{ "id": "av-8b-harrier-ii", "name": "AV-8B Harrier II", "aliases": [], "domain": "air", "country": "USA", "category": "VTOL close support aircraft", "status": null, "fielded": 1984, "operators": [ "ESP", "ITA", "USA" ], "prolif_count": 3, "summary": "The AV-8B Harrier II American VTOL Close Support Aircraft is a vertical/short take-off and landing (V/STOL) subsonic attack aircraft jointly developed under a collaborative program by McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing), British Aerospace and Rolls-Royce.", "specs": [ { "k": "", "label": "Manufacturer", "section": "system", "v": "McDonnell Douglas / British Aerospace Boeing / BAE Systems", "src": [ "weg-av-8b-harrier-ii" ], "conf": "medium" }, { "k": "crew", "v": 1, "src": [ "weg-av-8b-harrier-ii" ], "conf": "medium" }, { "k": "", "label": "Hardpoints", "section": "armament", "v": "6× under-wing pylon and 1x under-fuselage stations holding up to 4,200 kg of payload", "src": [ "weg-av-8b-harrier-ii" ], "conf": "medium" }, { "k": "payload_kg", "v": 3062, "src": [ "weg-av-8b-harrier-ii" ], "conf": "medium" }, { "k": "length_m", "v": 14.12, "src": [ "weg-av-8b-harrier-ii" ], "conf": "medium" }, { "k": "height_m", "v": 3.55, "src": [ "weg-av-8b-harrier-ii" ], "conf": "medium" }, { "k": "width_m", "v": 9.25, "src": [ "weg-av-8b-harrier-ii" ], "conf": "medium", "label": "Wingspan" }, { "k": "mass_kg", "v": 6336, "src": [ "weg-av-8b-harrier-ii" ], "conf": "medium", "label": "Empty weight" }, { "k": "engine_name", "v": "1 x Rolls-Royce F402-RR-408B", "src": [ "weg-av-8b-harrier-ii" ], "conf": "medium" }, { "k": "", "label": "Thrust / power", "section": "mobility", "v": "105.87 kN", "src": [ "weg-av-8b-harrier-ii" ], "conf": "medium" }, { "k": "range_km", "v": 3033, "src": [ "weg-av-8b-harrier-ii" ], "conf": "medium", "note": "3,033 km [ferry, unrefueled with four 300 US gallon external tanks, tanks retained]" }, { "k": "speed_kmh", "v": 1065, "src": [ "weg-av-8b-harrier-ii" ], "conf": "medium" }, { "k": "", "label": "G limits", "section": "mobility", "v": "+8/–3", "src": [ "weg-av-8b-harrier-ii" ], "conf": "medium" }, { "k": "", "label": "Endurance", "section": "mobility", "v": "3 hr [combat air patrol 100 n miles (185 km) from base]", "src": [ "weg-av-8b-harrier-ii" ], "conf": "medium" }, { "k": "", "label": "Sensors note", "section": "firecontrol", "v": "R-1379B/ARA-63 all-weather landing receiver (AV-8B only), RT-1159A/ARN-118 Tacan (ARI 23368 for RAF), RT-1015A/APN-194(V) radar altimeter, Honeywell CV-3736/A com/nav/identification data converter…; Rockwell Collins RT-1250A/ARC-182 U/VHF com (GEC-Marconi Avionics (now BAE SYSTEMS), Honeywell RT-1157/APX-100 IFF.", "src": [ "weg-av-8b-harrier-ii" ], "conf": "medium" }, { "k": "", "label": "Chaff / flares", "section": "protection", "v": "Yes", "src": [ "weg-av-8b-harrier-ii" ], "conf": "medium" }, { "k": "", "label": "Carriage and release", "section": "armament", "v": "Three store stations under each wing on AV-8B, were stressed for loads of up to 907 kg inboard, 454 kg on intermediate stations, and 286 kg outboard.", "src": [ "weg-av-8b-harrier-ii" ], "conf": "medium" }, { "k": "", "label": "Guided weapon systems", "section": "armament", "v": "Typical weapons include two or four AIM-9L Sidewinder or AGM-65E Maverick missiles, or up to six Sidewinders; 10 Paveway laser-guided bombs, and eight fire bombs. US Marine Corps has integrated Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) including 500 lb GBU-38.", "src": [ "weg-av-8b-harrier-ii" ], "conf": "medium" }, { "k": "", "label": "Unguided weapon systems", "section": "armament", "v": "Two under-fuselage packs, mounting on the port side a five-barrel 25 mm cannon based on General Electric GAU-12/U, and a 300-round container on the starboard side, in AV-8B. Single 454 kg stores mount on fuselage centreline, between gun packs.", "src": [ "weg-av-8b-harrier-ii" ], "conf": "medium" } ], "payloads": [], "variants": [ { "name": "AV-8B Harrier II Plus", "text": "Radar-equipped night attack version in service with US Marine Corps, Italian, and Spanish Navy.", "src": [ "weg-av-8b-harrier-ii" ] }, { "name": "TAV-8B", "text": "Two-seat operational trainer.", "src": [ "weg-av-8b-harrier-ii" ] }, { "name": "EAV-8B+", "text": "Manufacturers designation for Spanish Navy VA.2 Matador II Single-seat export version.", "src": [ "weg-av-8b-harrier-ii" ] }, { "name": "AV-8B Harrier II Plus", "text": "Similar to the Night Attack variant, with the addition of an APG-65 radar and separate targeting pod. It is used by the USMC, Spanish Navy, and Italian Navy. Forty-six were built.", "src": [ "weg-av-8b-harrier-ii" ] } ], "art": "fighter", "image": { "file": "av-8b-harrier-ii.jpg", "thumb": "av-8b-harrier-ii-thumb.jpg", "credit": "2nd Marine Aircraft Wing & Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point", "license": "Public domain", "url": "https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:111120-M-AB123-001.jpg", "title": "File:111120-M-AB123-001.jpg" }, "verified": null, "changelog": [ { "date": "2026-10-10", "change": "Entry created from the Worldwide Equipment Guide (ODIN), bulk import" }, { "date": "2026-10-10", "change": "Added photo (Public domain)" } ], "url": "https://www.defensepedia.com/systems/av-8b-harrier-ii.html", "sources": { "weg-av-8b-harrier-ii": { "title": "AV-8B Harrier II American VTOL Close Support Aircraft ", "publisher": "U.S. Army TRADOC G-2 Worldwide Equipment Guide (ODIN)", "url": "https://odin.t2com.army.mil/WEG/Asset/AV-8B_Harrier_II_American_VTOL_Close_Support_Aircraft", "published": "2026-03-20", "tier": 1, "checked": "2026-10-10" } } }