Why The UK Never Made Another Harrier Jet

The British-made Harrier Jump Jet was a groundbreaking VTOL (Vertical Takeoff and Landing) aircraft that transformed aerial combat. But why was there never a true successor? Why did this revolutionary jet fade into history instead of evolving into a new generation of VTOL aircraft?

The Harrier’s Glory Days

In the 1970s, the U.S. officially acquired a license to build its own Harriers. The AV-8A variant became the first to see combat, serving in the RAF, U.S. Marine Corps, and several NATO air forces. A decade later, the British Aerospace Sea Harrier was introduced, adding air defense and naval strike capabilities.

By the mid-1980s, McDonnell Douglas developed the second-generation AV-8B Harrier, a major improvement that excelled in close air support, attack missions, and interception.

Despite its impressive agility, the Harrier wasn’t supersonic. However, it proved invaluable in combat, participating in conflicts in Bosnia, Iraq, and Afghanistan.

Its defining moment came during the Falklands War, where it played a crucial role in crippling Argentina’s military capabilities. By the war’s end, the UK had lost only four of its 14 converted GR3s—none to surface-to-air missiles, a testament to the Harrier’s effectiveness.

Why Didn’t the UK Build a Harrier Successor?

For all its innovation, the Harrier began showing its age by the 1990s. While VTOL was revolutionary in the 1970s, Cold War advancements meant speed was now a critical factor. Both the U.S. and Russia had developed supersonic jets, making the subsonic Harrier less competitive.

Additionally, the Harrier had limited payload capacity for weapons and fuel compared to newer fighters. While it remained useful in conflicts throughout the ’90s, it was clear a more advanced aircraft was needed—one that could combine VTOL capabilities with greater speed and firepower.

Britain’s Shift in Strategy

The UK had little interest in building a next-generation Harrier. When the Soviet Union collapsed, Russian aircraft manufacturer Yakovlev sought foreign partnerships, offering its advanced Yak-141 VTOL technology. Lockheed Martin seized the opportunity, incorporating Yakovlev’s innovations into the U.S. Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program.

The JSF program, led by the U.S. Department of Defense, aimed to develop a fifth-generation fighter to replace older jets, including the Harrier. For Britain, competing against the U.S. in fighter jet development wasn’t a viable option—it would have required spending its annual military budget 37 times over, leaving no funds for other defense priorities.

The Harrier Jump Jet remains one of the most innovative aircraft ever built. While it never received a direct successor, its influence lives on in modern VTOL jets like the F-35B Lightning II.