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AV-8B+ AMRAAM question


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I just got a pair of Hasegawa AV-8B+ Harriers and I was wondering if the jets were cleared to have AMRAAM's on the middle wing pylons or if it's just the outboard stations. I was thinking about doing 2xAIM-9M's, 2xAIM-120B's and two wing tanks along with the GAU-12. The few references I've been able to find about the Harriers using AMRAAM's don't mention which stations they can go on.

Edited by muswp1
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What nation will your + be? AFAIK AIMRAAM has not been used operationally on USMC Harrier II's to date, only Italy and Spain fly with them.

Here is a pic of a Spanish + with four AMRAAMS on the wings.

HTH,

Andre

Edited by Andre
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Andre you're pretty much right. Not sure if USMC Harriers have carried them operational, but they can do it now. Been some test firings and the radar Harrier, AV-8B+ can carry and fire the AMRAAM. Are they carrying it in the 'stan war zone, not sure.

Chuck

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Andre you're pretty much right. Not sure if USMC Harriers have carried them operational, but they can do it now. Been some test firings and the radar Harrier, AV-8B+ can carry and fire the AMRAAM. Are they carrying it in the 'stan war zone, not sure.

According to my references AMRAAM has been carried and fired in some tests on a USMC +, mainly for the benefit of Italy and Spain. Technically, there is no reason USMC +'s don't carry them.

They just don't, operationally.

Cheers,

Andre

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What nation will your + be? AFAIK AIMRAAM has not been used operationally on USMC Harrier II's to date, only Italy and Spain fly with them.

Here is a pic of a Spanish + with four AMRAAMS on the wings.

HTH,

Andre

I was going to do the CO bird from VMA-214. Sounds like a good "Air Show" loadout. BTW, can the AV-8B+ carry LITENING or Sniper XR on the centerline station or is it just for the wing stations?

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I just got a pair of Hasegawa AV-8B+ Harriers and I was wondering if the jets were cleared to have AMRAAM's on the middle wing pylons or if it's just the outboard stations. I was thinking about doing 2xAIM-9M's, 2xAIM-120B's and two wing tanks along with the GAU-12. The few references I've been able to find about the Harriers using AMRAAM's don't mention which stations they can go on.

The only stations I've seen Marine Harriers carrying air to air missiles are the outboard ones. Every time they add a new weapon it has to be tested on each individual station that it will be cleared for, and that costs time and money. It would make a lot more sense to just clear them for the outboartd stations on the Harrier due to its air to ground mission. Link of Harriers with AIM-120B.

Regards,

Murph

Edited by Murph
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I was going to do the CO bird from VMA-214. Sounds like a good "Air Show" loadout. BTW, can the AV-8B+ carry LITENING or Sniper XR on the centerline station or is it just for the wing stations?

I believe they only use Litening. Originally it could only be carried on the right inboard. Then they upgraded the right middle pylon for the pod. Most recently, they've upgraded the centerline pylon to carry the pod.

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Link of Harriers with AIM-120B

Murph, would you happen to know if AIMRAAM is now carried operationally by USMC +'s, as opposed to being bolted on just for the airshow crowds..?

Cheers,

Andre

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The only stations I've seen Marine Harriers carrying air to air missiles are the outboard ones. Every time they add a new weapon it has to be tested on each individual station that it will be cleared for, and that costs time and money. It would make a lot more sense to just clear them for the outboartd stations on the Harrier due to its air to ground mission. Link of Harriers with AIM-120B.

Regards,

Murph

Not trying to dog you, Murph, but that pic you linked to shows the AMRAAM being mounted on Sta.2, the intermediate pylon. You can see the outboard pylon, Sta. 1, behind it with a 'winder rail mounted - it's what's holding the work crew's supervisor up. Anytime I've seen a Harrier with AMRAAMs mounted, they've been on Sta. 2 and 6, with AIM-9 (or just rails, or nothing) on Sta. 1 and 7. I can't recall seeing a pic of AMRAAMs on 1 & 7 - not saying it ain't out there, I just don't remember seeing it.

Excepting Andre's pic of the Spanish Armada Harrier armed for bear, that is... sheesh! Shoulda just put those belly pylons from a SHAR FA.2 on it and gone all-out with 6 slammers and a pair of 'winders!

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Murph, would you happen to know if AIMRAAM is now carried operationally by USMC +'s, as opposed to being bolted on just for the airshow crowds..?

Cheers,

Andre

As the article states they've been cleared to carry them operationally, but I would suspect they've had little to no reason to actually carry them inflight (although the Libyan operations may have changed that).

Not trying to dog you, Murph, but that pic you linked to shows the AMRAAM being mounted on Sta.2, the intermediate pylon. You can see the outboard pylon, Sta. 1, behind it with a 'winder rail mounted - it's what's holding the work crew's supervisor up.

Lance,

Doh! You are correct.

Regards,

Murph

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Hey-

I think all the information is here, but I'll add a few comments. The AMRAAM is not currently authorized for fleet operations on USMC AV-8Bs. The manuals still list Spanish and Italian aircraft only. As others have noted, the USMC has conducted some test flights with AIM-120Bs.

When they were initally cleared for the Spanish and Italians, it was for both inboard (3 & 5) and intermediate (2 & 6) pylons. Or intermediate pylons with fuel tanks on the inboards. AIM-9s or training pods on the outboard stations (1 & 7). No other adjacent stores are authorized.

Litening Pods are currently authorized on stations 2, 4, 5, and 6.

Hope this helps.

Phil

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In regards to your question about the LITENING pods I have only seen them mounted on the wing pylons. Attached is a photo I took at a local airshow of a AV-8B+ equipped with the LITENING pod. Incidentally, this plane was in the new 36118/35237 scheme and it looked very sharp.

Regards, Ian :coolio:

DSC09540.jpg

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Here's a USMC one + AMRAAM ! :woot.gif:

Actually I'm very much surprised after I've seen this photo linked at the Key-Forum (THANKs Peter-G) showing an USMC AV-8B with two AMRAAMs.

McDonnell-Douglas AV-8B Harrier II Plus BuNo 165428, VMA-211 "Avengers"

Deino

Hey-

Nice picture! Thanks.

Are those inert CATM-120B's? Looks like all blue stripes on the missile?

Phil

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In regards to your question about the LITENING pods I have only seen them mounted on the wing pylons. Attached is a photo I took at a local airshow of a AV-8B+ equipped with the LITENING pod.

Hey-

Testing for Station 4 (centerline) was recently completed, so as I noted above, Litening Pod is currently authorized on Stations 2, 4, 5 & 6.

Phil

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