The BAE Systems/Boeing Harrier II (GR5, GR7, and GR9 series) is a second generation vertical/short takeoff and landing (V/STOL) jet aircraft used by the UK's Royal Air Force (RAF) and, since 2006, the Royal Navy. It was developed from the earlier Hawker Siddeley Harrier and is closely related to the U.S.-built AV-8B Harrier II. Both are primarily used for light attack or multi-role tasks, and are often operated from small aircraft carriers.
Devel...
more
The BAE Systems/Boeing Harrier II (GR5, GR7, and GR9 series) is a second generation vertical/short takeoff and landing (V/STOL) jet aircraft used by the UK's Royal Air Force (RAF) and, since 2006, the Royal Navy. It was developed from the earlier Hawker Siddeley Harrier and is closely related to the U.S.-built AV-8B Harrier II. Both are primarily used for light attack or multi-role tasks, and are often operated from small aircraft carriers.
Development of a successor to the first Harrier began as a cooperative effort between McDonnell Douglas (US) and Hawker Siddeley (later part of BAe) (UK). Lack of funding eventually led Hawker to withdraw from the project, but work continued due to US interest in the aircraft. Britain re-entered development in the late 1970s, producing their own version of the Harrier II based on the US design. For UK variants, BAE Systems is the prime contractor and Boeing a sub-contractor.
The Harrier II is an extensively modified version of the first generation...
less
