Final Jet Squadron Celebrates End of Marine Aviation Era
Concluding nearly 55 years of operational history with the AV-8B Harrier II, Marine Attack Squadron (VMA) 223 hosted a public sundowning ceremony at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point June 3, signaling the end of an era for Marine Corps aviation as the service transitions to an all fifth-generation tactical aircraft fleet.
“The Bulldogs are extremely proud to conduct the final Harrier operations for the U.S. Marine Corps,” said Lt. Col. John B. Cumbie, commanding officer of VMA-223. “As a platform that has continuously forward deployed across the globe, the Harrier will be remembered for its distinguished combat legacy, legendary vertical/short takeoff and landing (V/STOL) capability, and the Marines and sailors that made the community special.”
The ceremony was attended by more than 5,000 people. Attendees included senior Marine Corps leaders, state and
local officials, active-duty service members, local community members, family and friends of VMA-223, and veterans with ties to the Harrier community. The ceremony included a five-aircraft formation flight and vertical landing that showcased the Harrier’s unique V/STOL capability.
The Harrier platform has maintained a proud and storied legacy throughout more than 55 years of service with the Marine Corps. In 1971, the Marine Corps accepted the first AV-8A into its inventory. In 1985, VMA-331, stationed aboard Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, South Carolina, became the Marine Corps’ first operational AV-8B squadron. VMA-223 began flying the AV-8B in early 1987.
Since its inception with the Marine Corps, the Harrier has been instrumental in numerous combat operations, including Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, Allied Force, Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom, Odyssey Dawn, Inherent Resolve, and operations during the Red Sea crisis. Time and again, the Harrier has distinguished itself as a lethal, capable and versatile tactical air platform.
Colloquially known as a “jump jet” for its ability to take off and land within short distances, the AV-8B is a V/STOL aircraft designed to support the Marine Air-Ground Task Force commander by destroying surface targets and escorting friendly aircraft. The AV-8B's lethality and V/STOL capability made it uniquely suited for deployments in support of Marine Expeditionary Units (MEUs). VMA-223's final Harrier detachment supporting a MEU returned to Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point in May after supporting operations with the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit in the Caribbean.
In fiscal year 2028, VMA-223 is scheduled to reactivate as Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 223 and will begin flying the F-35B Lightning II. VMA-223 is the last Marine Corps squadron to operate the Harrier.
Capt. Jacob Ballard is a communications specialist with 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing. 
The Evolution of the AV-8C Harrier
Originating in Great Britain, the AV-8C Harrier first attracted Marine Corps interest in 1966 thanks to its unique ability to take off and land vertically like a helicopter. This capability allowed Marines to operate the aircraft from makeshift airfields near the front lines or small-deck amphibious assault ships, enabling rapid, close-air-support response for ground troops.
“An aircraft which is deployed and based as simply as a helicopter, but which packs the punch of a conventional attack aircraft, is going to have a far-reaching effect on military aviation,” Maj. Gen. Homer S. Hill told Congress in 1970.
That same year, the Marine Corps ordered 102 AV-8A Harriers and eight two-seat trainers (TAV-8A). These aircraft were essentially identical to their British Royal Air Force counterparts but incorporated American avionics, flight control and weapons systems. Deliveries concluded in 1976. Beginning in 1979, 47 AV-8As were upgraded to the AV-8C configuration, adding tail-mounted warning radar equipment and a flare/chaff dispenser to improve survivability on the modern battlefield.
The AV-8C served as an interim solution until the arrival of the AV-8B Harrier II. Although similar in appearance to the earlier Harriers, the AV-8B was a fundamentally new aircraft, featuring a more powerful engine that delivered comparable speed but dramatically increased payload capacity to 9,200 pounds.
Flying a Harrier is unlike flying any other jet. The aircraft employs “vectored thrust,” routing bypass air to one pair of nozzles at the wing roots and hot exhaust to a second pair. By rotating these nozzles in unison, from straight aft for forward flight to slightly forward of vertical for hover, the pilot can transition seamlessly between conventional and vertical flight. A reaction-control system using high-pressure bleed air powers small “puffers” or “puff pipes” at the nose, tail and wingtips, providing pitch, roll and yaw control when aerodynamic surfaces lose effectiveness in the hover. To the pilot, the control feels conventional, even though the aircraft is balancing on directed thrust. British Harriers proved their combat value during the Falkland Islands War in 1982, where 42 aircraft flew ground support, air defense, ship strikes and reconnaissance missions. They downed at least 20 Argentine aircraft without a single air-to-air loss.
Marine Corps Harriers entered combat nearly 20 years later. During Operation Desert Storm, 86 Harriers flew combat missions from both ship and shore, logging 3,380 sorties and 4,038 flight hours while delivering more than 5.95 million pounds of ordnance. Harriers later supported Operation Allied Force, the sustained NATO air campaign against Kosovo in 1999, and continued to fly combat missions in subsequent conflicts.
From the Naval History and Heritage Command.