AV-8B Plus
| This page is about the American jet fighter AV-8B Plus. For other versions, see Harrier (Family). |
Contents
Description
Shortly after the Night Attack upgrade program for the AV-8B, which resulted in the AV-8B (Night Attack), a further advancement was set out in the AV-8B upgrade program, to be integrated alongside the NA models. This new model, designated the AV-8B "Plus", would work alongside the AV-8B (NA) and be more capable in the air-to-air role. To achieve this, the new AV-8B+ replaced the Hughes AN/ASB-19 FLIR targeting system in the nose with the AN/APG-65 radar, directly taken from older F/A-18 Hornet aircraft which at the time were being upgraded to the new AN/APG-73 radar. This gave the AV-8B+ the capability to fire the AIM-120 AMRAAM missile, significantly bolstering its air-to-air capability and, in turn, its ability to defend other friendly Harriers (especially those of the AV-8B (NA) variety) which it would be flying with. Besides this upgrade, there were a few new avionics and FCS changes, primarily giving it the capability to utilise newer variants of the Sidewinder.
The AV-8B Plus Harrier was introduced in Update "Seek & Destroy". Just like its Italian brother, the AV-8B+ is a true jack of all trades. The AV-8B+'s only disadvantage lies in its low top speed, being a high-range subsonic aircraft at the battle rating where almost everything it faces is supersonic. However, do not let this deceive you, as the AV-8B+ is capable of dealing back punishment more than it receives, with interest even. Thanks to the smokeless and IRCCM equipped AIM-9M Sidewinder, powerful radar with various modes, the powerful GAU-12 rotary cannon (with EEGS and CCIP) and especially the AIM-120 AMRAAM active radar missile, the AV-8B+ is a very lethal aircraft in any airspace. In addition, when equipped with the capable LITENING II thermal targeting pod, the AV-8B+ also gains the ability to make very lethal use of its arsenal of air-to-ground precision munitions, which can include up to 10 laser-guided bombs or 10 GPS-guided bombs, various types of rockets and bombs, and the AGM-65 Maverick anti-tank guided missile. All in all, the AV-8B+ is a very deadly hoverbug on any battlefield it finds itself in, and is a very easy plane to learn, albeit a hard one to master.
General info
Flight performance
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 | 1,126 | 1,119 | 12192 | 31.5 | 32.1 | 82.7 | 82.7 | 550 |
| Upgraded | ___ | ___ | __._ | __._ | __._ | __._ | ||
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) | ||||
| Rolls-Royce F402-RR-408 | 1 | 6,679 kg | 472 kg/m2 | ||||
| Engine characteristics | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) | Max Gross Weight | |||||
| Weight (each) | Type | 13m fuel | 20m fuel | 30m fuel | 45m fuel | ||
| 1,796 kg | Vectored-thrust low-bypass turbofan | 7,735 kg | 8,215 kg | 8,984 kg | 10,199 kg | 13,007 kg | |
| Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB) | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (WEP) | ||||||
| Condition | 100% | WEP | 13m fuel | 20m fuel | 30m fuel | 45m fuel | MGW |
| Stationary | 10,024 kgf | 10,840 kgf | 1.40 | 1.32 | 1.21 | 1.06 | 0.83 |
| Optimal | 10,024 kgf (0 km/h) |
10,840 kgf (0 km/h) |
1.40 | 1.32 | 1.21 | 1.06 | 0.83 |
Survivability and armour
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
| Flight performance | Survivability | Weaponry | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Armaments
| Ballistic Computer | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CCIP (Guns) | CCIP (Rockets) | CCIP (Bombs) | CCRP (Bombs) | EEGS |
 |
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Offensive armament
The AV-8B Plus is armed with:
- 180 x countermeasures
Suspended armament
The AV-8B Plus can be outfitted with the following ordnance:
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | .png) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | |||||
| 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-65D missiles | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||||
| AGM-65G missiles | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||||
| AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||||
| AIM-9M Sidewinder missiles | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||||
| AIM-120A missiles | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||||
| LITENING II targeting pod | 1* | ||||||||
| * The LITENING II pod must be equipped when carrying guided bombs | |||||||||
| Default weapon presets | |
|---|---|
| |
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
- Equipped with AIM-120 air-to-air missiles
- 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
Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History) and add a link to it here using the main template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <ref></ref>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <references />. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under === In-game description ===, also if applicable).
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 · AV-8B (NA) |
| 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 |
| USA jet aircraft | |
|---|---|
| Fighters | |
| F-4 | F-4C Phantom II · F-4E Phantom II · F-4J Phantom II · F-4S Phantom II |
| F-5 | F-5A · F-5C · F-5E · F-20A |
| F-8 | F8U-2 · F-8E |
| F-80 | F-80A-5 · F-80C-10 |
| F-84 | F-84B-26 · F-84F · F-84G-21-RE |
| F-86 | F-86A-5 · F-86F-25 · F-86F-2 · F-86F-35 |
| F-89 | F-89B · F-89D |
| F-100 | F-100D |
| F-104 | F-104A · F-104C |
| F-14 | F-14A Early · F-14B |
| F-15 | F-15A · F-15C MSIP II |
| F-16 | F-16A · F-16A ADF · F-16C |
| F9F | F9F-2 · F9F-5 · F9F-8 |
| Other | P-59A · F2H-2 · F3D-1 · F3H-2 · F4D-1 · F11F-1 |
| Strike Aircraft | |
| FJ-4 | FJ-4B · FJ-4B VMF-232 |
| A-4 | A-4B · A-4E Early |
| A-6 | A-6E TRAM |
| A-7 | A-7D · A-7E · A-7K |
| AV-8 | AV-8A · AV-8C · AV-8B Plus · AV-8B (NA) |
| A-10 | A-10A · A-10A Late · A-10C |
| B-57 | B-57A · B-57B |
| F-105 | F-105D |
| F-111 | F-111A · F-111F |
