Hawker Siddeley and McDonnell Douglas Harriers and Sea Harriers in Non-U. S. Service
FRS.1, XZ500, 800 Naval Air Squadron, RN, aboard HMS Hermes, off the Carolina coast, 18 May 83.
Captions and photos by Don Linn, except where noted. Additional information by Ken Kula.
Sea Harrier FA.2s in the Persian Gulf
Royal Navy: FRS.1 Sea Harrier, F(A).2 Sea Harrier II
The Royal Navy operated two distinct versions of the Hawker Siddeley design, the earlier FRS.1 was developed from the original Hawker Siddeley P1127 Kestrel, while the FA.2 was an updated form of the McDonnell Douglas Harrier II.
Hawker-Siddeley Harrier GR.3 XV751
Royal Air Force: GR.1/1A, T.2/2A, GR.3, T.4/4A, GR.5/5A, GR7/GR.7A, T.8 GR.9/9A, T.10, T.12
The Hawker Siddeley Harrier design began life in the 1960s. It was a radical design, as it was capable of vertical or short take-off operations (V/STOL). Both the United Kingdom and the United States adopted various variants of the single-engined jet, of which later versions are still in use today. Six nations have operated Harriers over a half a decade of service.
British Aerospace Harrier GR.5
The GR.5 as the RAF’s first version of the McDonnell Douglas AV-8B Harrier II
Harrier GR.7, ZD431, 800 NAS, Fleet Air Arm
The Harrier II was incrementally upgraded in RAF use, from the GR.5 through the GR.9
Royal Thai Navy AV-8S Matador, ex-Spanish Navy
Royal Thai Navy: B.KhL.1A
The Royal Thai Navy operated nine former AV-8S/TAV8S Matadors it acquired from Spain from 1998 to 2006.
An Indian Navy launches from the deck of the INS Vikrant in 2007. (US Navy photo by an unnamed photographer)
Indian Navy: FRS.51, T.60
The Indian Navy operated Sea Harriers from 1983 through 2016 from its aircraft carrier INS Vikrant.
AV-8B+ MM7238 landing aboard Cavour
Italian Navy: AV-8B, TAV-8B
AV-8B+ of the Spanish Navy 9th Squadron at Royal Air Tattoo (RIAT) at RAF Fairford 20 July 2019
Spanish Air and Space Force: AV-8S/VA-1 Matador, TAV-8S, EAV-8B Matador II, EAV-8B Matador 2+
Royal Thai AV-8S Harrier, ex-USMC 159558 sold to Royal Spanish Navy then sold to Royal Thai Navy on 24 Oct 1996. On display at U-Tapao airport March 1996.
The U. S. Marines used water injection in their engines to boost thrust, and it came with a large amount of increased exhaust smoke as well.
The Italian Navy Aircraft Carrier Cavour and its fleet of Harrier jets participate in Neptune Strike 2022, January 31. Neptune Strike 2022 highlights the natural evolution of NATO’s ability to integrate the high-end maritime warfare capabilities of a carrier strike group to support the defense of the Alliance. (Courtesy Photo: Italian Navy)
Italian Navy AV-8B+, MM7224
The second Italian Navy (Marine Militare Italiana) TAV-8B+, MM55033, ex-164137, at RAF Fairford participating in RIAT 2023 The rudder carries the wolf footprints of Gruppo Aerei Imbarcati Wolves. Photo Colin Cooke
A British military GR-9 Harrier aircraft conducts a combat patrol over Afghanistan Dec. 12, 2008. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Aaron Allmon/Released)
