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With F-35B production ramping up, the AV-8 Harrier is entering into the twilight of its service with the United States Marine Corps. By most accounts, America's Harrier fleet has quite a bit of life left in it, especially considering Pentagon picked up the UK's entire fleet of 74 Harriers, many of which were very young, and all the spare parts that went with them, for cost of roughly 1.35 F-35Bs at today's prices, or a paltry $177M. As a result, large quantities of surplus Harriers and ample stocks of spare parts are likely to be put up for sale by...

The US might offer to sell refurbished AV-8B Harrier Jump Jets to Taiwan, the magazine Defense News said. “The Harriers will be offered to Taiwan through the Pentagon’s Excess Defense Articles (EDA) program under the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency,” the magazine said in an article written by Taipei-based correspondent Wendell Minnick. The article quotes US government sources as saying the Harriers would be offered after the US Marine Corps begins replacing them with F-35B stealth fighters. The Taipei Times was unable to confirm the story with Pentagon sources on Sunday. Other sources said the story could have been leaked...

TWO US Marine Corps jets have been forced to drop four unarmed bombs on the Great Barrier Reef. The two AV-8B Harrier jets each dropped two 226kg bombs on the world heritage-listed reef in an emergency jettison during a training mission on Tuesday. The incident came ahead of Exercise Talisman Saber, a biennial training operation between Australian and US forces based at Shoalwater Bay on the central Queensland coast. The dropped bombs had not detonated and a US official has reportedly said the chance of any of them exploding is "extremely remote". A Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority spokeswoman...

A tale of two Harriers: How Italy held on to carrier strike 18 September 2012 Defence blogger Gabriele Molinelli explores the different approaches to defence that left financially troubled Italy with carrier strike capability while the UK faces nearly a decade without On 26 October 2011, the Italian Navy's 'Embarked Aircraft Group', GRUPAER, celebrated its first 20 years. The pilots of the squadron could proudly celebrate in front of their Harriers, having operated to great effect over Libya from the aircraft carrier Garibaldi. They flew 33 per cent of Italy's war sorties, and 53 per cent of the land attack...

Three days after the bloody siege on our consulate in Benghazi, the Taliban waged an intricately coordinated, brutal attack on Camp Bastion in Afghanistan. The Taliban animals released video earlier this week showing their jihadi training prep. Two hero U.S. Marines were killed in the battle. Their names — Lt. Col. Christopher Raible and Sgt. Bradley Atwell — have not been uttered publicly by the commander-in-chief. Their arrival back in the U.S. was not broadcast on network TV. But their brothers-in-arms did not and will not forget. And neither must we. They are not anonymous “bumps in the road:” SNIP

Camp Bastion attack could be U.S. Marine Corps Harrier fleet’s ground zero September 22, 2012 As already explained, the recent Taliban attack on Camp Bastion, that cost the U.S. the worst air loss to enemy fire in one day since the Vietnam War, almost wiped out the entire U.S. Marine Harrier force in Afghanistan: besides killing two Marines, including the Commanding Officer of Marine Attack Squadron (VMA) 211, six AV-8B+ aircraft were destroyed and two more severly injured. Since the VMA-211 “Avengers” had deployed to Afghanistan with 10 airframes, only two Harriers survived the insurgent attack in one of the...

Marine Attack Squadron loses eight Harrier jets in worst U.S. air loss in one day since the Vietnam War On Friday Sept. 14, at around 10.15 p.m. local time, a force of Taliban gunmen attacked Camp Bastion, in Helmand Province, the main strategic base in southwestern Afghanistan.About 15 insurgents (19 according to some reports), wearing U.S. Army uniforms, organized into three teams, breached the perimeter fence and launched an assault on the airfield, that includes the U.S. Camp Leatherneck and the UK’s Camp Bastion, where British royal Prince Harry, an AH-64 Apache pilot (initially believed to be the main target...

Marine aviator of the year recalls historic mission in Libya 4/24/2012 By Cpl. Brian Adam Jones, Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point MARINE CORPS AIR STATION CHERRY POINT, N.C. — The magnitude of the moment came to him over the radio, in a hoarse whisper. Maj. J. Eric Grunke sat in the cockpit of an AV-8B Harrier at just past midnight March 22, 2011, thousands of feet above the Mediterranean Sea, and speeding toward the Libyan coastline. Grunke was serving as a Harrier pilot assigned to the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit on the third day of Operation Odyssey Dawn, an...

A Harrier is attended by ground crew at an airbase in southern Italy in 1999, when the planes were involved in Nato attacks in the former Yugoslavia The Royal Navy's entire fleet of Harrier jump jets, the British plane controversially scrapped in last year's defence review, has been saved – by the US military. All 74 of the planes, which were permanently grounded by the Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR), are to fly again for the US marines, in a deal that is expected to be closed within a week. The Ministry of Defence said negotiations were continuing but...

U.S. Marine Corps Negotiates Buying Decommissioned British Harriers The U.S. Navy and Marine Corps have agreed to buy Britain’s entire decommissioned fleet of 74 Harrier GR-9 and 9A Vertical/Short take off and Landing (V/STOL) fighter jets – a move expected to help the Corps operate Harrier jump jets into the mid-2020s and possibly replace aging two-seat F-18D Hornet strike fighters currently used for night attacks, Navy Times reports. A spokesman for the British Ministry of Defence confirmed the Disposal Services Agency was in talks with the U.S. Navy for the sale of the Harriers, their engines and spare parts. The...

Pentagon to recommend Taiwan buy F-35B, AV-8B fighters: report 2011/09/21 20:48:32 Washington, Sept. 20 (CNA) A U.S. Defense Department study has concluded that Taiwan should buy short-takeoff and vertical-landing jets such as the British-designed AV-8B Harrier jump jet or the new F-35B vertical-takeoff jet, the Washington Times reported Monday. The Pentagon will deliver the congressionally-mandated study on Taiwan's air power to Capitol Hill later this week, the newspaper said. Citing U.S. officials familiar with military aircraft, the report said the Pentagon conclusion was based on anticipated mainland Chinese missile strikes against Taiwan's airfields with cratering munitions that would thwart takeoffs...

Last British exchange pilot bids farewell to Harrier Story by Lance Cpl. Jakob Schulz From across the pond he came. His goal, to fly the AV-8B Harrier. Now, however, as the time for his return draws near, Flight Lieutenant Douglas McKay, takes not only the British Harrier pilot exchange program, but a wealth of experience gained during his stay. In June 2009, McKay, 34, stepped off a plane with his wife and children after an exhausting 10 hours of flight, only to board another one heading into the desert of the American Southwest. Upon arrival, McKay, a native of Hamilton,...

AL ASAD, Iraq (Mar. 16, 2006) -- An AV-8B Harrier screams loudly as it slowly lowers itself to the runway. Four other Harriers circle above, waiting for their turn to land - the Flying Nightmares have arrived. While the main body of Marine Attack Squadron 513, originally from Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Ariz., arrived here a few weeks ago, the actual aircraft arrived March 7 to a unit ready to get to work. "The main body arrived prior to the aircraft in order to unpack and have the work centers established," said Gunnery Sgt. Travis A. White, quality assurance...

AL ASAD, Iraq (April 9, 2006) -- Sweat slowly drips off of the Marines as they carefully raise the 500- and 1000-pound munitions to the weapons carriage on the AV-8B Harrier - the Flying Nightmares are readying for action. Marine Attack Squadron 513, Marine Aircraft Group 16, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, is the first Harrier squadron to employ the Joint Direct Attack Munitions in a combat zone. "With this new feature on our jets, we will be able to hit targets more accurately, therefore making us a more effective squadron," said Lt. Col. Willis E. Price, commanding officer, VMA-513. The...

A Marine fighter jet based in North Carolina crashed Tuesday and the Coast Guard and Navy were searching for the pilot. The Marine AV-8B Harrier crashed about 9:20 a.m. about 20 miles off the coast of St. Augustine, said Donnie Brzuska, a Coast Guard spokesman. The Coast Guard located an oil slick from the aircraft, but so far have not found the pilot. Another aircraft pilot reported that the pilot ejected, but he was not seen touching down, Brzuska said. The name of the missing pilot had not been released early Tuesday. The airplane was based at Marine Corps Air...

 22nd MEU (SOC) Harriers join the fight against Taliban insurgentsSubmitted by: 22nd MEUStory Identification #: 20046105260Story by Gunnery Sgt. Keith A. Milks KANDAHAR AIR FIELD, Afghanistan (June 10, 2004) -- AV-8B Harrier II attack jets from the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable) recently conducted ground attack missions against anti-coalition militia in Afghanistan's Oruzgan province in support of the MEU's ground forces. Based out of Kandahar Air Field, the Harriers have seen extensive use flying escort and reconnaissance missions, but the missions beginning on June 2 marked their first true combat sorties since the MEU's arrival in Afghanistan...

The future of Marine Aviation is grim. The Corps plans to eliminate 36% of its fighter-attack aircraft (F/A-18s and AV-8 Harriers) as part of the Navy-Marine TacAir Plan. The V-22 tilt-rotor remains "in development" and soaring costs allow only half the number desired to be funded each year. Meanwhile, the Corps will buy new engines to extend the life of its ancient CH-46Es, yet again. This has delayed plans to overhaul and upgrade 111 of the Corps 165 CH-53Es. Now there is talk of buying new CH-53Ks, since the ageing Echos may be too costly to rebuild. However, there will...

GOTTA SEE THIS - War for Enduring Freedom 03/16/03 -USS T.Roosevelt, USS Kitty Hawk, B-2, GR7, A10, AV-8B, leaflets BREAKING: US SEEKS PEACE ---- BUT IS READY - GOOD MORNING BAGHDAD!!!!!!!!!!!!! BREAKING: USS Theodore Roosevelt, USS Kitty Hawk BREAKING: B-2, 'Spirit of Oklahoma', 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force, BREAKING: Harrier GR7, A10, Harrier AV-8B, Living Support Area 7, 633 Squadron Royal Air Force BREAKING: Nutcakes in Saddam City BREAKING: Leaflets dropped BREAKING: B-1 JDAMs in measured response ========= USS Kitty Hawk ========= Somewhere near Iraq, heroes on the USS Kitty Hawk prepare. ========= USS Theodore Roosevelt =========...