This is a list of variants of the Harrier jump jet family of V/STOL ground attack fighter aircraft.
Hawker Siddeley P.1127
P.1127
Experimental V/STOL fighter, two prototypes and four development aircraft.[1]
Kestrel FGA.1
Aircraft for the tripartite evaluation squadron, nine built, six later transferred to the United States where they were designated XV-6A.[2]
P.1127 (RAF)
Development V/STOL ground attack and reconnaissance fighter, six built as pre-production evaluation aircraft before the type was ordered into production as the Harrier GR.1.[3]
XV-6A
United States military designation for the six Kestrel FGA.1 transferred to the United States.[2]
VZ-12
United States Army designation for two P.1127 development aircraft, not delivered.[4]
Hawker Siddeley Harrier
Single-seat
Harrier GR.1
Initial production version for RAF, powered by 19,000 lbf (84.7 kN) Rolls-Royce Pegasus 6 (Pegasus Mk 101 in RAF service).[5] A total of 61 built.[6]
Harrier GR.1A
Upgraded version of the GR.1, the main difference being the uprated (20,500 lbf (91.4 kN)) Pegasus 10 (or Pegasus Mk 102) engine.[7] 17 GR.1As new-built and a further 41 GR.1s upgraded to GR.1A configuration, for a total of 58 GR.1As.
Harrier GR.3
Featured its sensors (such as a laser tracker in the lengthened nose and radar warning receiver on the fin and tail boom) and a further uprated (21,500 lbf (95.9 kN)) Pegasus 11 (Pegasus Mk 103).[7][8] A total of 40 new built, with last delivered in December 1986,[9] and about 62 converted from GR.1/GR.1As.[10]
AV-8A Harrier
Single-seat ground-attack, close air support, reconnaissance, and fighter aircraft, powered by Pegasus 11 (designated F102-RR-402 by US) with simplified nav/attack system.[11] 102 ordered for the USMC. Company designation Harrier Mk 50.[12][note 1]
Export version of the AV-8A Harrier for the Spanish Navy, later sold to the Royal Thai Navy. Spanish Navy designation VA-1 Matador. Company designation Harrier Mk 53 for the first production batch, and Mk 55 for the second batch.[15]
Two-seat
Harrier T.2
Lengthened two-seat training version for the RAF, powered by Pegasus Mk 101 engine and with taller fin.[16]
Two-seat training version for the Royal Air Force, equivalent to the GR.3, with Pegasus Mk 103 engine, laser seeker and radar warning receiver. Reverted to short fin of single seater.[17]
Two-seat training version of the T.4A for the Royal Navy, with avionics (excluding radar) based on Sea Harrier FRS.1.[19]
Harrier T.4(I)
Conversion of ex-RAF T.4 airframes by BAE Systems, for the Indian Navy. Attrition replacements for India's Harrier T.60. Delivered from December 2003.[20]
Harrier T.8
Naval trainer modified from early trainer variants and fitted with Sea Harrier F(A).2 avionics.[21]
Harrier T.52
Two-seat company demonstrator of an export variant of the T.2, originally Pegasus 102 powered but uprated to Pegasus 103 following an accident in 1971, one built first flown 15 September 1971. RegisteredG-VTOL[22]
Harrier T.60
Export version of the T.4N two-seat training version for the Indian Navy.[23]
TAV-8A Harrier
Two-seater training version for the USMC, powered by a Pegasus Mk 103. Company designation Harrier Mk 54. Eight built.[24]
TAV-8S Matador
Export version of the TAV-8A Harrier for the Spanish Navy. Later sold to the Royal Thai Navy. Spanish Navy designation VAE-1 Matador. Company designation Harrier Mk 54.[15]
British Aerospace Sea Harrier
Sea Harrier FRS.1
57 FRS1s were delivered between 1978 and 1988; most survivors converted to Sea Harrier FA.2 specifications from 1993.[25]
Sea Harrier FRS.51
Single-seat fighter, reconnaissance and attack aircraft made for the Indian Navy, similar to the British FRS.1. Unlike the FRS1 Sea Harrier, it is fitted with Matra R550 Magicair-to-air missiles.[26] These aircraft were later upgraded with the EltaEL/M-2032 radar and the Rafael Derby BVRAAM missiles.[27]
"Day Attack" variant. 4 full scale development (FSD) aircraft were built in 1982, followed by 162 production aircraft, built 1983–1989. Most were later upgraded to one of the following two variants, while the remainder were withdrawn from service.[1]
AV-8B Harrier II Night Attack
Incorporates a Navigation Forward Looking Infrared camera (NAVFLIR). Upgraded cockpit, compatible with night vision goggles. More powerful Rolls-Royce Pegasus 11 engine. Originally designated AV-8D.[1]
AV-8B Harrier II+
Similar to the Night Attack variant, with the addition of an APG-65 radar. It is used by the USMC, Spanish Navy, and Italian Navy. 72 were converted from existing AV-8B, 43 were newly built from 1993 to 1997.[1]
TAV-8B Harrier II
Two-seat trainer version. 23 were built between 1986 and 1992.[1]
TAV-8B Harrier II+
Two two-seat trainer aircraft built for Italy 1990 to 1991.[1]
EAV-8B Matador II
Company designation for the Spanish Navy version. 12 were built 1987 to 1988.[1]
EAV-8B Matador II+
AV-8B Harrier II+ for Spanish Navy, 11 were converted from EAV-8B, 8 were new built 1995 to 1997.[1]
British Aerospace Harrier II
GR.5
The GR.5 was the RAF's first second-generation Harrier. The GR.5 differed from the USMC AV-8B in avionics fit, weapons and countermeasures. Forty one GR.5s were built.[1]
GR.5A
The GR.5A was a minor variant of the Harrier which incorporated changes in the design in anticipation of the GR.7 upgrade.[1]
GR.7
The GR7 was an upgraded version of the Harrier GR.5.
GR.7A
The GR.7A is a GR.7 with an uprated Rolls-Royce Pegasus 107 engine. The Mk 107 engine provides around 3,000 lbf (13 kN) extra thrust than the Mk 105's 21,750 lbf (98 kN) thrust, increasing aircraft performance during "hot and high" and carrier-borne operations.[1]
GR.9
The Harrier GR.9 is an avionics and weapons upgrade of the standard GR.7.[1]
GR.9A
The Harrier GR.9A is an avionics and weapons upgrade of the uprated engined GR.7As. All GR.9s are capable of accepting the Mk 107 Pegasus engine to become GR.9As.[1]
T.10
The Harrier T.10 is the original two seat training variant of the second-generation RAF Harrier. The RAF used the USMC trainer, the TAV-8B, as the basis for the design.[1]
T.12
The RAF needed trainers to reflect the upgrade of the GR.7 to GR.9. Nine T.10 aircraft were to receive the JUMP updates under the designation T.12, but retain the less powerful Pegasus 105 engine.[1][28]
Bull, Stephen. Encyclopedia of Military Rechnology and Innovation. Westport, Connecticut, USA: Greenwood Publishing, 2004. ISBN1-57356-557-1.
Burr, Lawrence and Peter Bull. US Fast Battleships 1938–91: The Iowa Class. New York, USA: Osprey Publishing, 2010. ISBN1-84603-511-2.
Buttler, Tony. British Secret Projects: Jet Fighters Since 1950. Hinckley, UK: Midland Publishing, 2000. ISBN1-85780-095-8.
Congress Committee on Appropriations. "Department of Defense Appropriations for 1979: Part 5". Washington D.C., USA: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1979.
Cowan, Charles W. (ed.) Flypast 2. Windsor, Berkshire, UK: Profile Publications Ltd., 1972. ISBN0-85383-191-2.
Davies, Peter and Anthony M. Thornborough. The Harrier Story. Annapolis, Maryland, USA: Naval Institute Press, 1997. ISBN978-1-55750-357-2.
Jackson, Paul. "British Aerospace/McDonnell Douglas Harrier". World Air Power Journal, Volume 6, Summer 1991. pp. 46–105.
James, Derek N. Hawker, an Aircraft Album No. 5. New York: Arco Publishing Company, 1973. ISBN0-668-02699-5. (First published in the UK by Ian Allan in 1972)
Spick, Mike and Bill Gunston. The Great Book of Modern Warplanes. Osceola, WI: MBI Publishing, 2000. ISBN0-7603-0893-4.
Sturtivant, Ray. Fleet Air Arm Fixed-Wing Aircraft since 1946. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians), 2004. ISBN978-0-85130-283-6.
Sturtivant, Ray. RAF Flying Training and Support Units since 1912. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians), 2007. ISBN0-85130-365-X.
Swanborough, Gordon and Peter M. Bowers. United States Navy Aircraft since 1911. Putnam Aeronautical, 1990. ISBN0-87021-792-5.
Vann, Frank. Harrier Jump Jet. New York, USA: Bdd Promotional Book Co, 1990. ISBN0-7924-5140-6.
Further reading
Farley, John OBE. A View From The Hover: My Life In Aviation. Bath, UK: Seager Publishing/Flyer Books, 2010, first edition 2008. ISBN978-0-9532752-0-5.
Polmar, Norman and Dana Bell. One Hundred Years of World Military Aircraft. Annapolis, Maryland, USA: Naval Institute Press, 2003. ISBN1-59114-686-0.