The United States Marine Corps (USMC) sought a replacement for their aging A-4 Skyhawk fleet in the 1960s. The Hawker Siddeley Harrier was evaluated and found suitable for their needs as a close air support aircraft in amphibious warfare. Following acceptance of the Harrier, McDonnell Douglas obtained the production licence to build the aircraft domestically within the United States with desired changes to fit USMC requirements. The USMC would receive their first Harriers in March 1971, designated AV-8A, and known within Hawker Siddeley as the Harrier Mk 50. The AV-8A served in the USMC, alongside its upgraded version the AV-8C, until its retirement in 1987.

Introduced in Update "New Power", the AV-8A was one of the first VTOL aircraft in the United States tech tree. The AV-8A, like other members of the Harrier family, is capable of vertical take-off and landing with its thrust vectoring nozzles, in addition to enhancing its manoeuvrability. Among the Harrier family, it has a higher-powered engine than the Harrier GR.1, sharing the same engine as the Harrier GR.3 and AV-8C. A variety of payloads can be equipped to suit the performance expected of the Harrier, whether it is IR-guided Sidewinder missiles for anti-air purposes, bombs and rockets for ground attack purposes, or both to respond to a dynamic battlefield. As such, the AV-8A can be a very flexible aircraft for players to use on the battlefield.