OVERVIEW: The AV-8B Harrier II belongs to the second generation of the Harrier family, a single-seat, subsonic, V/STOL, multirole combat aircraft operated by the U.S. Marine Corps. The 1992 configuration corresponds to the Night Attack variant, designed for all-weather, day and night strike, close air support, and interdiction missions from austere locations.

DETAILS: The AV-8B Night Attack variant introduced in the early 1990s was developed to enhance the all-weather and night-operational capability of the Harrier II fleet. It retained the Rolls-Royce Pegasus F402-RR-408 turbofan engine, allowing vertical and short takeoff/landing with a top speed of approximately Mach 0.9. It features 7 hardpoints (6 underwing, 1 centerline), composite wing and forward fuselage, and extended fuel capacity for increased range and payload. Avionics upgrades included a night vision goggle (NVG)-compatible cockpit, AN/AAR-50 FLIR system, upgraded RWR, inertial navigation system, and MIL-STD-1553 data bus for advanced weapons integration. The aircraft could deploy precision-guided munitions, air-to-surface missiles, air-to-air missiles, and 25 mm GAU-12 cannon pods. It was suited for expeditionary strike roles in both high-intensity and low-intensity conflict environments.

This variant added a FLIR sensor mounted on the nose, improved cockpit lighting for NVG use, and compatibility with laser-guided bombs and targeting pods. It did not yet include radar, which appeared only in the later Plus variant. The focus was on enhancing precision and survivability in night or poor weather operations without altering the airframe significantly.

TYPE: V/STOL ground-attack aircraft

FUNCTION: It was primarily used for night and all-weather close air support, deep strike, and armed reconnaissance missions. The aircraft was armed and configured based on the sortie profile, loaded with fuel, and launched from forward bases or amphibious assault ships using short takeoff techniques.

NOTE:
IOC: 1985 (AV-8B), 1992 (Night Attack AV-8B)
Operators: United States
Conflict used in: Iraq (1990–1991), Bosnia (1990s), Iraq (2003–2009), Afghanistan (2001–2013)
Retired: In service as of 2020s, being phased out by F-35B

SOURCE:
U.S. Marine Corps Aviation Plan ; U.S. Naval Air Systems Command: https://www.navair.navy.mil ; Federation of American Scientists (FAS) ; Jane’s All the World’s Aircraft ; National Museum of the Marine Corps: https://www.usmcmuseum.com