AV-8B Harrier

The AV-8B Harrier is unique among fixed wing aircrafts in its ability to take off and land vertically. It is undoubtedly the most successful STOVL (Short Take-off and Vertical Landing) aircraft everflown. With the exception of helicopters, a few other experimental aircraft types, and the Russian Yak 36 Forger STOVL fighter, no other aircraft can perform like the Harrier.
The forerunner to today's Harrier was the Hawker P.1127 developed by Hawker Aircraft (before it became Hawker Siddeley and eventually British Aerospace). The AV-8B is an outgrowth of the prototype Hawker P.1127. After its British debut in the late 1960s, this STOVL attracted the attention of the U. S. Marine Corps (USMC) which was interested in using Harriers for close air support of amphibious operations.
In 1975, McDonnell Douglas developed an improved Harrier with a larger wing that nearly doubled the aircraft's range and payload. By 1982, a joint manufacturing agreement had been worked out between British Aerospace and McDonnell Douglas whereby the American company would produce the up-rated STOVL aircraft as the AV-8B Harrier. The AV-8B is an advanced successor to the Harrier AV-8A with a larger warload and improved range/ endurance characteristics. Thus in 1983, the Marines took delivery of the first production AV-8Bs. For training, McDonnell Douglas developed the TAV-8B with a new forward fuselage, accommodating stepped tandem cockpits. From the 167th airframe on, all USMC AV-8Bs were made night-attack capable with the installation of a FLIR, a head-down display, a colour moving map and an improved HUD. The term Night Attack AV-8B is sometimes applied unofficially.
The 205th production single-seater was the first fully equipped example of the improved AV-8B Harrier II Plus variant. Equipped with the Hughes AN/APG-65 radar, the Harrier II Plus retains the overnose FLIR sensor and is otherwise externally identical to late production AV-8Bs. For anti-shipping duties, the Harrier II Plus are armed with AGM-84 Harpoon missiles.
If you want to catch some action shots of the AV-8B Harrier, then I suggest you watch the movie "True Lies" starring Arnold Schwarzenegger.
The R.A.F. operates similar Harrier AV-8B aircrafts called the GR Mk.7. Their? two-seat trainer T. Mk 10, (powered by Pegasus Mk. 105 engine) is basically the equivalent of the USMC's?TAV-8B .

AV- 8B Specifications
Length:	14.12 m
Height:	3.55 m
Wing span:	9.25 m
Wing area:	22.61 sq. m
Performance
Maximum speed:	1,065 km/hr at sea-level
Weight (empty):	6,336 kg
Normal T/O weight:	10,410 kg
Maximum take-off weight:	14,061 kg for 405-m STO 8,596 kg for VTO
Combat radius:	90 nm ( 167 km )
Service ceiling:	15,240 m
Rate of climb:	4,485 m per min
Propulsion
Powerplant:	One Rolls Royce F402-RR-408 (Pegasus 11-61) vectored thrust turbofan, rated at 105.87 kN.
Armament
One 25 mm GAU-12/U cannon with 300 rounds capacity. Provision for STO -?a total of 7,711 kg or VTO total of 3,175 kg of disposable stores, including AAMs , free fall or guided bombs, dispenser weapons, napalm tanks, rocket launchers and ECM pods, carried on six external hardpoints. CLOSE AIR SUPPORT MISSION: 16 MK-82s...........9,120 lbs Fuel......................5,114 lbs T.O. Weight.......28,350 lbs Radius.............158 nautical miles INTERDICTION MISSION: 7 MK-82s...........3,990 lbs Fuel Internal....7,500 lbs External...2,752 lbs T.O. Weight.......28,350 lbs Radius...............601 nautical miles