The Indian Navy has withdrawn its Sea Harrier carrier-based fighters from service. Aviation weapons Second World War fighter Harrier

The origins of the British fighter-bomber " Harrier"(Harrier) (English hound) lie in the mid-1950s, when in a number of countries of the North Atlantic Alliance aircraft engineers carried out experimental work to study the possibility of vertical take-off of an aircraft with a fixed wing geometry.

This task faced aircraft designers due to the fact that it was during these years that it became quite obvious that large air bases were very vulnerable to a potential attack by tactical nuclear weapons, so technological progress translated the task of reducing the area of ​​military air bases into a practical solution. In the UK, Hawker Siddeley, in close collaboration with Bristol Aero Engines, developed the first prototypes of an aircraft powered by a single Rolls-Royce Pegasus turbojet engine. The new vehicles received the designation “P.1127”, and later - “Kestrel FGA. 1" (Kestrel FGA Mk. 1). They became the “progenitors” of the multi-role fighter “ Harrier».

In 1970 the world's first Harrier plane with vertical takeoff and landing, it entered service with the 4th Squadron of the German Air Force, becoming one of the key factors in the confrontation between NATO and the Warsaw Pact countries in Central Europe. The new fighter had a unique ability to maneuver at any stage of flight, which gave it a significant advantage over other aircraft. If, hypothetically, a war suddenly broke out between NATO and the Warsaw Pact countries, then the Harriers could easily be dispersed in the most unexpected places, hiding in barns, large buildings of railway stations, supermarkets, warehouse complexes and other massive buildings that could be quickly re-
equip for hangars.

Everything necessary for the technical equipment of such places was included in the program of the Joint Rapid Deployment Forces. At the initial stage of development of the new combat aircraft, it was assumed that this fighter would be able to carry a small amount of weapons over a fairly short distance, but over time, the Harrier turned into a very formidable weapon. Harrier plane II GR. 7 (Harrier II GR.7), which was in service with the British Royal Air Force, could fly at any time of the day and in any weather conditions.

This fighter was armed with two 25-mm cannons and on slings could additionally carry up to 5000 kg of external cargo, including various types of bombs, short-range missiles, air-to-air missiles, which made it possible to use the aircraft as an interceptor, as well as photographic equipment for aerial reconnaissance or nuclear weapons.

The transformation of the Harrier into a powerful combat aircraft could not take place without the participation of the US Marine Corps. After American military pilots made test flights on these fighters in 1968, the United States ordered a modification of this aircraft from Great Britain, called the AV-8A. Combined with operational mobility, retaliatory strike capability, versatility and the ability to operate both at sea and on land, the Harriers were well suited to combat operations of forward-deployed forces. The new version of the AV-8A Harrier fighter was produced in the UK, but was then redesigned by McDonnell-Douglas and licensed for production in the United States. Further modification of the fighter for the needs of the US Marine Corps ensured a long future for the Harrier family of aircraft.

The new, significantly larger and more complex wing of the improved AV-8B Harrier II variant allowed the use of six weapons hardpoints instead of four, which, with one central under-fuselage node, almost doubled the aircraft's combat load compared to its predecessor; and the cockpit, equipped with the latest radio-electronic equipment, has become almost a “work of art.” The controls for the main systems of the combat aircraft are located on the top panel, located under the head-up display on the windshield. New avionics made the vehicle easy to operate, and the Hughes angular velocity bombing system, combined with a laser guidance system and target display on a television screen, ensured high accuracy in hitting objects. Further modernization of the A7-8B consisted of the installation of an on-board radar and night vision systems, which made it possible to carry out night bombing.

In 1982, the aircraft carriers Invincible and Hermes, together with the Sea Harrier carrier-based fighters, took part in the war between Great Britain and Argentina for control of the Falklands (Malvinas). islands. At first glance, it may seem that the Sea Harriers, with their subsonic speeds, were inferior in flight performance to the Dagger fighter-bombers and the Douglas A-4 Skyhawk light carrier-based attack aircraft. .

Argentine aircraft could fly at speeds corresponding to Mach number = 2. However, the Harriers easily adapted their speed to the speed of an aircraft carrier and could take off in any weather conditions, which was somewhat problematic for conventional jet aircraft. In combat, the Harrier pilot could change the direction of the plane's movement: either sharply raise the nose of the car to avoid being hit by a missile, or, by sharply braking, turning around or accelerating his movement, make the enemy miss during an attack.

In 1991, during Operation Desert Storm, Harriers provided close air support for Marine units. Three squadrons and one air wing of 6 fighters operated from land-based air bases, while squadrons of 20 aircraft took off from aircraft carriers at sea. During the ground portion of the operation, AV-8B Harriers II flew 3,380 sorties, thereby achieving more than 90% success rate of the operation.

The transformation of the Harrier into an effective fighting vehicle took several decades, although it was often a very difficult process. However, the effectiveness of a vertical take-off and landing fighter-bomber has been proven in practice, and the Harrier experience formed the basis for the creation of future combat aircraft, in particular the F-35 Lightning II.

The US Marine Corps is rethinking its need for Harrier vertical take-off and landing aircraft and F-35B aircraft. There are several reasons for this. Firstly, their cost. Replacing the Harrier and F-35B would cost more than $100 million each.

Moreover, VTOL aircraft tend to have a higher accident rate than conventional aircraft, which increases the cost of maintaining them. These planes are no longer used from forward airfields because transporting fuel and other supplies is much more difficult and expensive, and the presence of smart bombs eliminates the need to station fighter-bombers so close to the front lines.

In essence, smart bombs, especially those guided by GPS, eliminated most of the advantages of vertical take-off aircraft. Modern combat aircraft must now have a long flight endurance (which vertical take-off aircraft lack) in order to remain above the battlefield as long as possible while smart bombs are needed there. Cheaper aircraft such as the F-18E can accomplish these tasks more cheaply and efficiently.

The main issue is costs and the announcement of significant cuts to the US defense budget. As a result, the Marines cannot afford to buy new helicopters or modernize their aging helicopter fleet. In addition, the delivery of the F-35B was delayed several times, forcing the Marines to take extreme measures to keep their Harrier fleet operational.

For example, three months ago the Marine Corps purchased all British Harrier fighters, spare parts and support equipment. The US Marines are currently the largest operator of Harrier aircraft, with 140 AV-8Bs in service and there is already talk of their imminent retirement.

Harrier aircraft have the highest accident rate of any current fighter aircraft. This is largely due to its vertical take-off capability, which brings its accident rate closer to that of a helicopter. As a result of accidents over 32 years of operation, the US Marine Corps lost a third of its 397 Harriers.. This is approximately three times larger than the F-18C.

Moreover, the accident rate of combat aircraft has been declining over the past century. The Harrier's current accident rate is similar to that of many aircraft in the 1970s. Harrier pilots simply accepted the fact that since the aircraft can fly like a helicopter, its non-combat loss rate is corresponding.

Sea Harrier FA2 of 801 NAS in flight at the Royal International Air Tattoo

Development and production

Operation history

General design data

Engine

Flight-tactical characteristics

Armament

Small arms and cannon

• 2 × 30 mm ADEN guns with 130 pat. on the barrel (removable).

Guided missiles

• air-to-air missiles: AIM-9, AIM-120 (FRS.2), R550 Magic (FRS.51);
• air-to-surface missiles: ALARM, AS.37 Martel, Sea Eagle.

Unguided rockets

• 4 × 18 × 68 mm SNEB missiles.

Bombs

• free-falling with a caliber of up to 454 kg.

British Aerospace Sea Harrier(English) British Aerospace Sea Harrier) - British carrier-based vertical take-off and landing fighter-bomber. Created on the basis of the land-based Harrier aircraft. Was in service with the Royal Navy from 1980 to 2006.

History of creation

In the post-war period, the Royal Navy began to expand in parallel with the collapse of the British Empire overseas and the emergence of the Commonwealth of Nations, reducing the need for a larger fleet. By 1960, the last ship, HMS Vanguard, was retired from the Navy after less than fifteen years in service. Perhaps the biggest sign new trend naval rigor came in 1966, when the planned CVA-01 class of large aircraft carriers intended for the Royal Navy was cancelled; Seemingly ending the Navy's participation in carrier-based fixed-wing aircraft as World War II-era carriers, they were slowly withdrawn one by one. At this time, requirements in the Royal Navy began to take shape for a vertical and/or short takeoff and landing (STOL) carrier-based interceptor to replace the De Havilland Sea Vixen. Following the first V/STOL testing on a ship began with the P.1127 Hawker Siddeley landing on HMS Ark Royal in 1963.

Following their key role in the 1982 Falklands War, several lessons were learned from the aircraft's performance, leading to approval for the fleet upgrade to the FRS.2 (later known as FA2) Standard due to be introduced in 1984. The first flight of the prototype aircraft took place in September 1988 and a contract for 29 modernized aircraft was signed in December of the same year. In 1990, the Navy ordered 18 new-built FA2s, at a unit cost of approximately £12 million, four further upgrades were ordered in 1994, with the first aircraft being delivered on 2 April 1993.

Production

A second concept for the future of naval aviation emerged in the early 1970s, as the first of a new class of "through-deck cruisers" was planned. They were very carefully and politically appointed cruisers deliberately avoiding the term "aircraft carrier", in order to increase the chances of funding from a hostile political climate from expensive capital ships, they were significantly smaller than the previously sought CVA-01. These ships were ordered as the Invincible class in 1973, and are now widely accepted as aircraft carriers. Almost immediately after their construction, a diving board was added at the end of the 170-meter deck, allowing operators to efficiently operate a small number of V/STOL jets. Royal Air Force's Hawker Siddeley Harrier GR1s entered service in April 1969. A navalised version of the Harrier was developed by Hawker Siddeley to serve on upcoming ships, this became the Sea Harrier. In 1975 the Navy ordered 24 Sea Harrier FRS.1 (stands for "Fighter, Reconnaissance, Strike") aircraft, the first of which entered service in 1978. During this time, Hawker Siddeley became part of British Aerospace through nationalization in 1977. By then, the Sea Harrier prototype had been delivered to Dunsfold 20. In August 1978, the order was increased to 34. The Sea Harrier was announced for service in 1981 aboard the first Invincible-class ship HMS Invincible, with the aircraft joining the aging aircraft carrier HMS Hermes later that year.

Description of design

Vertical take-off and landing aircraft, single-seat all-metal high-wing aircraft.

Fuselage

Compared to FRS. Mk 1, F/A. The Mk 2 was externally distinguished by a less pointed antenna nose cone, a longer rear fuselage, redesigned antennas and external suspensions, and larger slats.

Wing and tail

The wings are fastened using 6 units installed in pairs on three frames. When replacing the engine, the wing will have to be removed. The vertical and horizontal tails were removable.

Chassis

When the engine is operating on the ground, the nozzle is deflected to a position corresponding to vertical takeoff or takeoff with a short run. The main landing gear is located centrally under the fuselage, 2 landing gear legs are located at the ends of the wing. This design made it possible not to take any special measures to ensure normal operation of the landing gear, taking into account the heating of the space under the fuselage by exhaust gases from the engine nozzles. Racks are equipped hydraulic system control, providing rotation to the right and left by 45 degrees. The nose wheel rotates freely 179 degrees.

Power point

The central section of the fuselage houses the engine and its components. The side air intakes of the engine are equipped with additional flaps in the front part of the shell, designed to increase air flow at low flight speeds, and also serve to drain the boundary layer around the perimeter of the cabin with an exit at the rear of the canopy. The additional flaps at the front are hinged and operate automatically between the inner and outer shock-absorbing stops.

Weapons and equipment

5 weapon suspension systems were installed. The main small arms and cannon weapons were 2 × 30 mm ADEN cannons with 130 pat. on the trunk. Also air-to-air guided missiles AIM-9, AIM-120 (FRS.2) and air-to-surface missiles ALARM, AS.37 Martel, Sea Eagle. It was possible to install unguided rockets 4 × 18 × 68 mm SNEB missiles.

Design

The Sea Harrier is a subsonic aircraft designed to fill strike, reconnaissance and fighter roles. It has one Rolls-Royce Pegasus turbofan engine with two strokes and four vectorable nozzles. It has two landing gear on the fuselage and two outriggers on the wings. The Sea Harrier is equipped with four wings and three fuselage pylons with weapons and external fuel tanks. The use of a ski-jump allowed the aircraft to take off from a short runway deck with heavier gear than would otherwise be possible, although it could also take off like a normal loaded fighter without thrust vectoring from a normal airport runway.

The Sea Harrier is based largely on the Harrier GR3, but has been modified to have a raised cockpit with a "bubble" canopy for greater visibility, and a stretched forward fuselage to accommodate a Ferranti Blue Fox radar. parts have been switched to use corrosion-resistant alloys or coatings have been added to protect against the marine environment. After the Falklands War, the Sea Harrier was equipped with the new Sea Eagle anti-ship missile.

The Sea Harrier FA2 featured the Blue Vixen radar, which has been described as one of the most advanced pulse Doppler radar systems in the world; The Blue Fox radar was considered by some critics as having the comparatively poor performance that was available at the time of procurement. The Blue Vixen formed the basis for the development of the Eurofighter Typhoon's Captor radar. The Sea Harrier FA2 also carried the AIM-120 AMRAAM missile, the first British aircraft to be equipped with this capability. An improved model of the Pegasus engine, the Pegasus Mk 106, was used in the Sea Harrier FA2; in response to threat to radar-based anti-aircraft weapons, electronic countermeasures were added. Other improvements included an increase in air-to-air weapons load, look-down radar, increased range, and improved cockpit displays.

The cockpit in the Sea Harrier includes a conventional center stick layout and left hand throttle. In addition to conventional flight controls, the Harrier has a lever to control the direction of four vectorable nozzles. The jets point backwards using the lever to the forward position for horizontal flight. When installing the rear jet lever from top to bottom for vertical takeoff and landing. The usefulness of the vertical landing capability in the Sea Harrier was demonstrated in an incident on 6 June 1983, when Sub-Lieutenant Ian Watson lost contact with the aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious and had to land a Sea Harrier ZA176 on the forecastle of the Spanish freighter Alraigo.

In 2005, although already scheduled for retirement, the Sea Harrier was modified with An's "Autoland" system to allow the fighter to perform a safe vertical landing without pilot interaction. Despite the ship's pitching, creating a natural problem, the system was designed to be aware of such data and successfully landed at sea in May 2005.

Flight performance

Operational history

Commissioning The first three Sea Hounds were batch development and were used for design testing. The first production aircraft was delivered to RNAS Yeovilton in 1979 to form the Intensive Flight Trials Unit (also known as 700A Naval Air Squadron). In March 1980, the intensive Flight Test Group became the 899 Naval Air Squadron and would operate as the type's landborne headquarters unit. The first operational squadron of 800 Naval Air Squadron was also formed in March 1980 initially to operate from HMS Invincible before it was transferred to HMS Hermes. In January 1981, a second operation, 801 Naval Air Squadron, was established to operate from HMS Invincible.

Falkland Islands War Line of Sea Harrier jets standing to the left of the photo. In the distance is a tall, dull-colored warehouse. Sea Harrier at RNAS Yeovilton. The pre-Falklands War paint scheme seen here was modified, painting over the white undersides and markings along the route to the islands. Sea Hound took part in the 1982 Falklands War, operating from the aircraft carriers HMS Invincible and HMS Hermes. Sea Hounds played the main role of air defense with a secondary role of attack aircraft. RAF Harrier GR3s provided the main ground attack force, with a total of 28 Sea Harriers and 14 Harrier GR3s deployed in theatre. Sea Harrier squadrons shot down 20 Argentine aircraft in air-to-air combat with no air-to-air losses, although two Sea Harriers were lost to ground fire and four accidents. Of the total Argentine air losses, 28% were shot down by hounds.

A number of factors contributed to the failure of the Argentine fighters to shoot down the Sea Harrier. Although the Mirage III and Dagger Jet were significantly faster, the Sea Harrier was significantly more maneuverable. Tactics such as "Vectored in Level Flight" using a nozzle commonly used for vertical flight for braking and other routes have proven decisive in dogfights, although at least one authoritative source told Viffing was not used by RN pilots in the Falkland Islands. In addition, the Harrier used the latest AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles and Blue Fox radar. The British pilots had excellent air combat training, one manifestation of which was that they thought they noticed Argentine pilots sometimes releasing weapons outside their operating parameters. It is now believed that the Mirages were releasing external fuel tanks rather than weapons, and turning away from the conflict with the Sea Harrier. This later reduced their ability to fight an effective campaign against the Sea Harrier due to reduced range and lack of external fuel tanks.

Combat use

Falklands War (1982) During the war with Argentina, Great Britain used 28 Sea Harriers. According to official data, British Harriers accounted for 31 Argentine aircraft (mostly Mirage III), without losses on their part. According to other sources - 21 air victories, with the loss of one shot down by Dagger (Mirage-5). A total of 6 Sea Harriers were lost during the war.

Yugoslav War (1994-1995, 1999) Royal Navy Sea Harriers were used to attack the Bosnian Serbs in 1994. On April 16, one plane was shot down and the pilot ejected, landing in Bosnian Muslim territory.

In 1999, during NATO's Operation Allied Force, British aircraft patrolled the skies over Kosovo, trying to block its skies from Serbian MiGs.

Literature and sources of information

Ilyin V. E., Levin M. A. Modern fighters. - Moscow: “HOBBYBOOK”, 1994. - pp. 12-15. - 288 p. - 15,000 copies. - ISBN 5-85561-014-4.

Image gallery

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At the conceptual development stage, the Navy command did not yet have a final decision regarding what type of aircraft would replace the AV-8A, winged or rotorcraft, so the helicopter manufacturing company Sikorsky (as a branch of the United Aircraft Corporation) took part in the competition with a reconnaissance-attack tiltrotor project . Management of the progress of work, computer modeling of the tactical situation of air combat and testing of various subsystems, components and assemblies for a promising aircraft were entrusted to government-owned research institutions within the US Navy and NASA:

• Landing gear, landing and hangar infrastructure of motherships - Shipbuilding Research Center, Carderock, Maryland;
• Small arms, missile weapons, air-to-air weapons control subsystem - Fleet Weapons Research Center, China Lake, California;
• Air-to-Surface Weapons Control Subsystem—Central Naval Laboratory, Washington, D.C.; Fleet Aviation Research Center, Warminster, Pennsylvania;

Development work

Especially for use in the production of fuselages and wings of the Super Harrier, high-strength sandwich-type structures were developed based on a lightweight titanium alloy, resistant to corrosion and temperature changes, a turbofan propulsion system of large diameter and short length with variable geometry of elements (turbines and nozzles) and low noise level, new means of emergency escape from the cockpit - an ejection seat of minimal size and weight with a hermetically sealed parachute system. An innovation in avionics, which was also developed by order of the Navy specifically for installation on the developed promising aircraft, there was a non-analog system for displaying information on the windshield at that time (before that, only target designation signs of sighting and navigation systems were displayed on the windshield; on the glass of the Super Harrier it was supposed to display, in addition to target designation, the entire range of necessary flight control information for the pilot to accept this or that other decision on the implementation of the maneuver and its boundary parameters), as well as digital holographic displays and LED indicators on the dashboard. Weapons control systems were developed by Hughes Aircraft in Culver City, California, and Westinghouse Electric Systems Division in Baltimore, Maryland, simultaneously for the Super Harrier and the advanced Tomcat fighter.

Project AV-16

The McDonnell Douglas AV-16 had an old partnership and contractual commitment with Hawker Siddeley, and the two companies worked together on a number of US-British aerospace projects. In fact, in the matter of the development of the Super Harrier, McDonnell Douglas acted as the local representative of the interests of Hawker Siddeley in the United States and, conversely, Hawker Siddeley acted as the representative of McDonnell Douglas in the UK and the countries of the British Commonwealth in the matter routine maintenance, work to extend the life of the Phantoms and modify them to meet the requirements of the national armed forces. A license agreement for the modification of the original Harrier model to the requirements of national customers - the branches of the armed forces and the production of modified aircraft at American aircraft factories, was concluded between McDonnell Douglas and Hawker Siddeley for the future on December 22, 1969, even before the start of the competition for applications for the “Super- Harrier."

Among a dozen other promising original projects, the McDonnell Douglas project, which received the index AV-16, was not particularly original, since it implemented the idea of ​​​​creating a licensed modification of the Harrier - an improved l. A. using the existing fuselage and tail, but with a larger wing and a more powerful engine (after 1977, Hawker Siddeley was nationalized by the government of James Callaghan and British Aerospace became McDonnell Douglas's British partner). This program, accepted for further development, was eventually curtailed after its costs exceeded $1 billion.

Project AV-8B

Despite this, McDonnell Douglas does not give up and is making a new attempt to improve the aircraft without changing the engine. To increase the bomb load and flight range, the new aircraft was given a larger wing with capacious tanks and a greater number of suspension points. However, failure to replace the engine (and its power) resulted in the requirement that the total weight of the new aircraft remain equal to that of the base AV-8A. To achieve this, McDonnell Douglas engineers decide to make the fuselage and wings from lightweight materials, as well as improve the flight properties of the aircraft. As a result, the larger wing was made of graphite composite materials (lighter than aluminum and, in some respects, stronger than steel). The air intakes were also enlarged and improved, larger flaps were installed on the wings, and a ridge was added to the cannon container at the bottom of the fuselage to improve flight performance during takeoff and landing.

Models of the new aircraft were shown in August 1975. Initially, two AV-8A aircraft received the necessary improvements for testing. The first flight of these prototypes took place at the end of 1978. The tests were so successful that a program was launched to improve the entire American AV-8A fleet. The improved aircraft were designated AV-8C.

In the early 1980s, four aircraft built from scratch were tested. In 1981, British Aerospace entered into an agreement with McDonnell Douglas. Under this agreement, British Aerospace took part in the program as a subcontractor, which meant the British government returned to the Harrier program. Production began in 1983, with McDonnell Douglas building 60 percent of the aircraft and British Aerospace building the remaining 40. The AV-8B entered service with the US Marine Corps in late 1983, the British version (GR.5) was adopted by the RAF a little later. .

Several modifications were made to Marine Corps aircraft. In the late 1980s, a variant for night operations (AV-8B Night Attack) was created - an IR forward-looking system was placed in the nose, used in conjunction with night vision goggles. In total, in the period 1989-1993. 72 aircraft were built in the AV-8B Night Attack modification. In June 1987, British Aerospace and McDonnell Douglas decided to create a modification of the Harrier II with a radar. To do this, an AN/APG-65 pulse-Doppler radar (similar to that used in the McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet) was installed in the nose of the AV-8B Night Attack aircraft. This modification allowed the aircraft to conduct air combat and improved its performance in ground strikes. The Marine Corps ordered 31 aircraft of the new modification (Plus), its deliveries began in July 1993. Another 72 aircraft were modified in 1997. By 1997, only the Plus and Night Attack modifications were in service in the Marine Corps.

Video on the topic

Modifications

• YAV-8B- prototype, 2 copies.
• AV-8B Harrier II- basic modification.
• AV-8B Harrier II Night Attack- an upgraded version with an IR forward-looking system and a new Pegasus 11 engine.
• AV-8B Harrier II Plus- an upgraded version of Night Attack with a new radar.
• TAV-8B Harrier II- double training option.
• EAV-8B Matador II- designation in the Spanish Navy.
• EAV-8B Matador II Plus- designation in the Spanish Navy.

Combat use

Used by the American side during the war in Afghanistan. On the night of September 14, 2012, about 15 Taliban dressed in American uniforms attacked the American aircraft parking lot at Camp Bastion. The attack resulted in the destruction of eight Harriers and one C-130, in addition to numerous buildings and hangars.

Performance characteristics

The given characteristics correspond to the modification AV-8B. Data source: DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY -- NAVAL HISTORICAL CENTER

Specifications

• Crew: 1 (pilot)
• Length: 14.12 m
• Wingspan: 9.245 m
• Height: 3.551 m
• Wing area: 21.37 m²
• Sweep along 1/4 chord line: 30.62°
• Wing aspect ratio: 4,0
• Chassis base: 3,481 m (between main pillars)
• Chassis track: 5.182 m (between side posts)
• Empty weight: 5,822 kg
• Curb weight: 6,097 kg (without combat load)
• Maximum take-off weight: 14,060 kg
  • during vertical takeoff: 8618 kg
• Fuel mass in internal tanks: 3,590 kg
• Fuel tank capacity: 4,319 l (+ 4 × 1,136 l PTB)
• Powerplant: 1 × Rolls-Royce F402-RR-406 turbofan
• Thrust: 1 × 95.86 kN

• Top speed: 1,063 km/h