Harrier Jump Jet The Harrier , informally referred to as the Jump Jet , is a family of military jet aircraft capable of vertical / short takeoff and landing ( V / STOL ) operations . Historically the Harrier was developed in Britain to operate from ad - hoc facilities such as car parks or forest clearings , avoiding the need for large air base s vulnerable to tactical nuclear weapon s . Later the design was adapted for use from aircraft carrier s . The Harrier is also distinct as being of modern era , yet subsonic , contrasting with most of the major Western post - World War II - era attack aircraft , which tend to be supersonic . There are two generations of four main variants of the Harrier family : The Hawker Siddeley Harrier is the first generation - version and is also known as the AV - 8A Harrier . The Sea Harrier is a naval strike / air defence fighter . The AV - 8B and BAE Harrier II are the US and British variants respectively of the second generation Harrier aircraft . Development . Background . Following an approach by the Bristol Engine Company in 1957 that they were planning a directed thrust engine , Hawker Aircraft came up with a design for an aeroplane that could meet the NATO specification for a " Light Tactical Support Fighter " . There was no financial support for the development from HM Treasury , but aid was found through the Mutual Weapon Development Project ( MWDP ) of NATO . The Hawker P . 1127 was ordered as a prototype and flew in 1960 . NATO developed a specification ( NBMR - 3 ) for a VTOL aircraft , but one that was expected to have the performance of an aircraft like the F - 4 Phantom II . Hawker drafted a supersonic version of the P . 1127 , the P . 1150 , and also the Hawker P . 1154 which would meet NBMR - 3 . The latter was a winner of the NATO competition and development continued , initially for both services , until cancelled , by the new government on cost grounds , at the point of prototype construction in 1965 . Work on the P . 1127 continued with 9 evaluation aircraft , the Hawker Siddeley Kestrel , ordered . These started flying in 1964 and were assessed by the " Tri - partite Evaluation Squadron " which consisted of British , US and German pilots . With the cancellation of the P . 1154 , the RAF ordered a modified P . 1127 / Kestrel as the Harrier GR . 1 in 1966 . First - generation Harriers . The " Hawker Siddeley Harrier GR . 1 / GR . 3 " and the " AV - 8A Harrier " were the first generation of the Harrier series , the first operational close - support and reconnaissance attack aircraft with vertical / short takeoff and landing ( V / STOL ) capabilities . These were developed directly from the Hawker P . 1127 prototype and the Kestrel evaluation aircraft . The British Aerospace Sea Harrier is a naval V / STOL jet fighter , reconnaissance and attack aircraft , a development of the Hawker Siddeley Harrier . The first version entered service with the Royal Navy ' s Fleet Air Arm in April 1980 as the Sea Harrier FRS . 1 , and was informally known as the " Shar " . The upgraded Sea Harrier FA2 entered service in 1993 . It was withdrawn from Royal Navy service in March 2006 . The Sea Harrier FRS Mk . 51 is in active service with the Indian Navy , which operates the jet from its aircraft carrier INS Viraat . Second - generation Harriers . The Harrier was extensively redeveloped by McDonnell Douglas and British Aerospace ( now parts of Boeing and BAE Systems respectively ) , leading to the " Boeing / BAE Systems AV - 8B Harrier II " . This is a family of second - generation V / STOL jet multi - role aircraft , including the British Aerospace - built Harrier GR5 / GR7 / GR9 , which entered service in the mid - 1980s . The AV - 8B is primarily used for light attack or multi - role tasks , typically operated from small aircraft carrier s . Versions are used by several NATO countries , including Spain , Italy , and the United States . The " BAE Systems / Boeing Harrier II " is a modified version of the AV - 8B Harrier II that was used by the Royal Air Force ( RAF ) and the Royal Navy until 2010 . Between 1969 and 2003 , 824 Harrier variants were delivered . While manufacture of new Harriers concluded in 1997 , the last remanufactured aircraft ( Harrier II Plus configuration ) was delivered in December 2003 which ended the Harrier production line . Operation . The Harrier Jump Jet , capable of taking off vertically , can only do so at less than its maximum weight . In most cases the aircraft does a short take off where it gains forward speed and thus aerodynamic lift , saving fuel . On aircraft carriers a ramp is frequently employed at the end of the carrier which allows the aircraft to accelerate along the carrier using less fuel for takeoff . Landings are also typically performed very differently . Although a conventional landing is possible , the range of speeds that this can be done over is narrow ( due to relatively vulnerable outrigger undercarriage ) . Operationally the aircraft therefore usually does a near vertical landing with some forward speed . Replacement . , the F - 35B STOVL variant of the F - 35 Lightning II ( formerly the Joint Strike Fighter ) is intended to replace the AV - 8B Harrier II in service with the US Marine Corps and the Italian Navy from 2014 onwards . , the RAF and Royal Navy are also scheduled to introduce the F - 35B around 2020 . In 2010 , it was announced that the RAF and RN would retire their remaining Harriers by 2011 , and in December 2010 the RAF ' s Harrier GR9s made their last operational flights . In June 2011 , the MoD denied press reports that the aircraft are to be sold to the US Marine Corps for spares to support their AV - 8B fleet , but options for disposal are still being considered . However , at the end of November 2011 , Defence Minister Peter Luff announced the sale of the final 72 Harriers to the US Marine Corps . As many as possible of the 72 Harrier GR9s will be converted to match AV - 8B " Night Attack " configuration to augment the total AV - 8B end strength ( this will allow the USMC to retire some high - flight - hour F / A - 18D aircraft ) , while the remaining aircraft will be used as spare parts sources for the airworthy fleet .