Hawker Siddeley Harrier: Difference between revisions

Starting in 1979 the USMC began upgrading their AV-8As to the AV-8C configuration—the work focused mainly on extending useful service lives and improving VTOL performance.<ref name= Nordeen_35>Nordeen 2006, p. 35.</ref> The AV-8C and the remaining AV-8A Harriers were retired by 1987.<ref>Jenkins 1998, p. 44.</ref> These were replaced by the Harrier II, designated as the AV-8B, which was introduced into service in 1985.<ref name= Nordeen_36>Nordeen 2006, pp. 36, 61.</ref> The performance of the Harrier in USMC service led to calls for the [[United States Air Force]] to procure Harrier IIs in addition to the USMC's own plans,<ref name= 'bingham'>Bingham, Price T. [http://www.airpower.maxwell.af.mil/airchronicles/aureview/1985/jan-feb/bingham.html "Improving Force Flexibility Through V/STOL".] ''Air University Review'', January–February 1985. Retrieved 31 July 2011.</ref> but these never resulted in Air Force orders. Since the late 1990s, the AV-8B has been slated to be replaced by the F-35B variant of the [[Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II]], a more modern V/STOL jet aircraft.<ref>Eden 2004, p.&nbsp;274.</ref>

 

 

===Other operators===