Improving the Harrier: Projected Developments of the Pioneering V/Stol Combat Aircraft 1957–1990

Since its inception in 1957, the P.1127/Harrier family of aircraft has been produced in a diverse range of variants, from the original ground attack fighter to the naval Sea Harrier and on to the trans-Atlantic Harrier II series. These developments testify to the adaptability of the basic design, but behind the scenes a large number of other versions were projected over the years.

This paper will look at those variants that were studied by the original designers of the Harrier family in Hawker Aircraft/Hawker Siddeley/British Aerospace. It will also touch upon variants that were jointly studied within the US/UK partnership with McDonnell Douglas/Boeing that produced the Harrier II, but a later paper on US aircraft will cover those versions that were predominantly US designed.

This paper is the tenth in a series looking at the world’s Vertical/Short Take-Off and Landing (V/STOL) concepts in the Twentieth Century; it continues from ‘Beyond the Harrier - Kingston V/STOL Projects 1957–1988’ SAE Paper 2003-01-3050, September 2003, which describes a number of related projects that were based in part on the Harrier but were carried out under project numbers or names other than the P.1127/Kestrel/Harrier family and the P.1174 two-seat Harrier.