Facts about The Harrier Jump Jet
- 07
American pilots flying the AV-8B Harrier variant in the Gulf War of 1991 conducted 3,965 combat sorties with a 99.7% mission availability rate, making it among the most reliable jets in that conflict.
- 06
Britain's Sea Harrier variant served aboard aircraft carriers without catapults, operating from the HMS Invincible-class carriers beginning in 1982 with a combat radius exceeding 400 nautical miles.
- 05
A single Harrier Jump Jet pilot could carry up to 5,000 pounds of ordnance across its hardpoints while maintaining vertical takeoff capability.
- 04
In 1969, the Royal Air Force's first operational Harrier Jump Jet squadron required only 6 pilots to maintain continuous air defense coverage, compared to 18 pilots needed for conventional fighter squadrons.
- 03
Two Rolls-Royce Pegasus engines powered the Harrier Jump Jet, vectoring thrust downward through four nozzles to achieve its revolutionary vertical lift capability.
- 02
During the Falkland Islands conflict in 1982, Harrier Jump Jets achieved a 20-0 air combat kill ratio against Argentine fighters without a single loss.
- 01
Vertical takeoff enabled the Harrier Jump Jet to operate from unprepared surfaces, first entering Royal Air Force service in 1969 with a maximum speed of Mach 0.9.