List of Harrier operators

This is a list of operators of the Harrier family of military V/STOL aircraft, designed and built in the United Kingdom and United States of America. The members of family were Hawker Siddeley P.1127, Hawker Siddeley Harrier (AV-8A), British Aerospace Sea Harrier, McDonnell Douglas AV-8B Harrier II, and British Aerospace Harrier II. As of 2023, only the AV-8B remain in active service.

P.1127 / prototype / evaluation aircraft operators

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 United Kingdom
Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment P.1127 and Kestrel trials and evaluation
Royal Air Force
Central Fighter Establishment – Kestrel (P.1127) Evaluation Squadron (also known as the Tripartite Evaluation Squadron), nine Kestrel aircraft allocated for evaluation in 1965. One aircraft was lost in an accident, six aircraft later passed to the United States Army, one to the RAE and one to Hawker-Siddeley for further trials.[1]
Royal Aircraft Establishment P.1127 and Kestrel trials and evaluation.[1]
 United States
United States Army
(aircrew participated in both the Tri-partite Evaluation Squadron and as part of the American XV-6A Tri-service evaluation team. Had three Kestrel aircraft allocated after the evaluation at West Raynham and also acquired the three allocated to Germany. Four later transferred to the United States Air Force and two to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration).[2]
United States Air Force
(aircrew participated in both the Tri-partite Evaluation Squadron and as part of the American XV-6A Tri-service evaluation team but had no aircraft allocated after the evaluation at West Raynham, four former United States Army aircraft operated for trials).[2]
United States Navy
(aircrew participated in both the Tri-partite Evaluation Squadron and as part of the American XV-6A Tri-service evaluation team but had no aircraft allocated after the evaluation).[2]
NASA
operated two former United States Army Kestrels.[2]
 West Germany
German Air Force
(aircrew participated in the Tri-partite Evaluation Squadron, three allocated Kestrel aircraft not delivered and passed to United States Army)[2]

First generation Harrier operators

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 India
Indian Navy - Indian Naval Air Arm
Indian Naval Air Squadron 552
Operated the Harrier T.60 for Sea Harrier training, with two T4(I) as replacements.[3]
A parked Harrier
A Spanish Navy AV-8S Matador aircraft
Thailand Navy AV-8S Matador
several Harriers stored on board a ship
United States Marine Corps AV-8A of VMA-231 in 1980
 Spain
Spanish Navy
No. 008 Escuadrilla – AV-8S and TAV-8S Matador.[4]
 Thailand
Royal Thai Navy
Squadron 1 Wing3 (HTMS Chakri Naruebet Flying Unit) – AV-8S and TAV-8S.[4] By 1999, only one aircraft of the 10 former Spanish aircraft received was believed to be airworthy because of lack of available spares.[5] In 2006 the Harrier was retired from service.[6]
Harrier GR.3 of 1453 Flight at Stanley Airport in 1984
 United Kingdom
Royal Air Force
No. 1 Squadron RAF
re-equipped with Harrier GR.1s between July and October 1969 at RAF Wittering. It started to replace its first generation Harriers with Harrier GR.5s in 1988, discarding its last GR.3 on 31 March 1989.[7]
No. 3 Squadron RAF
formed at RAF Wildenrath with the Harrier GR.1A on 1 January 1971, moving to RAF Gütersloh in 1977. It re-equipped with Harrier GR.5s in 1989.[8]
No. 4 Squadron RAF
converted to HarrierGR.1s at RAF Wittering in early 1970, moving to Wildenrath in Germany in June that year. It moved to RAF Gütersloh in January 1977 and replaced its GR.3s with Harrier GR.7s in 1990.[9]
No. 20 Squadron RAF
reformed at RAF Wittering in October 1970, moving to Wildenrath later that year. It disbanded in February 1977, with its aircraft being shared between the other two Germany based squadrons.[10]
No. 233 Operational Conversion Unit RAF
formed at Wittering from the Harrier Conversion Unit in October 1970.[11] No 233 OCU was assigned the numberplate 20(R) Squadron in 1992,[12] with the unit flying GR.3 until 1994[13] and the T.4 until 1996.[14]
No. 1417 Flight RAF
Deployed to Belize from 1980 to 1993.[15]
No. 1453 Flight RAF
Deployed to Stanley, in the Falkland Islands from August 1983 to June 1985.[16]
Royal Navy - Fleet Air Arm
899 Naval Air Squadron
operated the Harrier T.4A and T.4N for training purposes for the Sea Harrier.[3]
 United States
United States Marine Corps
VMA-231
AV-8A/C Harrier. 1973–1985.[17]
VMA-513
AV-8A/C Harrier. 1971–1986.[18]
VMA-542
AV-8A/C Harrier. 1972–1986.[19]
VMAT-203
Training squadron, equipped with AV-8A and TAV-8A Harrier. 1975–1987.[20]

Sea Harrier operators

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A Sea Harrier FRS.51 of INAS 300 awaiting launch clearance from INS Viraat in 2007
A section of four Sea Harrier FA.2s of 801 Naval Air Squadron
 India
Indian Navy - Indian Naval Air Arm – Sea Harrier F.52
Indian Naval Air Squadron 300
'White Tigers'
 United Kingdom
Fleet Air Arm – Sea Harrier FRS.1 and Sea Harrier F(A).2
800 Naval Air Squadron
disbanded 2006
801 Naval Air Squadron
disbanded 2006
809 Naval Air Squadron
disbanded 1982
899 Naval Air Squadron
disbanded 2006

McDonnell Douglas AV-8B Harrier II operators

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An AV-8B Plus of the Spanish Navy in 2009
An Italian AV-8B launches from the carrier Cavour
 Italy
Italian Navy
14 AV-8B Plus and 1 TAV-8B Harrier IIs in service as of Jan 2024.[21]
Gruppo Aerei Imbarcati – "The Wolves"
 Spain
Spanish Navy
12 EAV-8B Plus and 1 TAV-8B aircraft operational as of Jan 2024.[21]
09th Squadron
 United States
United States Marine Corps
The Marine Corps has 87 AV-8B/+ and 12 TAV-8B trainer as of Jan 2024 . Each fighter squadron operates 16 AV-8B Harrier jets. The Marine Corps currently plans to have all squadrons transitioned to or start to transition to the F-35 platform by 2026.[22]
VMA-211 (1990-2016. Converted to F-35B)[23]
VMA-214 (1989-2022. Converted to F-35B)
VMA-223 (1987-present. To convert to F-35B)
VMA-231
VMA-311 (1988-2020. To convert to F-35C)
VMA-513 (1944-2013. Reactivated as VMFAT-502 in 2020. Converted to F-35B)[24]
VMA-542 (1986-2022. To convert to F-35B)
VMAT-203 (operates 13 AV-8B's and 13 TAV-8B's)[22]
VX-31

BAE Systems Harrier II operators

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A Harrier GR.9 powers for launch from HMS Ark Royal
 United Kingdom
Royal Air Force
(1989–2011) – BAE Systems Harrier II GR.5 / GR.5a / GR.7 / GR.7a / GR.9 / GR.9a / T.10 / T.12
No. 1 Squadron
No. 3 Squadron (until 2006)
No. 4 Squadron
No. 20 Squadron (until 2010)
Strike Attack Operational Evaluation Unit (SAOEU)
Royal Navy – Fleet Air Arm
BAE Systems Harrier II GR.7 / GR.7a / GR.9 / GR.9a
800 Naval Air Squadron (2006–2007, 2010)
Naval Strike Wing (2007–2010)

See also

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References

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Notes
Citations
  1. ^ a b Mason 1991, pp. 419–420.
  2. ^ a b c d e Evans, Andy (1998). BAE / McDonnell Douglas Harrier. Ramsbury, UK: The Crowood Press. ISBN 1-86126-105-5.
  3. ^ a b Sturtivant 2004, pp. 80–90.
  4. ^ a b Nordeen, Lon O. (2006). Harrier II: validating V/STOL. Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-59114-536-8.
  5. ^ Carpenter 2000, p. 302.
  6. ^ "Pacific Wings Magazine | Leading the Way in Aviation Coverage | Aviat…". Archived from the original on 14 July 2012. Retrieved 26 October 2013.
  7. ^ Jackson 1991, pp. 89–90.
  8. ^ Jackson 1991, p. 90.
  9. ^ Jackson 1991, p. 91.
  10. ^ Jackson 1991, p. 92.
  11. ^ Jackson 1991, p. 89.
  12. ^ "20 Squadron" Archived 3 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine. Royal Air Force. Retrieved 2 March 2011.
  13. ^ Evans 1998, p. 37.
  14. ^ Evans 1998, p. 31.
  15. ^ Sturtivant 2007, p. 122.
  16. ^ Sturtivant 2007, p. 123.
  17. ^ Jackson 1991, pp. 99–100.
  18. ^ Jackson 1991, p. 98.
  19. ^ Jackson 1991, p. 99.
  20. ^ Jackson 1991, p. 100.
  21. ^ a b https://www.flightglobal.com/download?ac=98881
  22. ^ a b "2018 Marine Aviation Plan" (PDF). Marines.mil. 2018.
  23. ^ Affairs, Story by 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit Public. "Essex ARG 13th MEU with embarked F35B enters Central Command". www.public.navy.mil. Archived from the original on 19 September 2020. Retrieved 15 November 2018.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  24. ^ "VMA-513 draws end to 69 years of service". Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan. Retrieved 15 November 2018.
Bibliography
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