- Yes
- No
Hello! and welcome to my suggestion for the the often overlooked First Second generation Harrier in RAF service, the Harrier GR.5, I feel this could come to help bridge the gap between the Jaguars and Harrier GR.7 in the British Tech Tree and to represent on often sorely underrated variant of the Harrier.
History
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Development of an improved Harrier began as early as 1973, when Mcdonnell Douglas and Hawker Siddeley (later BAe) had become aware of the demand for a more capable version of the Harrier in both air forces, However due to the UK’s small order and unwillingness to pay the cost of the Development Hawker Siddeley withdrew and left the US to continue on their own. This lead to the initial designs of the AV-16A (also known as the AV-8X) programme which was rather similar to the earlier RAF P.1154 Programme from the 1960s as it was to feature the more powerful Pegasus 15 engine with PCB exhausts. However in the end a more modest upgrade was settled on rather than the near complete redesign of the AV-16 design.
This led to the First Harrier II model, the AV-8B, with the first aircraft flying in 1978, which was fitted with a larger wing and a composite construction, and the US was keen to continue but only if an export partner could be found, this is when the UK came in, the British were keen on the design of the AV-8B however decided some modifications were needed in order to make it suitable for RAF service and in 1982 a joint UK-US programme was begun to develop the Harrier II further in which the british would supply 280 Million USD to adapt the design to british specifications, of which it was agreed at least 60 airframes would be procured.
The First Prototype flew in 1985 and entered service just over two years later with the first Squadron reaching IOC in 1989, dubbed the Harrier GR.5 following on from the last Harrier model, the twin seat Harrier T.4. The GR.5 featured many differences from its American counterparts, including different avionics, equipment and most importantly a Leading edge root extension (LERX) made of stainless steel. The Harrier GR.5 also featured something that the Later British Harriers did not feature, which was the ability to carry a large amount of US weapons systems including the MK-20 Rockeye Cluster bomb, Mk.80 series GP bombs and the GPU-2/A Gun Pod among others.
Overall the Harrier GR.5 was a massive upgrade over the previous generation Harriers, featuring a fully composite construction, a 14% larger wing and a massively improved payload capacity with up to 6 Air to Air Missiles, and a variety of Guided bombs, Rockets and other payloads. It also featured a raised bubble canopy similar to the Earlier Sea Harriers that drastically improved the pilots visibility under all conditions. The GR.5 was not set to be in service for long however very soon BAe was preparing for a new variant, the GR.7 incorporating many new features such as MAWS, Night Vision and New Countermeasures equipment which first entered service in August 1990, with all GR.5 airframes being converted the GR.7 standard the following year, ending the story of the First British Harrier II.
Images
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A Harrier GR.5 on display at the Pima Air and Space Museum
The First Prototype Harrier GR.5 assembled from parts of the 20th AV-8B
Several Harrier GR.5s deployed in Norway, painted in the Temporary White and Green camouflage
Several GR.5s of No.3(F) Sqn. based in West Germany
A Harrier GR.5 firing an AIM-9G Sidewinder Missile
A GR.5 in a Vertical Climb showing its 4 Wing Pylons and Centreline Mount
Several GR.5s refueling from an RAF VC-10 Tanker
A Harrier GR.5 Preparing for Takeoff
Specs/Armament
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General Characteristics
Crew: 1
Length: 14.12 m (46 ft 4 in)
Wingspan: 9.25 m (30ft 4 in)
Height: 3.56 m (11 ft 8 in)
Wing area: 22.6 sq m (243 sq ft)
Engine: Rolls-Royce Pegasus 11 Mk. 105 turbofan (21,750 lbf (96.7 kN))
Weight: 18,950 lbs (loaded)
Max takeoff weight: 31,000 lb (14,061 kg)
Performance
Maximum Speed: 662 mph (1065 km/h)
Combat range: 300 nmi (350 mi, 560 km)
Ferry range: 1,758 nmi (2,023 mi, 3,256 km) with 4× drop tanks
Service ceiling: 15,000 m (50,000 ft)
Rate of climb: 74.75 m/s (14,715 ft/min)
Armaments
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Guns
- 2 x 25mm ADEN 25 Cannons
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Missiles
- Up to 6 AIM-9G/L missiles
- Up to 6 AGM-65 D/E Mavericks
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Unguided Bombs
- 5 x 1000lb Bombs
- 7 x 540lb Bombs
- 7 x BL-755 Cluster Bombs
- 5 x CBU-87 Cluster Bombs
- 7 x 500lbs MK-82 Bombs
- 7 x 250lbs MK-81 Bombs
- 5 x MK-20 Rockeye Cluster Bombs
- 5 x CBU-59/B Anti Personnel Cluster Bombs
- 5 x CBU-72/B Fuel Air Explosive
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Rockets
- 6 x CRV7/LAU 5002 (42 rockets)
- 6 x CRV7/LAU 5003 (114 rockets)
- 6 x SNEB/Matra 155 (108 rockets)
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Other
- 2 x AN/ALE-47 Countermeasures dispensers (60 Standard calibre CMs)
- 4 x BOL 304 Dispensers (640 chaff)
- 1 x Matra Phimat Chaff Pod (216 chaff)
- AN/ALQ-184 Defensive ECM Pod
- Hughes AN/ASB-19(V)2 Dual mode tracker
Place in game
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In game this has the opportunity to Bridge the gap between the Jaguar GR.1A at 10.7 and the Harrier GR.7 at 12.3, I would propose that it could omit its AIM-9Ls (and possibly AGM-65s) to be placed at a BR of around 11.0, this would Fill the gap but also leave space for another slightly more advanced Harrier (Possibly the GR.5A) to be placed in a folder at a Higher BR of around 11.7.
In terms of Gameplay it would find its main use in Ground Battles, being armed with a plethora of both Guided and Unguided Air to Ground weaponry, however it would also feature up to 6 AIM-9 Sidewinders including one on designated Pylons under each wing, giving it a rather Potent Air to Air capability and allowing it to play a CAP role in all game modes.
Sources
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British Aerospace Harrier II - Wikipedia
British Secret Projects Jet Bombers since 1949 - Tony Buttler
British Aerospace Harrier GR-5 - Pima Air & Space
BAe Harrier II (UK versions) - Technical data and discussion
https://dunsfoldairfield.org/harrier-part-3-of-3/
BAe Harrier GR Mk.5
