During the late '80s, the new AV-8B was starting to show its shortcomings as a "day attacker", and therefore a "night attacker" variant was proposed. This variant would have advanced navigation and targeting systems for nighttime strikes, relying on FLIR thermal imaging, day/night color maps, and various other improvements. One of the largest upgrades was the addition of the Hughes AN/ASB-19 FLIR targeting sight in the nose, similar to that found on the British Harrier IIs, allowing for highly accurate bombing, navigation, and guidance of precision ordnance in almost all weather conditions and times of day. This new variant was originally going to be designated the AV-8D, but to avoid complications, was redesignated to the AV-8B (NA), with NA standing for "Night Attack". All initial AV-8Bs were upgraded to either the AV-8B NA or the AV-8B+ standard, the latter of which was a further upgrade of the AV-8B which integrated more advanced avionics, a built-in radar, and AIM-120 capability.

Introduced in Update "Dance of Dragons", the AV-8B (NA) is a very strong aircraft at its BR, being directly better than the other Harrier at this BR, the Sea Harrier FRS.1, in almost every way. What the AV-8B (NA) lacks in BVR capability, due to its lack of radar or long-range missiles, is made up for in the incredible flight performance, great IR missiles for its battle rating, and the VIFFing (Vector In Forward Flight) potential using the thrust vectoring nozzles, allowing the Harrier to catch enemies off guard and turn almost any low-speed dogfight in its favour. However, where the AV-8B Night Attacker truly shines is in the attacker role, as its name implies. The AV-8B NA has access to one of, if not the best, ground strike packages at its battle rating in ground battles, with the capability to use a plethora of guided ordnance such as the laser-guided Paveways and AGM-65E, the TV-guided AGM-65D and G, and the GPS-guided JDAMs, along with various other unguided weapons. The GAU-12 Equalizer 25 mm rotary cannon also has access to a very high fire rate and a very punchy set of ammunition belts, which when aided with the EEGS for air combat or the CCIP for ground attack, allow this aircraft to make short work of pretty much any tank or plane it faces at closer ranges. Coupled with the advanced avionics, an incredible targeting pod which can further enhance low-visibility targeting over the built-in FLIR camera, and its vast amount of countermeasures, the AV-8B NA is overall a very powerful, jack-of-all-trades aircraft for its battle rating.