McDonnel Douglas/BAe Harrier GR Mk5 GAV 2122-182
The Harrier GR7 formed the spearhead of the RAF's contribution to Operation Allied Force, the NATO mission in Kosovo. During this campaign the RAF identified significant shortcomings in its arsenal. As a result the service ordered the AGM-65 Maverick stand-off missile and the Enhanced Paveway which incorporates GPS guidance which would negate the effects of smoke and bad weather. Using updated ordnance as well as unguided iron and cluster munitions, RAF Harrier GR7s played a prominent role in Operation Telic, the UK contribution to the war against Iraq in 2003. RAF GR7s participated in strike and close air support missions throughout the conflict. On 14 October 2005 a RAF Harrier GR7A was destroyed and another was damaged in a rocket attack by Taliban forces while parked on the tarmac at Kandahar in Afghanistan. No one was injured in the attack. The damaged Harrier was repaired, while the destroyed one was replaced by another aircraft. Harrier GR7s were deployed to Afghanistan in 2006 as part of the expanded ISAF mission in the south of Afghanistan. Reflecting the increased pace of operations, RAF Harrier GR7As saw a large increase in munitions used in supporting ground forces since July 2006. Between July and September, the theatre total for munitions deployed by British Harriers on planned operations and close air support to ground forces rose from 179 to 539, mostly CRV-7 rockets. The first operational deployment of the Harrier GR9 was in January 2007 at Kandahar in Afghanistan as part of the NATO International Security Assistance Force (ISAF). Developed from Hawker Siddeley Harrier McDonnell Douglas AV-8B Harrier II.
Size: 6106px × 3991px
Location: RAF Lossiemouth, Moray. Grampian Region. Scotland. United Kingdom.
Photo credit: © David Gowans / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: -generation, /stol, 105, 2006–2010, 2010., aeroplane, aerospace/mcdonnell, aim-9, air, aircraft, aircraft., airframes, anti, attack, av-8b, aviation, bae, british, carriers., combat., december, defence, derived, development, douglas, douglas/bae, engine, fast, fighter, gr, gr5/gr7/gr9., ground, harrier, harriers, hawker, ii, jet, jump, landing, light, maritime, mcdonnel, mcdonnell, missile, mk, mk5, multi-role, navy., operated, operational, patrol, pegasus, performance, primarily, produced, raf, reconnaissance, relied, retired, review, roles, rolls, royal, royce, service, ship, short-range, siddeley, sidewinder, single, small, stol, strike, takeoff, tasks, thrust, turbofan, uk, vectored, vertical, vertical/short, weather
