AV-8B (NA)

This page is about the American jet fighter AV-8B (NA). For other versions, see Harrier (Family).

AV-8B (NA)

AV-8B (NA)

USA

VII Rank

Battle rating:

AB	RB	SB
11.3	11.3	11.3

Class:

PREMIUM

Strike aircraft

Naval aircraft

Purchase:Bundle or Gift

Show in game

Description

The AV-8B (NA) Harrier is a premium gift rank VII American strike aircraft with a battle rating of 11.3 (AB/RB/SB). It was introduced in Update "Dance of Dragons".

General info

Flight performance

Air brakes

Allows you to dramatically reduce the flight speed by releasing special flaps

Max speed

at 0 m1 125 km/h

Turn time30 s

Max altitude12 192 m

EngineRolls-Royce F402-RR-406

TypeJet

Cooling systemAir

Take-off weight14 t

Describe how the aircraft behaves in the air. Speed, manoeuvrability, acceleration and allowable loads - these are the most important characteristics of the vehicle.

Characteristics	Max speed (km/h at 0 m - sea level)		Max altitude (metres)	Turn time (seconds)		Rate of climb (metres/second)		Take-off run (metres)
	AB	RB		AB	RB	AB	RB
Stock	___	___	12192	__._	__._	__._	__._	550
Upgraded	1,134	1,125		29.2	30.0	111.4	90.0

Details

Features
Combat flaps	Take-off flaps	Landing flaps	Air brakes	Arrestor gear	Drogue chute
X	✓	✓	✓	X	X

Limits
Wings (km/h)	Gear (km/h)	Flaps (km/h)			Max Static G
		Combat	Take-off	Landing	+	-
1,137	648	-	___	___	~__	~__

Optimal velocities (km/h)
Ailerons	Rudder	Elevators	Radiator
< ___	< ___	< ___	-

Engine performance

Engine			Aircraft mass
Engine name		Number	Basic mass		Wing loading (full fuel)
_____		_	_,___ kg		___ kg/m2
Engine characteristics			Mass with fuel (no weapons load)			Max Gross Weight
Weight (each)	Type		_m fuel	__m fuel	__m fuel
___ kg	___		_,___ kg	_,___ kg	_,___ kg	_,___ kg
Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)			Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (___%/WEP)
Condition	100%	___%/WEP	_m fuel	__m fuel	__m fuel	MGW
Stationary	___ kgf	___ kgf	_.__	_.__	_.__	_.__
Optimal	___ kgf (_ km/h)	___ kgf (_ km/h)	_.__	_.__	_.__	_.__

Survivability and armour

Flares/Chaff

Aircraft countermeasures to distract IR and radar-guided missiles and also AA radar

Crew1 person

Speed of destruction

Structural0 km/h

Gear648 km/h

Examine the survivability of the aircraft. Note how vulnerable the structure is and how secure the pilot is, whether the fuel tanks are armoured, etc. Describe the armour, if there is any, and also mention the vulnerability of other critical aircraft systems.

Modifications and economy

Repair cost

AB2 245

RB5 627

SB7 751

Crew training10 000

Experts1 560 000

Aces3 200

Research Aces2 420 000

Reward for battleAB / RB / SB

2 × 90 / 340 / 600 %

2 × 244 / 244 / 244 %

Modifications

Flight performance	Survivability	Weaponry
Compressor New boosters Wings repair Engine	Fuselage repair Airframe Cover	Flares/Chaff LAU-3/A LITENING II gau_12_belt_pack MK 77 G-suit LAU-10/A GBU-12 gau_12_new_gun Mk82/GBU-38 NVD AIM-9L GBU-16 Mk83 Mk83 EFS AGM-65E AGM-65G

Armaments

Ballistic Computer
CCIP (Guns)	CCIP (Rockets)	CCIP (Bombs)	CCRP (Bombs)	EEGS

Offensive armament

The AV-8B (NA) is armed with:

• 180 x countermeasures

Suspended armament

The AV-8B (NA) can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8
25 mm GAU-12/U cannons (300 rpg)					1
250 lb LDGP Mk 81 bombs	1	3	3	2		3	3	1
250 lb Mk 81 Snakeye bombs	1	3	3	2		3	3	1
500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs	1	3	3	2		3	3	1
500 lb Mk 82 Snakeye bombs	1	3	3	2		3	3	1
1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs		1	2			2	1
500 lb GBU-38(V)2/B JDAM bombs		2	3			3	2
277 kg GBU-12 Paveway II bombs		2*	3*			3*	2*
1,092 lb GBU-16 Paveway II bombs		1*	1*			1*	1*
Mk 77 mod 4 incendiary bombs	1	2	2			2	2	1
FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets		38	57			57	38
Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets		8	12			12	8
AGM-65E2 missiles		1*	1*			1*	1*
AGM-65G missiles		1	1			1	1
AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles	1	1					1	1
LITENING II targeting pod				1*
* The LITENING II pod must be equipped when carrying laser-guided munitions

Default weapon presets

1 x 25 mm GAU-12/U cannon (300 rpg) 4 x AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles 190 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets 40 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets 16 x 250 lb LDGP Mk 81 bombs (4,000 lb total) 16 x 250 lb Mk 81 Snakeye bombs (4,000 lb total) 16 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (8,000 lb total) 16 x 500 lb Mk 82 Snakeye bombs (8,000 lb total) 6 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs (6,000 lb total) 10 x 500 lb GBU-38(V)2/B JDAM bombs (5,000 lb total) 10 x 277 kg GBU-12 Paveway II bombs (2,770 kg total) 4 x 1,092 lb GBU-16 Paveway II bombs (4,368 lb total) 4 x AGM-65E2 missiles 10 x Mk 77 mod 4 incendiary bombs 4 x AGM-65G missiles

Usage in battles

Describe the tactics of playing in the aircraft, the features of using aircraft in a team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view, but instead, give the reader food for thought. Examine the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).

Pros and cons

Pros:

• VTOL capability
• Large number of payload options
• Hard-hitting gun, with SAPHEI, HVAP, and HEI rounds

Cons:

• Subsonic, cannot exceed Mach 1 in level flight
• Extremely limited ammo count for the autocannon

History

As the first generation of the Hawker Siddeley Harrier went into use, designated as the AV-8A and the Harrier GR.1, several drawbacks, including limited combat radius, low payload delivery, lack of ECM (Electric countermeasure) systems, etc. While certain problems can be addressed by the installment of improved avionics (resulting in the AV-8C and Harrier GR.3), problems in payload delivery requires a redesigned fuselage and engine. Thus, Hawker Siddeley and McDonnell Douglass began to develop a more advanced version of the Harrier, with a larger fuselage and the Pegasus engine, this plane was unofficially dubbed the “AV-16”, due to the goals of producing a plane twice the payload and range of the AV-8. In 1975, however, RAF pulled out of the project due to budget constraints, and USMC was unwilling to sponsor the project by itself, resulting in its cancellation in the same year. Since then, McDonnell Douglass began to redesign a new Harrier from the existing AV-8A, reconfiguring two AV-8As with redesigned wings, intake, exhaust nozzles, and other aerodynamic changes, leading to the YAV-8B. Further tests with YAV-8B regarding payload delivery, range, and VTOL capabilities proved satisfactory, and the AV-8B was officially procured by the USMC as its new generation of VTOL strike aircraft. In 1985, McDonnell Douglass sought to enhance the all-weather capability of the AV-8B, fitting it with FLIR (Forward looking Infra-Red) sensors, Hughes AN/ASB-19 ARBS (Angle Rate Bombing System), F-402-RR-408 engine, improved HUD and MFD, offering night attack capabilities. Though initially called the AV-8D, this new variant came to service in 1987, designated the AV-8B(NA), or Night Attack variant.

       During its extensive service history, the AV-8B saw extensive combat. First in Operation Desert storm, where AV-8Bs based on the USS Nassau and USS Tarawa supported coalition forces in the battle of Khafji, dropping guided munitions on Iraqi artillary and provided support for USMC and Coalition forces. Later, during operation Enduring Freedom in 2001 and Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003, AV-8Bs were deployed at Foward operation bases (FOBs) due to their STOL/VTOL capabilities, and had a much faster responce time compared to USAF and USN aircraft, which had to take off from airfields in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, or carriers. AV-8Bs carrying LITENING targeting pods flew reconnaissance missions and dropped guided munitions on Al-Qaeda forces and Iraqi military, flying over 5000 sorties and demolishing a large number of Taliban and Iraqi vehicles and personell. AV-8Bs also took part in operation Odessy dawn. When a USAF F-15E crashes in Libya due to mechanical faliure, both pilots ejected successfully and was stranded deep in enemy territory. Two AV-8Bs dropped 250lb paveway munition to deter Libyan ground forces approaching the pilots, and one of the AV-8B dropped additional munitions on the wreckage of the F-15E to prevent it from falling into enemy hands. All AV-8B(NA) and AV-8B Plus would continue service until 2025, by then replaced by F-35Bs.

Media

Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.

See also

Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:

• reference to the series of the aircraft;
• links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.

External links

Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:

• topic on the official game forum;
• other literature.

McDonnell Aircraft Corporation
Jet Fighters	F2H-2 · F3H-2
	F-4C Phantom II · F-4E Phantom II · F-4J Phantom II · F-4S Phantom II
	F-15A · F-15C MSIP II
Strike Aircraft	AV-8B Plus
Helicopters	AH-6M
Export/Licensed
Aircraft	◄F-4F Early · ◄F-4F · ◄F-4F KWS LV · Phantom FG.1 · Phantom FGR.2 · F-4J(UK) Phantom II · F-4EJ Phantom II · F-4EJ ADTW · Kurnass · Kurnass 2000
	F-15J · F-15J(M) · Baz · Baz Meshupar
	▄AV-8B Plus
Helicopters	Lahatut
	The McDonnell Aircraft Corporation merged with Douglas Aircraft Company in 1967 to form McDonnell Douglas Corporation. Later it was merged with The Boeing Company in 1997.
See Also	Mitsubishi Heavy Industries