Photo: AV-8B+ Harrier heavy configuration

January 17, 2012 Italian Navy, Military Aviation

David Cenciotti

Taken on Jan. 17 by Giovanni Maduli, the following picture shows an Italian Navy AV-8B+ Harrier taking off from Decimomannu airbase in a heavy configuration including 4 x 300 gallons fuel tanks, used for long range ferry flights.

According to the U.S. Navy’s Standard Aircraft Characteristic document , in such configuration, the AV-8B (slightly different from the AV-8B+ that features a 17 inch lengthened nose to accomodate the AN/APG-65 radar) has a range exceeding 2,100 NM.

About David Cenciotti

David Cenciotti is a journalist based in Rome, Italy. He is the Founder and Editor of “The Aviationist”, one of the world’s most famous and read military aviation blogs. Since 1996, he has written for major worldwide magazines, including Air Forces Monthly, Combat Aircraft, and many others, covering aviation, defense, war, industry, intelligence, crime and cyberwar. He has reported from the U.S., Europe, Australia and Syria, and flown several combat planes with different air forces. He is a former 2nd Lt. of the Italian Air Force, a private pilot and a graduate in Computer Engineering. He has written five books and contributed to many more ones.

Lee Griffin says:

January 18, 2012 at 6:19 AM

2,100 seems a TAD too far
Curious says:

January 19, 2012 at 6:34 AM

David,

I think you meant to say 4 X 300 gallon tanks. Those tanks look far bigger than being able to hold only 130 kg!!!

The ferry range for that configuration is given in page 7 of the document you posted as 2,135 NM.
- David Cenciotti says:
  
  January 19, 2012 at 10:43 AM
  
  Sure, thank you. Obviously mistyped as the doc too gives the range with 4 x 300 US gallons tanks. Fixed now.