AV-8 Harrier

Such a pretty bird

The Harrier was the world's first successful VTOL jet to be adopted by any military. Using thrust-vectoring nozzles, the Harrier can redirect thrust downwards to takeoff and land on any flat surface, making it very useful for operations from aircraft carriers and other bases with limited runway space.

In Team Yankee

The Stats

Arguably the most cost-effective aircraft in the game, the Harrier boasts a 3+ chance to come in on the table, meaning that you can rely on it to come every two turns at worst. Equipped with anti-tank munitions which can comfortably destroy all ground forces in the game (as of Stripes), even infantry should fear the power of a 3+ FP salvo.

Should the situation dictate it, you may have your Harriers use their nose-mounted 30mm Aden guns instead of their bombs if you need them to engage enemy helicopters or small units of unarmoured vehicles and infantry. However, do not expect them to kill very much with a mediocre 5+ FP.

However, their 5+ Aircraft save render them a rather fragile unit against any anti-air. Consider using other elements of your force to suppress or destroy the enemy AA net before your harriers come in to finish the job!

Harrier Attack Flight (USA)

Armed with an electrically-powered 30mm Aden 5-chamber revolver cannon and CBU-100 cluster bombs, the Harrier can deal with both air and ground targets. It has less firepower than the A-10 but it can also take on the SU-25 and Hind-D.

Harrier CAS Flight (British)

Considered to be part of the 3rd Division as 'Divisional Air Support', these birds would be considered to be part of the Royal Air Force, not an integral component of the Division's organization. They would serve as attaches instead, returning from the front to well maintained RAF bases rather than muddy foxholes.

The superior gentlemen pilots of the RAF boast a superior 3+ skill compared to their Yankee counterparts, while the BL-755 Cluster Bomb has an AT value of 8, but pay for the increments by costing 5 and 10 points respectively, considerably more than the Marines' second hand equipment well maintained armaments. As suggested by their bloody huge payloads, these vehicles are meant to utterly destroy any concentration of units; especially tanks. 8AT against top armor means that tanks have a 1 in 6 chance to TRY and bail, while 3+ firepower means that 2 in 3 hits will be a kill. Lighter vehicles such as BMPs and BTRs need not bother; they simply test for firepower if their glorious Communist steel is turned into Shashlik.

IRL

The Harrier is something unique its not really a fighter and can't break the sound barrier, but this hasn't stopped it from making a long and successful combat record. From the war in Falklands where French Mirage 5 were downed thanks to superior British piloting. The design was so succesful the USSR copied as much as they humanly could from visuals and public information but ended up choosing different engine configurations for an overtly dismal performing aircraft. Users of the Harrier are many from Spain to Thailand.