15th April 2024 at 4:31pm
US Marine Corps AV-8B Harrier IIs have been conducting flight operations aboard the USS Wasp while underway in the Atlantic Ocean, completing their integrated naval training.
The Harrier is a legacy piece of British jump jet ingenuity that is still turning heads – despite the fifth generation F-35B Lightning II fast eclipsing its military use in the US, Spain and Italy.
Its vertical or short take-off and landing capabilities mean it can operate from small aircraft carriers, large amphibious assault ships and simple forward operating bases.
- UK, US and Japan to hold regular joint exercises in Indo-Pacific from 2025
- Last of the (flight) line: Final pair of US Marine Corps pilots convert to the Harrier II
- They’ve got wings: Navy gives schoolchildren’s glider designs a test flight in competition final
The Harrier can carry up to 4,200kg of weapons, including air-to-air, air-to-surface and anti-ship missiles, as well as unguided and guided bombs.
A series of avionics and software upgrades have allowed it to keep up with advances in technology, with the latest variant featuring the APG-65 radar – the same one that is found in an F/A-18 Super Hornet.
But the clock is ticking as the US Marine Corps slowly retires its Harriers to fully transition to the F-35 Lightning II by 2026.