The Marine Corps has officially retired the AV-8B Harrier II, ending more than four decades of service for one of the most recognizable military aircraft ever built.
The Harrier jump jet gave Marines something they badly wanted: a fixed-wing attack aircraft that could operate from amphibious assault ships, short runways, and forward bases close to the fight. That made it a key close-air-support and strike aircraft from Desert Storm to Iraq and Afghanistan.
We spoke with Marine aviators who flew both the AV-8B Harrier II and its replacement, the F-35B Lightning II, about what made the Harrier so loved, why it was so demanding to fly, what it gave the Marine Corps, and what the jump jet’s retirement means for the future of Marine aviation.
00:00 – Intro
01:00 – Harrier origins
05:56 – The Harrier in the Gulf War and GWOT
11:04 – The Harrier’s issues
16:06 – An Ode to the Harrier
20:55 – Channel Updates / Talking Harrier Sundown
Recorded on: June 5, 2026
Written by: David Roza
Edited by: Savvy
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