Applying Vectored Thrust V/STOL Experience in Supersonic Designs

The first operational jet V/STOL aircraft to enter military service was the vectored thrust Harrier which was carefully designed to make efficient and effective use of the power available from the four nozzle Rolls-Royce Pegasus engine. Since about 99% of the world's operational experience in jet V/STOL is invested in the Harrier, this aircraft is the natural choice of a datum against which new supersonic aircraft designs may be assessed.

This paper reviews the key design features of the Harrier aircraft and discusses the operational advantages of vectored thrust that should be considered in the design of supersonic V/STOL fighter aircraft. Since these new designs will employ engines with very much higher energy jets, the paper concludes with a description of the V/STOL Ground Effects Facility developed at British Aerospace, Kingston to model test the ground effects caused by these new designs.