Harriers - 40 years old and still jumping

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rock45

Active member
Harriers - 40 years old and still jumping


Few aircraft can be described as truly iconic, fewer still remain in service over long periods, but this year the British-designed Harrier celebrates its 40th birthday, having spent the past five years as a mainstay on operations in Afghanistan.
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And the Harrier really is unique - no other jet in service has its Vertical/Short Take-Off and Landing (V/STOL) capability where pilots can land on shortened runways, carrier decks or on landing pads in the middle of a forest.
Developed during the Cold War, the Harrier has continually been developed from the first GR1 that came into service in 1969.
Changes to the GR5 included larger wings that provided the ability to carry twice the amount of fuel and twice the payload. The cockpit has been designed around the pilot.
The latest Harrier GR9 is a heavily updated development of the existing GR7, incorporating the ability to use a wide range of advanced precision weaponry, new communications, and systems and airframe upgrades. A Harrier can carry six Paveway IV bombs programmable by the pilot.
Qualified Weapons Instructor Squadron Leader Dan Simmons is one of two RAF brothers flying Harriers. He is based at RAF Wittering with 20 (Reserve) Squadron where both the RAF and Royal Navy train for the Joint Harrier Force. Around 700 engineers and 20 pilots (from both Services) graduate each year. He said:
"In heat of plus 45 degrees centigrade the Harrier can get airborne with a full war load and we do not have to reduce any of our capabilities. It's an amazing aircraft."
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Pilots are taught to land on 26 different types of landing surface at RAF Wittering, including a 'ski-ramp' that mimics the deck of an aircraft carrier. One student was combat-ready just two-and-a-half weeks after leaving his intensive ten-and-a-half month course.
The Harrier's V/STOL capability was a massive benefit in the early days in Afghanistan and the short Kandahar airstrip. In a recent incident where a C-17 slid off the runway with its tail blocking the airstrip, Harriers were the only aircraft that could land and take-off for operations.
But Harriers are soon to be withdrawn from Afghanistan and replaced by Tornado GR4s.
And in ten years they will be withdrawn completely from service and replaced by the Joint Combat Aircraft.
Co-operation between both Harrier and Tornado squadrons preparing for the transition is already well-advanced.
However, it is still far too early to consign the iconic Harrier to a museum.
Officer Commanding 20 (Reserve) Squadron, Wing Commander Lincoln Taylor, said:
"The Harrier Force has been on operations around the world give or take for the last 15 years. The aircraft remains relevant in today's ops as it did 40 years ago because of its V/STOL capability."
To mark the Harrier's anniversary two days of celebrations have been planned for Thursday 23 and Friday 24 July at RAF Wittering and RAF Cottesmore that will include a black tie gala dinner for all those who have served, maintained or flown Harriers since 1969.

This article is taken from the 13 March 2009 edition of RAF News - Voice of the Royal Air Force.
Photographs: LA(Phot) Wade.
Image 1: (Larger size) Two Harriers from 1 (Fighter) Squadron based at RAF Cottesmore.
Image 2: (Larger size) A Harrier from 1 (Fighter) Squadron is guided in to land.


Link
http://www.raf.mod.uk/news/archive.cfm?storyid=18D86813-1143-EC82-2EE07B723C5D73DB
 
Design

The UK and US Marines did very well with them and still currently use Harriers only India has had a rough time with them. I don't have the exact number but I think India had 28/30/ or 32 and lost around 16 to crashes and accidents, it seem almost half were lost. If somebody really interested in it I'll find the correct information. US Marines used their Harriers very effectively in the Gulf War I, I know there was a book written about them but can't remember the name. I remember watching part of a Wings show and they were deploy so close to the action they never had to be air refueled and had a good sortie rate. I saw one at an air show once many years ago might be the loudest aircraft I ever heard, it has a higher pitch sound.
 
In my opinion for what its worth, the Harrier was/is a very good aeroplane, it showed its mettle during the Falklands War and as Rock stated during the Gulf War and numerous sorties in Afganistan. From what I have heard and read, it is however, a very difficult aeroplane to fly.

I remember an incident at an air show in Japan where a Harrier bowed to the crowd, and the crowd bowed back!

What a pity the supersonic version wasn't built.

My all time favourite interceptor has got to be the English Electric Lightning, now that was loud, extremely loud.
 
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Never saw one fly "English Electric Lightning" I can only go as far back as seeing a F-4 fly one over a beach I was in NYC as kid, and thought that was loud.

You might be surprise because of its size but I saw a Canadian F-5 fly at a air show and thought it had a high pitch kind of sound to seem louder then the Vipers.

Can only imagine what the F-35 42,000 LBS engines sounds like.
 
The only aircraft that comes close to the longevity of the Harrier is the McDonnell/Douglas F-4 Phantom II.
 
The English Electric Lightning was a beautiful aeroplane, having seen (and heard) them scramble for real was a sight to see. They'd lift off the runway, wheels up, apply reheat, pull their noses almost straight up and climb. As far as I am aware, the Lighting in Cape Town at Thunder City recently broke the world climb record. It is such a pity that they are no longer allowed to fly in UK.

But to get back to the Harrier, in my opinion its still one hell of an aeroplane.

tomtom22 said:
The only aircraft that comes close to the longevity of the Harrier is the McDonnell/Douglas F-4 Phantom II.
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Although a different type, the three that hold that honour (in my opinion) are the DC3 (Dakaota/C47) the C130 and a different type althogether, the B52.

The DC3 is still flown by the South African Air Force, albeit with more modern engines. Its not that long ago that the SAAF sold off their Havard/Texan trainers, another superb aeroplane
 
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longevity

tomtom22 The only aircraft that comes close to the longevity of the Harrier is the McDonnell/Douglas F-4 Phantom II.
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I think the Mig-21 is in the same same class as far as longevity.
 
Funny Coincidence was that the Marines just yesterday got first F-35s -the aircraft that will replace the Harrier.
 
rock45 said:
I think the Mig-21 is in the same same class as far as longevity.
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BritinAfrica said:
Although a different type, the three that hold that honour (in my opinion) are the DC3 (Dakaota/C47) the C130 and a different type althogether, the B52.
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I meant to say Fighter aircraft.
 
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tomtom22 said:
The only aircraft that comes close to the longevity of the Harrier is the McDonnell/Douglas F-4 Phantom II.
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The Hamker Siddeley Buccaneer managed a service length managed 32 years, being retired after the Gulf War, where it did laser targeting for Tornadoes, before they got the TIALD package.

So I guess that the Harrier wins, happy birthday old mate.

We had 4 out in Belize & the Sqn Ldr related that part of their trg was to learn to fly helicoptors. He said it was completely inappropriate as the controls were different, but that it was so much fun all Harrier pilots said that it was the most useful part of the course!! Can't verify the facts, but knowing these guys it is certainly probable.
 
Partisan said:
The Hamker Siddeley Buccaneer managed a service length managed 32 years, being retired after the Gulf War, where it did laser targeting for Tornadoes, before they got the TIALD package.

So I guess that the Harrier wins, happy birthday old mate.

We had 4 out in Belize & the Sqn Ldr related that part of their trg was to learn to fly helicoptors. He said it was completely inappropriate as the controls were different, but that it was so much fun all Harrier pilots said that it was the most useful part of the course!! Can't verify the facts, but knowing these guys it is certainly probable.
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We had an RAF Buccaneer come into RAF Luqa in Malta in 1970 smoking like a good'un, we really didnt think she was going to make it. She landed OK, then crash crews swarmed all over her.

Buccaneers are still flying out of Cape Towns Thunder City, along with 2 seater Hawker Hunters and English Electric Lightnings. A few ex Warsaw Pact pilots fly the Lightning and Hunters to see how they would perform in comparison to Soviet aircraft in the event of the East invading the West in Germany.

Perhaps I wasnt too clear Tomtom, I listed the C47 C130 and B52 in addition to the fighter aircraft already mentioned.

Perhaps another aircraft that should be considered for longevity is the Hawker Hunter.

She was introduced in the RAF in 1954.
Two-seat trainer versions of the Hunter, the T.7 and T.8 remained in use for training and secondary roles by the RAF and Royal Navy until the early 1990s

In December 2006, the Hunter re-entered RAF service with two ex-Swiss examples leased from a private operator to act as targets for a surface to air missile program.[They were allocated RAF serials ZZ190 and ZZ191. This was followed by a two-seat aircraft in April 2007, which reverted to its original RAF serial XF995.


The Lebanese Air Force operated Hawker Hunters from 1958. A Lebanese Hawker Hunter shot down an Israeli jet over Kfirmishki in early sixties, its pilot was captured by the LAF [5]. One Lebanese Hawker Hunter was shot down on the first day of the Six-Day War by the Israeli Air Force. They were used infrequently during the Lebanese Civil War, flying their last sorties in a period from 1 September to 15 September 1983.
On 20 August 2007, reports indicated that the Lebanese Armed Forces may restart using them after the conflict with Fatah al Islam militants in the Nahr el-Bared camp north of Tripoli.

Further statements have since been made indicating that Lebanon is currently in the process of returning eight FGA.70 and T.66C Hunters to airworthy condition for operational combat sorties against guerillas.However, the programme has been held up in recent times by lack of certain spares for the aircraft, most notably cartridges for the Martin-Baker ejection seats.

On the 12 November 2008, the Lebanese Air Force succeeded in returning the Hawker Hunter to service after 50 years of service.

Again a very good aircraft.
 
LA Times article on the Harrier jet in 2002

Breaking into this thread late, and some of you may already know about it, but the LA Times in 2002 (Dec. 15-17) published a 4-part article about the US Marines Harrier jet plane titled "The Vertical Vision".

The article won a Pulitzer Prize. Here it is archived:

http://www.pulitzer.org/works/2003-National-Reporting

The USMAC version of the Harrier was underdeveloped and underfunded and poorly maintained.

The British understood their version of the Harrier much better, developed and maintained it better, and had few problems with the plane.

The USMAC did not, and suffered through a horrendous fatality and loss rate with this airplane. (from this thread, it looks like India did too?)

Sacks and Miller also point out the many flaws of this plane, the tradeoffs in its design to gain the vertical takeoff capability. Chiefly, they were its low payload capability, its instability in flight, and the fact that heat seeking missiles would explode right next to the jet exhausts which were right behind the pilot.

Not a very battle-hardy plane, in other words, all so that it could take off vertically, a feature more spectacular than useful.
 
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vrmgi said:
Breaking into this thread late, and some of you may already know about it, but the LA Times in 2002 (Dec. 15-17) published a 4-part article about the US Marines Harrier jet plane titled "The Vertical Vision".

Sacks and Miller also point out the many flaws of this plane, the tradeoffs in its design to gain the vertical takeoff capability. Chiefly, they were its low payload capability, its instability in flight, and the fact that heat seeking missiles would explode right next to the jet exhausts which were right behind the pilot.

Not a very battle-hardy plane, in other words, all so that it could take off vertically, a feature more spectacular than useful.
Click to expand...

As far as I am aware the Harrier rarely took off vertically with a full weapons load, usually the Harrier did a rolling take off. The RN Carriers which operated the Harrier had a ramp fitted to the nose of the carrier to aid take off. But despite this, the Harrier still had the capabilty to take off vertically with a full weapons load.

Despite its flaws it did a brilliant job in the Falklands and from what I have heard, during the Gulf War and had the sneaky ability of viffing (discovered by US Pilots), thereby an enemy fighter on a Harriers tail would pass underneath allowing the Harriers air to air systems to be used. The hunted then became the hunter.
 
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I hope the RAAF does in fact replace its Hornets with F-35's. Australian engineers are / have contributed to its design. They would go very nice with a certain sea going craft we're getting soon :wink: Although Australia didn't acquire any, the Harriers deserve the accolades above.
 
Yes, Harriers really were something and are one of my favorite aircraft.
Funny thing is, the F-35B's STOVL system is based on that of the YAK-141 Freestyle.
 
Like I said, the F-35B.
Yeah the way the jet exhaust moves in the F-35B is its own thing but the general concept of the F-35B's STOVL capabilities is based on the Yak-141. It was a complete departure from the the way they did it with the Harrier.
 
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