- Yes
- No
G’day lads. I want to suggest a further modified variant of the Sea Harrier, specifically one from India, which got modified with a new radar, missiles, etc… And that would be the Sea Harrier FRS.51 LUSH (Limited Upgrade Sea Harrier) :)
Description:
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The Indian Sea Harrier FRS.51 is an important naval jet aircraft that was initially developed by British Aerospace for the Royal Navy and later adapted for use by the Indian Navy. This aircraft stands out for its unique vertical/short take-off and landing (V/STOL) capabilities, made possible by its innovative Pegasus turbofan engine. This feature allows the Sea Harrier to operate from smaller aircraft carriers and certain types of warships. India has received the FRS.51 variant, which could also carry Matra Magic AAM’s. Later on, India decided to upgrade it with the ELTA EL/M-2032 radar, aswell as being now able to fire Derby AAM’s, which is the variant I’m suggesting, the LUSH, meaning Limited Upgrade Sea Harrier.
History:
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The story of the Harrier in Indian (naval) service began in the late 1970s. The Indian Navy was seeking a versatile aircraft capable of vertical/short take-off and landing (V/STOL) to enhance its operational capabilities from smaller aircraft carriers. After thorough evaluation, the Indian government decided to acquire the Sea Harrier FRS.51, a naval variant of the Harrier, from British Aerospace in 1979.
The initial batch of Sea Harrier FRS.51 jets arrived in India in December 1983. These aircraft were inducted into the Indian Navy’s INAS 300 squadron, also known as the “White Tigers”. The Sea Harriers significantly boosted the Navy’s air strike and reconnaissance capabilities. Their V/STOL capabilities allowed them to operate from smaller decks of aircraft carriers like the INS Vikrant and later the INS Viraat, offering unparalleled flexibility in naval operations.
Over the years, the Sea Harrier FRS.51 played an essential role in various naval exercises and operations, including notable missions such as Operation Vijay and Operation Parakram.
As the FRS.51 was starting to show it’s age, it was seen that it obviously needed some upgrades to it, and thus, the Indian Navy decided to upgrade it with Israeli upgrade packages featuring the ELTA EL/M 2032 radar and Derby missiles, although I cannot find out which exact year the upgrades were given (possibly in 2006?). I assume a easy way to find out which variant is a upgraded one is by seeing if the radar cone is grey, as that is usually the color that aircraft with the ELTA radar have.
Despite their successful service record, the Sea Harrier FRS.51 jets were gradually phased out and retired from active service in 2016, as newer and more advanced aircraft like the MiG-29K were introduced.
Armaments:
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2 ADEN Mk.4 30mm cannons with around 260 rounds
Derby AAM
Matra Magic 2 AAM
Aim-9G AAM
Sea Eagle ASM
30mm cannon pods (?)
Fuel tanks
ELTA EL/M 2032 radar
Specifications:
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The Sea Harrier FRS.51 has a length of 14.50 meters, a wingspan of 7.70 meters, and a height of 3.71 meters. The wing area is 18.7 square meters. The empty weight of the aircraft is 5,896 kilograms, and its maximum takeoff weight is 11,884 kilograms. It is powered by a Rolls-Royce Pegasus 14 Mk.104 turbofan engine, which produces a thrust of 95.6 kilonewtons. In terms of performance, the Sea Harrier FRS.51 can reach a maximum speed of 1,200 kilometers per hour and has a service ceiling of 15,545 meters. Its range is approximately 1,000 kilometers.
Sources:
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British Aerospace Sea Harrier - Wikipedia
Search: BAE Sea Harrier FRS.51 | Flickr
https://www.jetphotos.com/aircraft/Hawker%20Siddeley%20Sea%20Harrier%20FRS.51
Aviation photographs of British Aerospace Sea Harrier FRS51 : ABPic
Sea Harrier FRS51 [IN602] at Garhwal Rifles Museum – Warbirds of India
The Jump Jet Retires - Why The Sea Harrier Was Special For Naval Aviation
Indian Navy Sea Harrier, The World's Only Operational Vertical Take-Off Jet Set To Retire
PICTURES: India retires Sea Harrier jump jets | News | Flight Global
https://bemil.chosun.com/brd/files/BEMIL081/upload/EL-2032.pdf
Thanks a lot for reading! If you have any extra information, then feel free to share them in the replies! As always, have a good day :)
