OVERVIEW: The AV-8B Harrier II+ belongs to the second generation of the Harrier family, a single-engine, subsonic, V/STOL, multirole aircraft designed for all-weather strike, reconnaissance, and limited air defense from short-deck naval carriers. The 1998 Italian Navy configuration combined radar, FLIR, and night-attack capabilities for fully autonomous maritime operations.

DETAILS: It is powered by the Rolls-Royce F402-RR-408 Pegasus turbofan engine with thrust vectoring, enabling vertical/short takeoff and speeds up to Mach 0.9. The airframe supports 7 external hardpoints, and includes a night-vision-compatible cockpit, digital moving map, RWR, AN/AAR-51 FLIR, and the AN/APG-65 radar, allowing all-weather ground attack and basic air-to-air engagement. The Italian Navy operated the aircraft from the carrier Giuseppe Garibaldi, with full NATO compatibility for weapons, communication, and support systems. Confirmed missile systems include AIM-9L Sidewinder for air combat and AGM-65 Maverick for precision strike.

The “+” suffix identifies the inclusion of the AN/APG-65 radar, a key improvement over previous models, enabling beyond-visual-range detection and maritime targeting. The aircraft also retained the Night Attack suite including the AN/AAR-51 FLIR, digital navigation, and enhanced cockpit displays. Systems were hardened for naval environments with corrosion-resistant coatings and reinforced undercarriage. Italian aircraft were interoperable with NATO naval and air forces for combined operations.

TYPE: V/STOL multirole strike aircraft

FUNCTION: This model was mainly used for maritime strike, combat air patrol, and carrier-based close air support, fulfilling Italy’s need for flexible airpower from V/STOL platforms. Its ability to deploy from small carriers without catapults made it vital for fast-response missions in littoral and expeditionary contexts.

NOTE:
IOC: 1997 (AV-8B Harrier II+ Italy)
Operators: Italy
Conflict used in: Libya (2011)

SOURCE:
Italian Navy Official Site: https://www.marina.difesa.it ; U.S. Naval Air Systems Command: https://www.navair.navy.mil ; Jane’s All the World’s Aircraft ; Federation of American Scientists (FAS) ; Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McDonnell_Douglas_AV-8B_Harrier_II