jfb@ihlpm.att.com (Joseph F Baugher) (09/28/90)
From: jfb@ihlpm.att.com (Joseph F Baugher) Here's number twenty-six in the series--The AV-8B Harrier McDonnell-Douglas AV-8B Harrier Engine: One Rolls-Royce Pegasus Mk105 vectored-thrust turbofan, 21,750 lb. st. Performance: Maximum speed: 661 mph (Mach 0.87) at sea level Maximum speed: 600 mph (Mach 0.91) at 36,000 feet Tactical radius: 100 miles (12 Mk-82 bombs and one-hour loiter) Tactical radius: 550 miles (Two external tanks and 7 Mk-82 bombs, no loiter) Ferry range: 2000 miles Weights: Empty weight: 14,000 pounds Maximum takeoff weight: 18,950 pounds (VTOL) Maximum takeoff weight: 31,000 pounds (STOL) Armament: Two 25-mm cannon can be carried on under-fuselage stations. Six underwing weapons stations. Up to 16 MK 82 or six Mk 83 bombs, six BL-755 cluster bombs, four AGM-65 Maverick air-to-surface missiles, or ten rocket pods on underwing stations. Maximum external weapons load: 9200 pounds (STOL mode) Electronics: I have no details. Remarks: License-built version of British Aerospace Harrier vertical take off close support aircraft for service with U. S. Marine Corps RAF equivalent of Marine Corps AV-8 is GR Mk. 5. TAV-8B is two-seat operational training version. AV-8A was similar to Harrier GR.Mk3 but with some equipment variations. 47 AV-8A upgraded to AV-8C standard, with new rear-warning radar, an AN/ALE-40 chaff dispenser, and other improvements. Most of the AV-8Cs will be replaced by AV-8Bs. AV-8B is an extensively-revised version of the basic Harrier with a revised cockpit canopy for better visibility. Cannot carry much of a useful offensive load when operated in the VTOL mode. However, when used in the STOL mode, the load is quite impressive for an aircraft of its small size. In Falkland/Malvinas war between Britain and Argentina, the Harrier proved to be an effective dogfighter against the Argentinian Dagger aircraft. The primary weakness of the Harrier was its limited range and endurance. The lack of any effective British carrier-based radar picket aircraft also played a role. In simulated aerial combat between Harriers and "conventional" aircraft, the Harrier has often proved effective against planes of vastly superior performance (such as the F-15 and F-16) by taking advantage of its unique vector thrusting ability to enhance its low-speed maneuverability. The old warning about the Mitsubishi Zero-sen--"Never try to turn with a Zero"--is probably equally valid for the Harrier. Sources: The Observer's Book of Aircraft, William Green. The World's Great Attack Aircraft, Gallery Books Modern Air Combat, Bill Gunston, Mike Spick The American Fighter, Enzo Angellucci and Peter Bowers. Joe Baugher ************************************** AT&T Bell Laboratories * "What we have here is.....Failure * 200 Park Plaza * to communicate!" * Naperville, Illinois 60566-7050 ************************************** (708) 713 4548 ihlpm!jfb jfb200@cbnewsd.att.com Who, me? Speak for AT&T? Surely you jest!
sysmgr@KING.ENG.UMD.EDU (Doug Mohney) (09/29/90)
From: sysmgr@KING.ENG.UMD.EDU (Doug Mohney) In article <1990Sep28.014342.13695@cbnews.att.com>, jfb@ihlpm.att.com (Joseph F Baugher) writes: > Weights: > Maximum takeoff weight: 31,000 pounds (STOL) Is this with some length of runway (1,000 feet?) or off of a ski-ramp? > > Armament: > Two 25-mm cannon can be carried on under-fuselage stations. > Up to 16 MK 82 or six Mk 83 bombs, six BL-755 cluster bombs, > four AGM-65 Maverick air-to-surface missiles, or ten rocket > pods on underwing stations. Ahhh.....sweeet... > Electronics: > I have no details. Some Harriers in the Gulf have been grounded due to avionics failures; I do not remember the name of the part(s), but it was something which Northrop made below-spec is failing at a nasty rate. To compound matters, Northrop has been banned against bidding on replacements (because they cheated on manufacturing the originals), so the Marines are scrambling to find a third party to build what they need. > > In Falkland/Malvinas war between Britain and Argentina, the > Harrier proved to be an effective dogfighter against the > Argentinian Dagger aircraft. And thanks to the AIM-9L all-aspect Sidewinder ;-)
ab3o+@andrew.cmu.edu (Allan Bourdius) (09/29/90)
From: Allan Bourdius <ab3o+@andrew.cmu.edu> The AV-8B mounts one 25mm Aden cannon. Gun pods can be carried in underwing stations. It is the AV-8A/C that mount two under fuselage guns. There are two pods on the AV-8B but only one has a gun in it, the other holds ammunition. --Allan ----------------------------------------------------------------- MIDN 3/C (PLCJR) Allan Bourdius Carnegie Mellon University NROTC "Retreat hell! We just got here!" ab3o+@andrew.cmu.edu Box 4719 5125 Margaret Morrison St. Pittsburgh, PA 15213 (412) 268-4632 The opinons expressed in this letter/posting do not, nor are in any way intended to, represent the official policies and positions of the Department of Defense, the Department of the Navy, the United States Marine Corps or the United States Navy; so there!
mmm@uunet.UU.NET (10/03/90)
From: <ames!ames!claris!portal!cup.portal.com!mmm@uunet.UU.NET> The two main differences between the original Harrier and its U.S. cousin are that main structural components in the McDonnell Douglas version are graphite epoxy (makes the plane much lighter, increasing range) and the flight controls are fly-by-wire. The latter is important because the plane is difficult to fly manually.
sjeyasin@axion.bt.co.uk (swaraj jeyasingh) (10/03/90)
From: sjeyasin@axion.bt.co.uk (swaraj jeyasingh) >From article <1990Sep29.154840.6720@cbnews.att.com>, by sysmgr@KING.ENG.UMD.EDU (Doug Mohney): > From: sysmgr@KING.ENG.UMD.EDU (Doug Mohney) > In article <1990Sep28.014342.13695@cbnews.att.com>, jfb@ihlpm.att.com (Joseph F Baugher) writes: > JB>> In Falkland/Malvinas war between Britain and Argentina, the JB>> Harrier proved to be an effective dogfighter against the JB>> Argentinian Dagger aircraft. > DM> And thanks to the AIM-9L all-aspect Sidewinder ;-) Also, these were Sea Harriers, with air-radar and the above missiles. I heard that it was the employment of the 9Ls rather than the VIFFing capabiliy which made the diff. I am not speaking ex cathedra: Swaraj Jeyasingh sjeyasin@axion.bt.co.uk British Telecom Research Labs Ipswich UK
ASISKIND@EAGLE.WESLEYAN.EDU (Valdour Lascaris) (10/03/90)
From: Valdour Lascaris <ASISKIND@EAGLE.WESLEYAN.EDU> X-VMS-News: eagle.wesleyan.edu sci.military:4472 > From: Allan Bourdius <ab3o+@andrew.cmu.edu> > The AV-8B mounts one 25mm Aden cannon. Gun pods can be carried in > underwing stations. It is the AV-8A/C that mount two under fuselage > guns. There are two pods on the AV-8B but only one has a gun in it, the > other holds ammunition. Actually, the AV-8B doesn't carry one 25mm Aden cannon, but a GE GAU-12/U 5 barrel 25mm (3600 rpm) cannon in one pod and 300 rounds of ammo in the other pod. The gun pod and ammo also doubles as lift-enhancement devices (LID) for extra lift when the Harrier is close to the ground (I'm not sure if this is only in hover mode) by trapping the hot engine gasses that are reflected up from the ground. When the gun & ammo pods aren't carried, other lift enhancement devices are carried by the Harrier.
rbc2@po.CWRU.Edu (Robert B. Cassidy) (10/10/90)
From: rbc2@po.CWRU.Edu (Robert B. Cassidy)
Another note on the AV-8B
An AV-8B made a recent appearence at the Cleveland Air Show with a
new bulge right in front of the canopy. This bulge contains a FLIR
(forward-looking infrared) camera for night use.
--
Bob Cassidy (rbc2@po.cwru.edu)* "If you are taking this seriously,
Top Ten's #2 Man * you are doing too much homework."
FOB Founding Member * -Michael C. Sidman
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