OVERVIEW: The Harrier GR.5 belongs to the second generation of the Harrier family, a single-engine, subsonic V/STOL strike aircraft designed for tactical ground attack missions. It featured a completely redesigned airframe over the first-generation Harriers and introduced modern avionics, improved payload capacity, and enhanced survivability.

DETAILS: The GR.5 was powered by the Rolls-Royce Pegasus Mk 105 turbofan engine and retained the four-nozzle vectoring system for V/STOL performance. It had seven hardpoints and could carry a mix of bombs, rockets, and precision-guided munitions. The airframe was significantly redesigned using composites to reduce weight and radar signature, with a raised cockpit canopy for improved pilot visibility. Avionics included a digital moving map, laser rangefinder/marked target seeker (LRMTS) in the nose, and integrated navigation and attack systems. Top speed was just under Mach 1, with emphasis placed on low-level penetration and support roles.

"GR" stands for "Ground attack and Reconnaissance." The GR.5 introduced a new wing, fuselage, and cockpit based on the U.S. AV-8B airframe but lacked the radar found in later versions. It included a head-up display (HUD), onboard INS/GPS navigation, and night-vision goggle (NVG) compatible cockpit lighting but was limited to day and fair-weather operations. No radar system was installed.

TYPE: V/STOL strike aircraft

FUNCTION: The GR.5 was designed specifically for low-level strike and interdiction missions in Central Europe, operating from forward bases or highways. It was typically armed with general-purpose and laser-guided bombs, and prepared with terrain-following flight plans and V/STOL deployment from dispersed sites to enhance survivability and responsiveness.

NOTE:
IOC: Harrier GR.5 UK: 1988
Operators: United Kingdom
Conflict used in: None confirmed in combat for GR.5

SOURCE:
UK National Archives: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk ; RAF Museum ; Jane’s All the World’s Aircraft ; Federation of American Scientists (FAS): https://fas.org ; Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BAE_Harrier_II