Low level flying and bombing run from the Harrier Jump Jet cockpit

December 18, 2013 Military Aviation

David Cenciotti

About three years ago a fleet of about 50 perfectly working Harrier GR9 aircraft belonging to the RAF Joint Force Harrier were retired as a consequence of a spending review.

Some of them were sold to the U.S. Marine Corps to serve as spares for a similar version of the “Jump Jet”, the AV-8B Harrier until the latter is replaced by the F-35B Lightning II, the STOVL version of the JSF (Joint Strike Fighter).

This footage will bring you back to the time when the British Harriers flew at high speed and ultra low level to train for CAS (Close Air Support) missions across the world.

H/T to AFM for publishing the link to this video on their FB page

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.

Bigdirk says:

December 19, 2013 at 1:54 AM

HUGE mistake the British government getting rid of the Harrier. One they may yet regret.
- OR says:
  
  December 20, 2013 at 9:27 PM
  
  Agree. And buying those F-35 instead of investing in its own programme..