Dwindling Numbers: U. S. Marine Corps is Retiring the AV-8B Harrier

2015 EAA AirVenture-Oshkosh, WI

Story by Ken Kula, Photos from the Photorecon.net Photographer Team

The U. S. Marine Corps, the only branch of America’s military to operate the Hawker Siddeley AV-8A/C Harrier and the British Aerospace/McDonnell Douglas AV-8B Harrier II, is set to retire its last examples of the so-called “jump jet” by the end of 2026. The revolutionary vertical take-off and landing aircraft (VTOL) was originally designed in the late 1950s and the first developmental airframes took flight during the mid-1960s.

AV-8A Harrier – Bob Finch photo

The Marine Corps AV-8A became operational in 1971 as a daylight-only attack jet; these early airframes were built in the U. K.. Beginning in 1979, the AV-8As were upgraded with an inertial navigation system and an electronic countermeasures equipment (ECM) suite. There were also structural improvements, and the modified jets were redesignated as AV-8Cs. Several two-seat trainers were also procured, known as the TAV-8A. These original models of the Harrier were retired by the end of 1987. 

The original AV-8B design

In 1982, the initial production company – Hawker Siddeley – was now part of British Aerospace. That company joined with McDonnell Douglas to produce the improved AV-8B Harrier II. Starting in 1985, Marine Harrier units traded the older AV-8A/Cs for the newer and much more powerful AV-8Bs.

USMC AV8B (AN) Harrier II with FLIR in the nose

The original Harrier II was a day-only attack jet, and one fleet-wide upgrade allowed it to fight at night with new FLIR equipment (sometimes known as the AV-8B(AN) version). Later, a second major upgrade gave these jets nose mounted radar (known as the AV-8B(AN)+. Several TAV-8B twin-seat trainers were manufactured for the Marines too.

VMA-231 AV-8B(AN)+ Harrier II with nose-mounter radar

With the F-35B Lightning II VTOL variant now operational with the Marines; the Harrier II is being withdrawn as the new Lightning IIs are delivered to attack squadrons. The final Harrier IIs will be retired by the end of 2026, and the final two “rookie” Harrier pilots have already completed their training.

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The Bulldogs will be the last U. S. Marine Corps AV-8B Harrier II squadron to fly the type jet… this is the final configuration of the jet – the AV-8B(AN)+

Marine Attack Squadron 223 (VMA-223) Bulldogs will be the final operator of the Harrier II in the U. S. inventory. Several other countries will keep their AV-8Bs operational through the turn of this decade.

TAV-8B trainer version

Here is a gallery of Harriers, with photos of the AV-8A through the AV-8B(AN)+ variants.

Here are 20 photos of Harriers with some color to them…

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