Following the Korean War, aircraft companies in Europe and the United States began investigating the viability of Vertical/Short Takeoff and Landing (V/STOL) aircraft, which would eliminate the need for vulnerable runways. The prospect of applying such technology to commercial airliners (as well as military aircraft) was also viewed with considerable interest.
In 1957, British aviation conglomerate Hawker Aircraft developed its design for an aeroplane that could meet an existing NATO specification for a “Light Tactical Support Fighter” using a vectored thrust engine, which harnessed rotatable jets.
In 1959, the newly merged Hawker Siddeley decided to privately fund a pair of prototypes of the design to demonstrate its capabilities.
During the 1960s, the prototype attracted the attention of the RAF, which sought a VTOL aircraft for ground attack operations. During 1965, the RAF placed an order for six pre-production units of the aircraft, which would eventually become the Hawker Siddeley Harrier Jump Jet.
Following further development, the Harrier officially entered service with the RAF on 18 April 1969. The United States Marine Corps (USMC) also chose to procure the type, receiving its Harriers between 1971 and 1976.
The Falklands War of 1982 was the real testing ground for the British Harriers, which flew from the light carriers HMS Invincible and HMS Hermes. The British shot down 28 Argentinian fighters for zero losses of Harriers in air-to-air combat.
The Harrier had exceptional endurance and could stay aloft for much longer than its peers. It had a modern and highly effective radar, very effective weapons, and was overpowered in almost every aspect of its physical performance, making it able to out-climb, out-dive, out-roll and out-turn any peer aircraft.
The Harriers were used by the British, Americans, Spanish, Italians, Indians, and Thais, and would go on to be used in the two Gulf Wars, the Kosovo War, and the Afghanistan War.
The British Harrier was used by the RAF and later by the Royal Navy until 2010, when the Harrier II and the Joint Force Harrier operational unit were disbanded as a cost-saving measure to meet the demands of government cuts following the aftermath of the 2008 financial crash.
The last 72 British-operated Harriers were sold to the Americans for spares.
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