sidewinders. The wing edges, intake lips, and cockpit were all strengthened in the GR.5 compared to the AV-8B to provide bird strike resistance at speeds of up to 690 miles per hour, as the RAF had a low-level, high-speed strike requirement.

 

Another major difference was the guns: the RAF opted not to go with the GAU-12/U that the AV-8B carried, instead deciding on two ADEN 25 cannons. They were a development of the ADEN 30mm designed to fire 25mm x 137 NATO STANAG ammunition (same ammunition as the Bushmaster cannon) and were mounted in gun pods similar to the GAU-12's mounting on the AV-8B. The Harrier GR.5 carried two ADEN 25 cannons with 100 rounds per gun. However, the ADEN 25 endured a litany of development problems, and in 1999, the RAF ordered all ADEN 25 fittings to be removed from Harrier IIs. The question of whether the ADEN 25 was ever fitted at all seems to be answered by a primary account - "The only time a 25mm Aden was fired in the air – by a Harrier – was Dunsfold’s Development GR5, ZD319, at the West Freugh test range in Scotland."

 

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ZD319 with ADEN 25s. Note how the barrel extends out from the gun pod - you won't see this in service Harrier IIs.

 

The gun suffered horrendous reliability issues, and the gun pod installation was deemed to be too heavy for the Harrier requirements. However, it did incorporate a connection to the HUD in the Harrier II, telling the pilot how much ammunition they had remaining, as well as being able to use a three-round "burst fire" mode. In service, the gun pods were old 30mm fittings from the previous Harriers and were reportedly used operationally to carry Marconi ZEUS Electronic Countermeasure (ECM) suites until they were altogether removed due to compatibility issues with the Invincible-class aircraft carrier's ski ramps as well as the ZEUS system being integrated into the next model Harrier.

 

Continued Improvements

 

Even before the Harrier GR.5 had been produced, engineers were looking for ways to improve its operational capability. Both England and America were interested in expanding the aircraft's capabilities for night operations. This started with the AV-8B Night Attack (NA) variant but culminated in the Harrier GR.7 for the British and the AV-8B Harrier II Plus for the U.S. The last batch of Harrier IIs ordered by England were GR.7s fresh off the factory floor; the others were GR.5A models, the only real difference being wiring incorporated for the new systems added to the GR.7, which were not yet present. This allowed for a rapid upgrade to GR.7 standard once the new systems were ready.

 

Compared to the GR.5, the GR.7 offers a host of improvements. The main improvement comes down to the night fighting capability. Mounted in the nose of the GR.7 is a GEC Forward Looking Infrared Receiver (FLIR). The FLIR is basically a thermal camera that points directly forward in the aircraft's nose, and the video feed from the FLIR can be overlaid onto the HUD. The GEC unit automatically displays a small 'V' above "hot spots" like vehicle engines in the HUD view. The GR.7 also gives the pilot a set of GEC Nightbird Night Vision Gear (NVG) for night vision capability in the areas not covered by the FLIR. To accommodate this, the cockpit lights had to be dimmed down significantly.

 

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Harrier GR.7 from the Strike Attack Operational Evaluation Unit (SAOEU). This was the first Harrier II to be deployed on a Royal Navy carrier. The nose now has a distinctive "bulge" at the top for the FLIR optic, with the two "tusks" below being part of the ZEUS ECM system.

 

The Harrier GR.7 takes threat detection and defense to the next level with the Marconi ZEUS ECM system, first tested on the GR.5. Fitted on the underside of the GR.7's nose are two antennae that feed information to the ZEUS from the front of the aircraft, while the pod behind the tail covers the rear. The ZEUS not only functions as a Radar Warning Receiver (RWR), but is also able to identify and jam locking signals. This system recognizes signal frequencies from a databank that can be updated as new types of equipment with different frequencies are deployed against the Harrier II. Marconi's system will also automatically identify the enemy frequency and display the threat type on the pilot's HUD in addition to the traditional RWR 'howl'. A Plessy Missile Approach Warning System (MAWS) uses a semi-active Pulse-Doppler radar system to detect incoming missiles and dispense IR countermeasures and/or chaff as required.

 

Another improvement is the introduction of the Bofors BOL chaff dispenser, integrated into the Sidewinder launch rails fitted to the aircraft's outrigger pylons. The BOL dispensers will automatically dispense chaff or Infra-Red (IR) decoys when the MAWS is triggered, depending on whether the threat is a radar-guided missile or IR-seeking missile, respectively. Unlike conventional flares, the IR decoys emit a low visual signature and are almost indistinguishable from normal chaff. This allows for covert decoys that function similarly to a traditional flare. Besides the Harrier II, the IR decoys made by Alloy Surfaces in the U.S. have been applied to the Typhoon, F-15, F-18, Tornado, and Gripen in their own BOL rails.

 

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The Sidewinder attaches to the bottom of this BOL system, allowing for greater defensive capability without sacrificing offensive power. The chaff comes in radar-deterrent and IR decoy flavors, and can be dispensed manually or by the MAWS as needed.

 

The final major improvement to the GR.7's capabilities comes in the form of being able to carry reconnaissance equipment and self-designate precision munitions such as the Paveway II/III laser-guided bomb. The GR.7 was capable of carrying the Thermal Imager And Laser Designator (TIALD) pod that can be found on the Jaguar GR.1A in game, as well as the Lockheed-Martin Sniper. The Sniper features a high definition standard view as well as a high definition thermal imager, laser spotter and designator system. Using this equipment, the Harrier GR.7 can field Paveway bombs for precision strikes on target. The GR.7 was also able to carry the AGM-65 Maverick missile with infrared guidance and employed this weapon in 2003 during Operation Telic in the Iraq war.

 

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This Harrier GR.7 is carrying Paveway smart bombs with a guidance pod beneath the fuselage. Unlike the Harrier GR.5, the GR.7 could self-designate targets for precision bomb strikes.

 

There are many minor improvements as well. For ease of operation, the pilot can use the Advanced Mission Planning Aid (AMPA) to plan operation routes in advance while on the ground using reconnaissance data and computer simulations. The GR.7A variant introduces an uprated Pegasus capable of producing more thrust for greater payload capability. The GR.7 also incorporates the 100% Leading Edge Root Extension (LERX) used by the American AV-8B for even greater maneuverability than the Harrier GR.5 with its 75% LERX.

 

The Final Harrier

 

The RAF wasn't done upgrading the Harrier just yet, as they announced the development of the Harrier GR.9 under the Joint Update and Maintenance Programme (JUMP). This was a series of incremental upgrades given to the Harriers in service with the RAF. This was split into Capability A, B, C, and D.

• Capability A: Software upgrades to communications, terrain warning, and navigational systems
• Capability B: Addition of AGM-65E Maverick laser-guided air-to-ground missile
• Capability C: Addition of Raytheon Successor Identify Friend or Foe (SIFF), RAF Rangeless Airborne Instrumentation Debriefing System (RAIDS), and Paveway IV guided bombs as well as Enhanced Paveway II/III dual-mode guided bombs
• Capability D: Addition of indigenous Brimstone anti-armor missile and Digital Joint Reconnaissance Pod (DJRP)
• Capability E (Planned): Would have added Link-16 communication system, auxiliary communications, and Tactical Information Exchange Capability (TIEC).

 

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Harrier GR.9 ZG508 carrying AGM-65 Mavericks along with external drop tanks. It's hard to make out, but the gun pods have been replaced with a simple fin to serve as an aerodynamic strake.

 

The RAF would replace their GR.7s with GR.9s and GR.7As with GR.9As, respectively. This variant wasn't too different, but unlike the previous two Harriers, it didn't employ any gun pods, not even empty, instead using an aerodynamic strake to replicate the pods' effect during VTOL. Outside of testing, the Harrier II would remain without gun armament for its entire career; some pilots lamented this fact. All things considered, making the ADEN 25 work for the Harrier II would probably have been less expensive than the overall usage costs of guided munitions for light targets that could have been strafed instead, but hindsight is 20/20. The Harrier GR.9 would be the last version of the Harrier II produced for England and was exclusively done as an upgrade to existing GR.7/GR.7A airframes.

 

Service History

 

The Harrier II would see service in various conflicts after the dissolution of the Soviet Union, mainly as an interdictor strike aircraft. They were first stationed in Germany as a deterrent against the Soviet Union, but the need disappeared along with the enemy. In 1993, Harrier GR.5 patrols enforced a no-fly zone over Iraq. They were again deployed in 1995 as a deterrent after the collapse of Yugoslavia and performed 126 strike sorties. The conflict was reportedly the first where precision munitions were used more than conventional "dumb" munitions. Most Harrier GR.5s would be upgraded to the GR.7 configuration, which saw service over Kosovo, Afghanistan, Iraq, and in other minor conflicts. Pilots and ground forces alike found the Harrier II's performance in the ground support role impressive, though some pilots lamented the lack of guns, and the RAF estimated about 30% of the Harrier sorties in Iraq were close air support missions. The majority of combat missions undertaken by the Harrier II were performed by GR.7s and GR.7As, with very few operational losses incurred.

 

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Harrier GR.7 with Mavericks over Iraq , sometime in 2003.

 

The Harrier GR.9 saw operational use in Kandahar and in Afghanistan, replacing the GR.7s still in service. The last Harrier IIs would leave Afghanistan in 2009. Harrier GR.7s and GR.9s replaced the Sea Harrier after its retirement in the mid-2000s. The GR.9 was expected to fly until 2018, but the Harrier II was retired from British service in March 2011, as maintenance issues ballooned into a crisis level of problems for the RAF and Royal Navy. Britain would sell some Harrier GR.9s in good condition to the United States in late 2011, but the U.S. elected not to use them. The Harrier II was eventually replaced in the fixed-wing VTOL role for the RAF by the F-35B Lightning II.

 

Design

 

The Harrier II was born from the airframe of the first Harrier, but incorporates many differences. A supercritical wing design provides higher performance at high Mach numbers. Although the plane is still subsonic, this gives it better control towards its top speed of 1,065 km/h. The Harrier II was one of the first planes to have an abundant amount of composite materials in its design, increasing the airframe strength while decreasing its weight. This allows for increased fuel capacity and higher payload capability, with internal fuel capacity increasing to 7,500 lb and payload capacity increasing to 6,000 kg. The wing has a larger area, allowing for more underwing pylons. Unique to the British Harrier II are the Sidewinder pylons ahead of the outer landing gear. The wing also incorporates Leading Edge Root Extensions (LERX) for increased maneuverability.

 

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Harrier GR.9 ZG502 hovering near the ground. Normally, the gunpods constituted for strakes, but upon their removal, a simple fin was added instead.

 

The Harrier II incorporates large strakes, redesigned frontal nozzles, and improved flaps for higher thrust in VTOL operation, allowing for a majorly improved vertical takeoff weight. In fact, pilots of the Harrier II actually had to decrease power output when coming in for a vertical landing because the Harrier II used the ground effect so well, compared to increasing power when coming in while piloting the original Harrier. Compared to the Harrier, the Harrier II uses improved avionics, along with a strengthened steel edge for the wings, a redesigned cockpit, and improved intakes for greater structural strength. The aircraft incorporates an ECM system, MAWS, RWR, DECS, HUD, INS, and other advanced computing devices. It has full ballistic computing capability, though the GR.5 didn't use laser-guided munitions like the later GR.7/GR.9 could. The countermeasure dispensers are located underneath the fuselage and in the outrigger Sidewinder launch rails.

 

Specifications

 

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Harrier GR.5/GR.5A

 

Dimensions:

• Span: 9.25 m
• Length: 14.5 m
• Height: 3.5 m
• Wing Area: 21.3 m²

 

Propulsion: Pegasus 105 (21,500 lbf)

Max Speed: 1,065 km/h or Mach 0.92 at altitude

Service Ceiling: 15,000 m

 

Armament: 2 x 25mm ADEN 25 cannon, 100 rpg (only used in testing)

External Stores: 9 hardpoints, capable of carrying over 9,000 lb ordnance:

• up to seven BL755 Cluster Bomb
• up to six AIM-9G/L Sidewinder air-to-air missile, with two dedicated pylons
• up to four CRV7 rocket pods
• up to four Matra SNEB rocket pods
• 540 lb or 1,000 lb unguided bombs

 

Crew: 1

Avionics:

• Smiths Industrites SU/128-A Heads Up Display (HUD)
• Hughes ASB-19 Angle Rate Bombing Set (ARBS) with TV visual capability of up to 6x magnification
• Marconi Radar Warning Receiver (RWR)
• Marconi ZEUS Electronic Countermeasure (ECM) system (would replace right-hand ADEN)
• Ferranti Moving Map display and Inertial Navigation System (INS) with integrated GPS receiver
• Two AN/ALE-40 countermeasure pods with up to 30 chaff or 15 flare charges per pod
• Digital Engine Control System (DECS)

 

GR.5A model is identical except for internal wiring being slightly different.

 

 

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Harrier GR.7/GR.7A

 

Dimensions:

• Span: 9.25 m
• Length: 14.5 m
• Height: 3.5 m
• Wing Area: 22.6 m²

 

Propulsion:

• Pegasus 105 (21,500 lbf) for GR.7
• Pegasus 107 (23,800 lbf) for GR.7A

Max Speed: 1,065 km/h or Mach 0.92 at altitude

Service Ceiling: 15,000 m

 

Armament: 2 x 25mm ADEN 25 cannon, 100 rpg (never used in service)

External Stores: 9 hardpoints, capable of carrying over 9,000 lb ordnance:

• up to seven BL755 Cluster Bomb
• up to six AIM-9L Sidewinder air-to-air missile, with two dedicated pylons
• up to four CRV7 rocket pods
• up to four Matra SNEB rocket pods
• 540 lb or 1,000 lb unguided bombs
• up to four AGM-65G-2 Maverick air-to-ground missile
• Paveway II/III 500 lb and 1,000 lb guided bombs

 

Crew: 1

Avionics:

• Smiths Industrites SU/128-A Heads Up Display (HUD)
• Hughes ASB-19 Angle Rate Bombing Set (ARBS) with TV visual capability of up to 6x magnification
• GEC Forward Looking Infrared Receiver (FLIR)
• GEC Nightbird Night Vision Gear (NVG)
• Marconi ZEUS Radar Warning Receiver (RWR) and Electronic Countermeasure (ECM) system
• Plessy Missile Approach Warning System (MAWS)
• Ferranti Moving Map display and Inertial Navigation System (INS) with integrated GPS receiver
• Two AN/ALE-40 countermeasure pods with up to 30 chaff or 15 flare charges per pod
• Two to four Bofors BOL integrated countermeasure systems with 160 chaff or Infra-Red (IR) decoy charges per pod
• Digital Engine Control System (DECS)
• Thermal Imager And Laser Designator (TIALD) pod or Lockheed-Martin Sniper target spotting and tracking system

 

 

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Harrier GR.9/GR.9A

 

Dimensions:

• Span: 9.25 m
• Length: 14.5 m
• Height: 3.5 m
• Wing Area: 22.6 m²

 

Propulsion:

• Pegasus 105 (21,500 lbf) for GR.9
• Pegasus 107 (23,800 lbf) for GR.9A

Max Speed: 1,065 km/h or Mach 0.92 at altitude

Service Ceiling: 15,000 m

 

External Stores: 9 hardpoints, capable of carrying over 9,000 lb ordnance:

• up to seven BL755 Cluster Bomb
• up to six AIM-9L/M Sidewinder air-to-air missile, with two dedicated pylons
• up to four CRV7 rocket pods
• up to four Matra SNEB rocket pods
• 540 lb or 1,000 lb unguided bombs
• up to four AGM-65E or AGM-65G-2 Maverick air-to-ground missile
• Paveway II/III/IV 500 lb and 1,000 lb guided bombs
• Enhanced Paveway II/III 500 lb and 1,000 lb guided bombs
• up to eighteen Brimstone air-to-ground missile

 

Crew: 1

Avionics:

• Smiths Industrites SU/128-A Heads Up Display (HUD)
• Hughes ASB-19 Angle Rate Bombing Set (ARBS) with TV visual capability of up to 6x magnification
• GEC Forward Looking Infrared Receiver (FLIR)
• GEC Nightbird Night Vision Gear (NVG)
• Marconi ZEUS Radar Warning Receiver (RWR) and Electronic Countermeasure (ECM) system
• Plessy Missile Approach Warning System (MAWS)
• Ferranti Moving Map display and Inertial Navigation System (INS) with integrated GPS receiver
• Two AN/ALE-40 countermeasure pods with up to 30 chaff or 15 flare charges per pod
• Two to four Bofors BOL integrated countermeasure systems with 160 chaff or Infra-Red (IR) decoy charges per pod
• Digital Engine Control System (DECS)
• Thermal Imager And Laser Designator (TIALD) pod or Lockheed-Martin Sniper target spotting and tracking system
• Digital Joint Reconnaissance Pod (DJRP)

 

 

 

Conclusion

 

With advanced weapons capability, high performance, and powerful defenses, the Harrier II will introduce truly terrifying British CAS performance for ground battles, and a capable multi-role aircraft for air battles. The Harrier II in all its incarnations proved throughout its service to be a powerful and modern strike platform, capable of meeting any demands asked of it. In my opinion, this would be an excellent addition to the British tech tree in all its forms, with the GR.5 being a nice intermediate step before the GR.7 and GR.9.

 

In my opinion, the GR.5A model, which is almost identical to the GR.5 besides the inclusion of wiring for easy installation of GR.7 systems, is a no-brainer for a premium, event, or squadron vehicle. The rest would be good for the tech tree, or one of the two GR.7/GR.9 models could be set aside for premium/event/squadron vehicles, if Gaijin really wanted to. I, of course, would prefer the GR.7A/GR.9A with the stronger engine for the tech tree if it came down to that.

 

Thanks to @Flame2512 for the extra information!

 

 

Extras:

 

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9wvs6YSsbPY

Link couldn't be embedded, sorry!

You can see just how fast and maneuverable the Harrier GR.7 can be in this airshow. At 1:51 it makes a 180 degree turn in just about 8 seconds! You can also see the speed as it edges the Mach barrier at 1:41.

 

Developmental Harrier GR.9 with dummy Brimstone missiles fitted for flight testing.

 

GR.9 showing off Brimstones and Sidewinders with a slick coat of paint. The outrigger pylons let the British Harrier II carry more payload without sacrificing self-defense capability.

 

Apparently, a picture of an ADEN 25 prototype. The ADEN 25 fired NATO 25mm x 137 STANAG at 1,800 rounds per minute with over 1,000 meters per second muzzle velocity. Unfortunately, the gun was very unreliable, and in the late 90's, rather than spend the money to fix it, the British government decided to can the project.

 

Lockheed-Martin Sniper targeting system, with a Maverick cameo. From this angle, it doesn't look like it has as much coverage as the TIALD...

 

...but looks can be deceiving! The front of the pod has a full 360 degree range of motion, while the camera itself can look quite far backwards.

 

The Bofors BOL system, integrated into the Sidewinder launch rails of the GR.7 and GR.9, provides high capacity for countermeasures and intelligently dispenses proper countermeasures automatically when a threat is detected. It can also deploy IR decoys with a low visual signature, but the same effect as flares.

 

Upon the retiring of the Sea Harrier, the Harrier II would take its place - for a few short years - as a naval fighter/attacker.

 

The Harrier II kept the VTOL capability of its predecessor (obviously), but did you know the front nozzles can swing slightly forward (about 9 degrees past vertical), allowing the Harrier II to slowly reverse in the air?

 

Beauty in green... this Harrier ended up crashing, though fortunately, it was non-fatal. You can clearly see the retractable refueling probe above the intake; this extended the Harrier II's range compared to the previous Jump Jet.

 

 

 

Sources:

• Complete Encyclopedia of World Aircraft by David Donald (1997)
• McDonnell-Douglas AV-8B Harrier II (Aeroguide 16) by Roger Chesnau (1987)
• Boeing / BAe Harrier by Dennis Jenkins (1998)
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Aerospace_Harrier_II
• https://dunsfoldairfield.org/aden-gun-range/
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E6cN1epZ6R4
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qeDWdwD_1-8
• http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/2956787.stm
• http://tealgroup.com/images/TGCTOC/sample-meb.pdf
• http://www.alloysurfaces.com/~/media/Files/A/Alloy-Surfaces/Data Sheets/MJU-52B BOL IR Brochure.pdf

Edited July 10, 2022 by Headnaught

[ItssLuBu 1,798]

Approved and open for discussion. 

[Milocat 4,854]

+1 for sure, would be a great addition to the game.

[AVROVULCANXH558 349]

+1 for all variants in the tree

 

Great suggestion btw 

[Flame2512 3,384]

Great suggestion. I'd like to see the GR.7A & GR.9A in the tree with the GR.5 as some sort of event vehicle. Just a couple of observation I have:

 

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 Either BOL pods or Sidewinders can be carried on these mounts.

The BOL is a Sidewinder launch rail with an integrated chaff / IR decoy dispenser. So you fit a BOL rail to a hardpoint, then fit a Sidewinder to the BOL rail; you don't have to pick one or the other. The Harrier GR.7 and GR.9 can carry up to four BOL dispensers (two on the Sidewinder pylons, and two on the outer most pylons). Each BOL rail carries 160 countermeasures (either chaff or IR) for a total of 640, plus 60 in the AN/ALE-40s. That takes the total chaff  / flare count to 700.

 

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Addition of AGM-65E Maverick laser-guided air-to-ground missile

The only Maverick version the RAF used was the AGM-65G-2

 

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Up to six AIM-9L Sidewinder air-to-air missile, with two dedicated pylons

The most missiles I have ever heard of a UK Harrier II carrying is four (two on the outermost pylons and two on the dedicated rails), and even that's a little hard to prove. The Harrier GR.5 also got AIM-9G. There was also talk of giving the GR.9 ASRAAM but as far as I know that got cancelled; this photo exists though:

Spoiler

 

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unlike the top-mounted countermeasure dispensers of the Harrier GR.3

The Harrier GR.3 had downwards firing dispensers in the underside of the fuselage, behind the airbrake. I think this is where the AN/ALE-40s were put on all future UK Harriers.

 

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up to twelve Brimstone air-to-ground missile

I don't think this configuration was ever cleared for use, but this photo exists (18 Brimstones):

Spoiler

 

[Headnaught 502]

36 minutes ago, Flame2512 said:

The BOL is a Sidewinder launch rail with an integrated chaff / IR decoy dispenser. So you fit a BOL rail to a hardpoint, then fit a Sidewinder to the BOL rail; you don't have to pick one or the other. The Harrier GR.7 and GR.9 can carry up to four BOL dispensers (two on the Sidewinder pylons, and two on the outer most pylons).

The Harrier GR.3 had downwards firing dispensers in the underside of the fuselage, behind the airbrake. I think this is where the AN/ALE-40s were put on all future UK Harriers.

The Harrier GR.5 also got AIM-9G.

Thanks for all the info flame! I'll have to amend the suggestion. (I must have forgot how the Harrier's flares work in game... it's been a while since I flew the GR.3.)

 

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I thought that little thing with the green head above was the chaff pod. Is that a Sidewinder, or something else?

 

36 minutes ago, Flame2512 said:

The only Maverick version the RAF used was the AGM-65G-2

This is where I'm confused, because the sources I've consulted say the Maverick was integrated into the GR.9. However, the Maverick was already capable of being used on the GR.7. So I figured it had to be a different version of the Maverick. I could have sworn that I read somewhere that the new Mavericks were laser-guided for greater precision, but I can't find it off the top of my head.

 

5 hours ago, Flame2512 said:

The most missiles I have ever heard of a UK Harrier II carrying is four (two on the outermost pylons and two on the dedicated rails)

Sources say the AV-8B could carry four, with the two extra pylons for the British that would make six. Probably never actually used, but the capability is apparently there.

[TerikG2014 1,389]

6 hours ago, Headnaught said:

I thought that little thing with the green head above was the chaff pod. Is that a Sidewinder, or something else?

CRV-7 Rocket pod

[Headnaught 502]

10 hours ago, TerikG2014 said:

CRV-7 Rocket pod

I was actually talking about the other thing right next to it on the Sidewinder pylon, but I didn't know that either. Thanks for the info!

[legogeorgia@psn 1,486]

The Harrier is my favorite aircraft of all time, therefore I'd want to see every possible iteration of it. absolutely +1 

[Flame2512 3,384]

23 hours ago, Headnaught said:

I thought that little thing with the green head above was the chaff pod. Is that a Sidewinder, or something else?

 

These are the BOL dispensers:

Spoiler

 

They are Sidewinder launch rails with a counter measure's dispenser built into the back. Here is what one looks like with a Sidewinder fitted (note: this is an American BOL rail so is slightly different to the one seen on British aircraft)

Spoiler

 

Here are some other photos of the BOL rail:

Spoiler

 

[MonkeyBussiness 1,228]

+1 harrier look cooler with Lima under the wing

[Nostalgistic 312]

+1 for more Jump Jets!

[__Stiben__ 100]

yah +1 go britanland!

[WNxDavid990 166]

+1. Should introduce it like the way the A10 has been brought in. GR.5/5A as an event vehicle. GR.7/7A as Prem and GR.9/9A as tech tree

[duckmartin 1,889]

I think the GR 7 is coming in this update going by the datamines !!

[_A_Person 165]

3 hours ago, duckmartin said:

I think the GR 7 is coming in this update going by the datamines !!

The mine in question

Labelled as GR.7 at 11.0 for now

[warhead_beast 352]

Harrier GR. 7 (UK)

• Tier VII

• 11.0

• hidden

• after the Jaguar GR. 1B

• stock repair cost – 6200 / 14.940 / 18.300 SL

And here the stuff from the dev server datamine

It aperrently has Guns

[Headnaught 502]

Hello everyone, I saw the news too. Just as excited as you are! I'm not really sure what guns they are going to use, though they appear to be standard ADEN 30mm - guess we'll find out when it's revealed. From what I saw on the Reddit I didn't see any mention of ADEN 25.

Edited September 3, 2022 by Headnaught

[_Froge_ 30]

On 03/09/2022 at 11:21, warhead_beast said:

Harrier GR. 7 (UK)

• Tier VII

• 11.0

• hidden

• after the Jaguar GR. 1B

• stock repair cost – 6200 / 14.940 / 18.300 SL

And here the stuff from the dev server datamine

It aperrently has Guns

It has no loadouts yet, but it looks like it carries the TIALD pod by default? Model isn't finished yet though and it looks a bit janky. I see 9 hardpoints total, but no BOL.

 

Spoiler

 

TIALD pod but it's kind of fused with the fin, at least it's not taking up the centreline hardpoint. I don't see any guns.

 

Looks like Mavericks can only be fired from 4 of the hardpoints

 

No BOL, at least not on the base version. Might be a researchable CM upgrade?

 

Reference statcard

 

Engine

 

[_A_Person 165]

Wait, so does using the TIALD pod remove both guns or can you have the pod on one side and a gunpod on the other?

[TerikG2014 1,389]

2 hours ago, _A_Person said:

Wait, so does using the TIALD pod remove both guns or can you have the pod on one side and a gunpod on the other?

We don't know yet its possible it does

[_A_Person 165]

Current load out as of now

Shame there's no guns

 

 

Cockpit with da bubble canopy

Edited September 7, 2022 by _A_Person

[TerikG2014 1,389]

21 minutes ago, _A_Person said:

Current load out as of now

Shame there's no guns

Very much WIP lotta placeholder stuff in there 

[TwitchyNGL 595]

Hows it meant to use those Paveway loadouts anyway without the TIALD. Oh I guess Custom. Then I wonder is it even possible to use them without it. And do they work a bit better now. 

[AspandaIV 375]

11 hours ago, _A_Person said:

Current load out as of now

Shame there's no guns

 

 

Cockpit with da bubble canopy

The payload options is still not finished regardless if the GR.7 is getting a gunpod or not, notice the lack of any payload on the 2 outer fuselage mountings or it only carries 4 AIM-9L's even though the GR.7 can carry up to 6