OVERVIEW: The Sea Harrier FA.2 belongs to the second generation of the Harrier family, a carrier-based, single-engine, subsonic, V/STOL multirole fighter-interceptor developed for maritime air defense by the Royal Navy. It is an upgraded variant of the original Sea Harrier designed to enhance interception, situational awareness, and missile engagement capability from light aircraft carriers.

DETAILS: The Sea Harrier FA.2 is an improved version of the Sea Harrier FRS.1, developed by British Aerospace to provide the Royal Navy with an upgraded fleet defense fighter. It is powered by a single Rolls-Royce Pegasus Mk 106 turbofan engine with vectored thrust, and has a maximum speed of approximately Mach 0.95. The aircraft features 7 hardpoints: 1 under the fuselage and 6 under the wings, capable of carrying air-to-air missiles, bombs, rocket pods, gun pods, and external fuel tanks. Its primary weapons include the AIM-120 AMRAAM for beyond-visual-range engagements and the AIM-9L Sidewinder for close combat, along with optional twin 30 mm ADEN cannon pods. The FA.2 is equipped with the Ferranti Blue Vixen pulse-Doppler radar and an internal radar warning receiver; it can also carry ECM pods and chaff/flare dispensers. The V/STOL configuration enabled operations from small aircraft carriers such as those of the Invincible class.

The designation “FA” stands for “Fighter Attack,” reflecting its air-to-air and limited air-to-ground capabilities. The FA.2 introduced the Blue Vixen radar, which provided look-down/shoot-down capability and full compatibility with AIM-120 AMRAAM, replacing the older Blue Fox system. Additional enhancements included updated cockpit displays, improved avionics, and navigation systems tailored for modern air combat operations. These upgrades allowed the FA.2 to effectively engage contemporary airborne threats at longer ranges.

TYPE: V/STOL fleet air defense and multirole fighter

FUNCTION: The Sea Harrier FA.2 was primarily employed for fleet air defense and maritime interception. Its compact size, V/STOL ability, and radar-missile combination made it highly suitable for operations from short-deck carriers in confined or austere maritime environments.

NOTE:
IOC: FRS.1 (1981), FA.2 (1993)
Manufacturer: British Aerospace (UK)
Operators: United Kingdom
Conflict used in: Operation Deliberate Force (1995), Operation Allied Force (1999)

SOURCE:
Royal Navy official archive ; Jane’s All the World’s Aircraft ; UK National Archives: https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/ ; Air Power Review (RAF) ; The Royal Navy in the Falklands Conflict and the Gulf War (UK MoD)