McDonnell Douglas AV-8B Harrier II
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McDonnell Douglas AV-8B Harrier II
Role:
Single-seat V/STOL close support, battlefield
interdiction, night attack and reconnaissance aircraft.
DESIGN FEATURES:
Differences compared with Harrier GR. Mk 3/AV-8A (see
under BAe in UK section of 1989-90 Jane's) include
bigger wing and longer fuselage; use of graphite epoxy
(carbonfibre) composite materials for wings and parts
of fuselage and tail unit; adoption of supercritical
wing section; addition of LIDS (lift improvement
devices: strakes to replace gun/ammunition pods when
armament not carried, plus retractable fence panel
forward of pods) to augment lift for vertical take-off;
larger wing trailing-edge flaps and drooped ailerons;
redesigned forward fuselage and cockpit; redesigned
engine air intakes to provide more VTO/STO thrust and
more efficient cruise; two additional wing stores
stations; wing outriggers relocated at mid-span to
provide better ground manoeuvring capability;
leading-edge root extensions (LERX) to enhance
instantaneous turn rate and air combat capability;
landing gear strengthened to cater for higher operating
weights and greater external stores loads. Wing span
and area increased by approx 20 per cent and 14.5 per
cent respectively compared with GR. Mk 3/AV-8A;
leading-edge sweep reduced by 10 degrees ;
thickness/chord ratios 11.5 per cent (root)/7.5 per
cent (tip); marked anhedral on wings and variable
incidence tailplane. Increased size ('100 per cent')
LERX from 79th UK production aircraft (ZG506); being
retrofitted.
STRUCTURE:
One-piece wing (incl main multi-spar torsion box, ribs
and skins), ailerons, flaps, LERX, outrigger pods and
fairings, forward part of fuselage, LIDS, tailplane and
rudder, are manufactured mainly from graphite epoxy
(carbonfibre) and other composites; centre and rear
fuselage, wing leading-edges (reinforced against bird
strikes on RAF aircraft), wingtips, tailplane
leading-edges and tips, and fin are of aluminium alloy;
titanium used for front and rear underfuselage
heatshields and small area forward of windscreen.
LANDING GEAR:
Retractable bicycle type of Dowty design, permitting
operation from rough unprepared surfaces of very low
CBR (California Bearing Ratio). Hydraulic actuation,
with nitrogen bottle for emergency extension. Single
steerable nosewheel retracts forward, twin coupled
mainwheels rearward, into fuselage. Small outrigger
units, at approx mid span between flaps and ailerons,
retract rearward into streamline pods. Telescopic
oleo-pneumatic main and outrigger gear; levered
suspension nosewheel leg. Dunlop wheels, tyres,
multi-disc carbon brakes and anti-skid system.
POWER PLANT:
One 105.87 kN (23,800 lb st) Rolls-Royce F402-RR-408
(Pegasus 11-61) vectored thrust turbofan in AV-8B
(95.42 kN; 21,450 lb st F402-RR-406A/Pegasus 11-21 in
aircraft delivered before December 1990); one 95.63 kN
(21,500 lb st) Pegasus Mk 105 in Harrier GR. Mk 5/7; Mk
152-42 in Matador II. Redundant digital engine control
system (DECS), with mechanical backup, standard from
March 1987. Zero-scarf front nozzles. Air intakes have
an elliptical lip shape, leading-edges reinforced
against bird strikes, and a single row of auxiliary
intake doors. Access to engine accessories through top
of fuselage, immediately ahead of wing. Integral fuel
tanks in wings, usable total 2746 litres (725 US
gallons; 604 Imp gallons) plus four fuselage tanks:
front and rear, 609 litres (161 US gallons; 134 Imp
gallons) each, port centre and starboard centre, 177
litres (47 US gallons; 39 Imp gallons) each. Internal
fuel 4319 litres (1140 US gallons; 950 Imp gallons)
usable; 4410 litres (1164 US gallons; 970 Imp gallons)
total in single-seat versions; 4150 litres (1096 US
gallons; 913 Imp gallons) total in two-seat versions.
ACCOMMODATION:
Pilot only, on zero/zero ejection seat (UPC/Stencel for
USMC, Martin-Baker for RAF), in pressurised, heated and
air-conditioned cockpit. AV-8B cockpit raised approx
30.5 cm (12 in) by comparison with AV-8A/YAV-8B, with
redesigned one-piece wraparound windscreen (thicker on
RAF aircraft than on those for USMC) and rearward
sliding bubble canopy, to improve all-round field of
view. Windscreen de-icing. Windscreens and canopies for
all aircraft manufactured by McDonnell Douglas.
AVIONICS:
Include dual Collins RT-1250A/ARC U/VHF com
(GEC-Marconi Avionics AD3500 ECM-resistant U/VHF-AM/FM
in RAF GR. Mk 7 aircraft; military designation ARI
23447 but ARC-182/ARI 23387 in GR. Mk 5),
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 (ARI 23388 for RAF
GR. Mk 5 but RT1042A/ARI 23388 in GR. Mk 7), Honeywell
CV-3736/A com/nav/identification data converter,
Bendix/King RT-1157/APX-100 IFF (Cossor IFF 4760 Mk
12/ARI 23389 transponder for RAF), Litton AN/ASN-130A
inertial navigation system (replaced by GEC-Marconi FIN
1075 or 1075G with RAF), AiResearch CP-1471/A digital
air data computer, Smiths Industries SU-128/A dual
combining glass HUD and CP-1450/A display computer,
IP-1318/A CRT Kaiser digital display indicator, and
(RAF only) GEC-Marconi moving map display. Litton
AN/ALR-67(V)2 fore/aft looking RWR (AV-8B only), UK MoD
AN/ARR-51 FLIR receiver, Goodyear AN/ALE-39 flare/chaff
dispenser (upper and lower rear fuselage; current two
dispensers to be increased to six) (Tracor AN/ALE-40 in
RAF aircraft).
ARMAMENT:
Two underfuselage packs, mounting on port side a
five-barrel 25 mm cannon based on General Electric
GAU-12/U, and 300-round container on starboard side, in
AV-8B; or (RAF) two 25 mm Royal Ordnance Factories
cannon with 100 rds/gun (derived from 30 mm Aden);
delivery of Aden 25 still awaited, early 1994. Single
454 kg (1000 lb) stores mount on fuselage centreline,
between gun packs. Three stores stations under each
wing on AV-8B, stressed for loads of up to 907 kg (2000
lb) inboard, 454 kg (1000 lb) on intermediate stations,
and 286 kg (630 lb) outboard. Four inner wing stations
are wet, permitting carriage of auxiliary fuel tanks;
reduced manoeuvring limits apply when tanks mounted on
intermediate stations. RAF aircraft and new production
Harrier II Plus have additional underwing station, for
Sidewinder air-to-air missile, ahead of each outrigger
wheel fairing. Typical weapons include two or four
AIM-9L Sidewinder, Magic or AGM-65E Maverick missiles,
or up to six Sidewinders; up to sixteen 540 lb
free-fall or retarded general purpose bombs, 12 BL 755
or similar cluster bombs, 1000 lb free-fall or retarded
bombs, 10 Paveway laser-guided bombs, eight fire bombs,
10 Matra 155 rocket pods (each with eighteen 68 mm SNEB
rockets), or (in addition to underfuselage gun packs)
two underwing gun pods.
Aircraft Measures:
Length: 46 ft., 4 in.
Height: 11 ft., 7.75 in.
Wingspan: 30 ft., 4 in.
Loaded Weight: 29,750 lbs.
Aircraft Performance:
Maximum Speed: 683 mph
Service Ceiling:50,000 ft.
Range: 2,015 miles
Thrust: 21,500 lbs.