Air Power Series>1:72 die-cast display model>Harrier>HA4105
Sea Harrier FA.2 "Operation Deliberate Force"
No.800 NAS, Fleet Air Arm ,HMS Invincible, Mediterranean, July 1995
General Background
The BAe Sea Harrier FRS1 first entered service with the Royal Navy in April 1980. The aircraft is a naval VTOL/VSTOL jet fighter designed for reconnaissance and attack roles. In 1993 an improved variant of the Sea Harrier was produced as the FA.2 with a more powerful engine, improved air-to-air capabilities and weapons options. The FA.2 was produced until 1998 and continued in service until 2006 when it was replaced by the Harrier GR9. 56 FA.2 Sea Harriers were produced for the Royal Navy.
The Aircraft
After the Falklands War a number of BAe Sea Harriers were ordered. Sea Harrier FA2
ZD608 first flew in 1985 and joined No.801 Naval Air Squadron in 1986. ZD608 was one of
56 FRS.1 aircraft upgraded to FA2 standards. The FA2’s primary task was fleet defender
but in 1995 assigned to HMS Invincible, ZD608 as part of Operation Deliberate Force
demonstrated the FA2 could be used in a strike role. ODF was a multi-national force acting
to stop Bosnian Serb Army aggression. In 2006 Sea Harriers were retired and ZD608
ended its career with a collector in Greece.
Specifications :
| Crew: | 1 X pilot |
| Dimensions | |
| Length: | 46 ft. 6 in. (14.2 m) |
| Wingspan: | 25 ft. 3 in. (7.6 m) |
| Height: | 12 ft. 2 in. (3.71 m) |
| Wing Area: | 201.1 ft². (18.68 m²) |
| Performance | |
| Power Plant: | 1 X Rolls-Royce Pegasus turbofan producing 21,500 lbf (95.64 kN) |
| Maximum Speed: | 735 mph (635 kt. / 1,182 km/h) |
| Combat Radius: | 620 mi. (540 nmi. / 1,000 km) |
| Ferry Range: | 2,000 mi. (1,740 nmi. / 3,600 km) |
| Service Ceiling: | 51,000 ft. (16,000 m) |
| Rate Of Climb: | 50,000 ft./min. (250 m/s) |
| Weights | |
| Empty: | 14,052 lb. (6,374 kg) |
| Maximum Take-Off: | 26,200 lb. (11,900 kg) |
| Armament | |
| Guns: | 2 X 30 mm (1.18 in.) ADEN cannon pods under the fuselage – 130 rounds each |
| Hardpoints: | 2 X auxiliary drop tanks for ferry flight or extended range/loitering time |
| 4 X under-wing pylon | |
| 1 X fuselage center-line pylon + 2 X attach points for gun pods capable of carrying 8,000lb (3,630 kg) | |
| Rockets: | 4 X Mantra rocket pods capable of carrying 18 X SNEB 68 mm rockets each |
| Missiles: | (1) X GAU-12U "Equalizer" 25 mm (0.98 in) cannon with 300 rounds of ammunition. |
| Air-To-Air | |
| AIM-9 Sidewinder missile | |
| AIM-120 AMRAAM (Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile) (pronounced "am-ram") | |
| Air-To-Surface | |
| ALARM (ARM) anti-radiation missile | |
| Martel (ARM) anti-radiation missile | |
| Anti-ship | |
| Sea Eagle missile | |
| Bombs | |
| Numerous types of unguided bombs |