Harrier GR 7/9 Units in Combat

96 pages

Dr James Bosbotinis

The Harrier needs no introduction, being one of those aircraft that is labelled ‘iconic’, and whilst this book focuses on the Royal Air Force’s Harrier GR7 and 9, rather than the Sea Harrier, it will nonetheless be of much interest. The author, Michael Napier, a former RAF Tornado pilot and now an airpower historian, is well-placed to provide an account of the Harrier GR 7/9’s development and operational career.

Napier charts the operational service of the Harrier in the early 1990s over northern Iraq (enforcing the No-Fly Zone – Operation WARDEN) and Belize, followed by operations in the Balkans (namely, DENY FLIGHT and ENGADINE – the British contribution to ALLIED FORCE), Operation TELIC, and Afghanistan. The background to each operation is succinctly provided, before proceeding to describe the Harrier’s role, drawing extensively on first-hand accounts. The Introduction provides a concise history of the development of the Harrier from the 1960s through to the final GR 9 variant.

The author also dedicates a chapter to, what will be of most interest to NR members, carrier operations, including the “CVS work-up”, a “syllabus of five sorties to familiarise [pilots] with the techniques for CVS operations”, and the formation of Joint Force Harrier. In this respect, the book provides insights relevant to the later debates regarding the development of the Queen Elizabeth-class carriers and particularly the decision to opt for the F-35B; for example, the close links between the RAF Harrier community and the US Marine Corps as well as the experiences of the 1990s in joint RN-RAF carrier operations and subsequently Joint Force Harrier.

Harrier GR 7/9 Units provides a concise, detailed yet accessible account of the Harrier’s role and contribution to the military campaigns of the 1990s and 2000s, up until the retirement of the type in January 2011. The author effectively conveys what it is like to fly a fast jet into combat. Alongside the text, there is an excellent selection of photographs and 14 pages of colour plates depicting (detailed in an appendix) a number of different Harriers. This book will particularly appeal to those with an interest in aviation but also more broadly. There are only a few minor typos, including misdating the start of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM in Afghanistan to the 9^th, rather than the 7^th of October 2001, but they do not detract from the quality of the book. Harrier GR 7/9 Units in Combat provides a well-written, highly engaging read and is recommended.