The Harrier was a rather interesting jet it was both subsonic and had high wing loading yet in USMC DACT was superior to an F-14 below 20,000 feet in a dogfight. In Fleet Air Arm hands the “Shar” was superior to F-15As, F-16s, F-5s, and whatever variety of 3rd gens you want to throw at it. Even after multiple combat training encounters the Shar frs.1 was still noted to have a 3/1 KD ratio over the F-16.
So the question is why has it always been utterly terrible in War Thunder?
Its simple really not much was known about it, and what was known was misleading. After months of research I believe I have all the information needed to model them.
This next major update will bring with it some MAJOR buffs to the Harrier family but these buffs will not even scratch the surface of what the jet was capable of IRL. Here is a short list of its IRL advantages and disadvantages.
Advantages of the Harrier:
- Massive TWR
- Small size
- Smokeless exhaust
- Extremely low IR signature
- Good ITR
- Extremely good minimum turning radius
Disadvantages:
- Subsonic (Marginally)
- Sustained G at transonic speeds
In War Thunder the Harriers have virtually 0 of their IRL advantages in fact some are completely 180 and add to its list of disadvantages.
The Harriers in War Thunder have a really hot IR sig making defeating even some of the most privative IR missiles a real challenge. Yet IRL it could defeat AIM9Ls rear aspect with a single flare pop.
Harriers in game have NO ability to VIFF SEVERLY limiting their close combat potential.
Vectoring in Forward Flight:
The Harrier had the ability to not only supplement its pitch rate (think SU27) but it could also utilize its thrust to directly aid its wing in creating positive lift.
To add to that it has puffer jets located all around the plane to allow controlled flight well below even what the SU27 can control.
VIFF abilities found is various sources:
60 degrees AOA pitch up obtainable and controllable in Gen 1 Harriers
19 Degrees a second ITR at 400 knots at a combat weight (on par with a lighter MiG-21)
Extreme decelerations around 57 knots every second in deceleration
Adds around 1 G STR while also minimizing the turn radius.
Where do the Gaijin Devs stand?
With some of my reports they seem they don’t even believe the reports made about the plane but who could blame them the scientists and engineers had a hard time believing it themselves.
This next major update looks like one step in the door to getting further buffs to Harriers and maybe one day they can do what they really could.
If they get to the point of having their IRL performance they could be a real contender at their BR ranges.
It would give them a fighting chance and opposing fighters would actually have to think before engaging as a dogfight with a Harrier below 20,000 feet could prove lethal to even the most modern fighters.
Feel free to argue, add too, and discuss I created this thread to try spread light on what the Harriers need to be buffed to in War Thunder.
(Sources below are from declassified sources)
