BAE Systems

60 The Aircraft of British Aerospace and BAE SYSTEMS 1977 - 2017

for the powerplant which was the uprated

Pegasus 11 of 22,500lb in place of the

19,500lb Pegasus 6.

This connection between HSA (later

BAe) and McDonnell Douglas was to have

major ramifications for the history and

development of the Harrier, as jointly-

funded work progressed to define an

advanced version of the Harrier

embodying a more powerful engine.

The Spanish Navy bought six AV-8As

and two TAV-8As Harriers after a Harrier

demonstration by test pilot John Farley on

Spain’s aircraft carrier. In 1977 an additional

five aircraft were ordered. Those remaining

serviceable were sold to Royal Thai Navy in

1996 where they had only a limited life.

Sea Harriers for the Royal Navy

and the Indian Navy

In 1971 the Royal Navy issued a

requirement for a fighter, reconnaissance,

and strike aircraft for operation from the

new small Invincible class vessels and 24

Sea Harrier FRS1s were ordered for the

Royal Navy in 1975. Despite both the US

Marine Corps and the Spanish Navy

operating their AV-8s from aircraft carriers,

this was the first truly navalised version of

the Harrier.

The most prominent changes

introduced into the Naval version was the

raised cockpit to give the pilot a better

rearward view so necessary in combat and

the fitting of a nose-mounted radar.

Invisible from the outside were

improvements to the attack avionics and

systems.

XZ438, the FRS1 first flew in August,

1978, and in November the first Sea Harrier

carrier landing took place aboard HMS

Hermes. The invention of the Ski-jump gave

the aircraft extra lift on take-off, increasing

payload that could be carried. The Sea

Harrier and the ‘Ski jump’ were

simultaneously introduced on the carriers

and proved their efficacy during the

Falklands War. Including replacements for

aircraft lost in the Falklands War, a total of

61 Sea Harrier FRS1s and two-seat T4Ns

were purchased for the Royal Navy Fleet Air

Arm.

In 1978 the Indian Navy became the

only other buyer of the Sea Harrier and

placed an initial order for six FRS51s and

two T60s to operate from the Vikrant. In

1986 India bought Britain’s ski-jump-

equipped Hermes for service and renamed

it the Viraat. India bought a total of 23 Sea

Harrier FRS51s and four T60 trainers, to

equip its two vessels. The first FRS51

delivery was in December 1983 and were

operational until March 2016.

‘Mission impossible

without V/STOL’

Without the Navy’s two carriers and 800

and 801 Sea Harrier squadrons it is highly

unlikely that Operation Corporate, the

75-day war to recover the Falklands Islands

from Argentinean aggression in 1982

would have been successful. The UK’s

forces were faced with an immense task as

the nearest base was Ascension Island,

4,000 mls distant. The Sea Harriers

concentrated its aircraft on air defence,

engaging enemy Canberras, Daggers (an

Israeli version of the Mirage) and Skyhawks.

Two of Sea Harriers were lost to enemy

action and two collided in mid-air.

As the war progressed No 1 Sqn RAF

Harrier GR3s were readied for action in the

South Atlantic. BAe Kingston was heavily

involved with the MoD establishing

alterations for aircraft carrier operation,

major improvements to avionics and kits to

facilitate Sidewinder missile operation and

install Chaff dispensers. Meantime the

crews were frantically training; on

Yeovilton’s Ski jump, with weapons practice

and interceptions with French Air Force

Mirages and Super Etendards, aircraft types

they might engage with during hostilities.

ˆ A US Marine

Corps AV-8A Harrier,

assigned to

VMA-231.

(Hawker Archive)

Hawker Siddeley built a Harrier trainer as a company

demonstrator, appropriately registered G-VTOL. It is

seen here flying over Rio, Brazil, carrying large

underwing drop tanks. (Hawker Archive)