104 AV-8B HARRIER II: Units of Operation Enduring Freedom

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In the 1970s the USMC bought the AV-8A Harrier from the UK whose VTOL capabilities allowed it to serve as a tactical aircraft that could deploy with Marine forces on amphibious assault ships and provide air cover and close air support from large deck aircraft carriers. Third in a trilogy on US Marine Corps Harrier IIs in combat, it will be the first volume to cover the whole story of the AV-8B's service employment during peacekeeping operations and then in Afghanistan.

With profile artwork for all frontline AV-8B units detailing the unique colors and markings applied by each squadron, this volume presents the widest variety of first-hand accounts of AV-8B air operations and missions by pilots and ground forces involved in Operation Enduring Freedom published to date.

Contents

* Development, deployment and training
* Marine Air Ground Team
* Harrier IIs in support of NATO Peacekeeping
* Harrier IIs in support of relief and peacekeeping operations in Somalia, Rawanda, Liberia, Central African Republic, Zaire
* Congo and Sierra Leone
* Growth pains and Modernisation of the AV-8B Harrier II
* Operation Enduring Freedom 2001
* Ongoing Close Air Support Operations in Afghanistan 2002-10
* Appendices - listing of USMC squadrons and locations - listing of the major production types of Harrier IIs, which include four different types of aircraft, AV-8B day attack, TAV-8B trainers, AV-8B Night Attack and AV-8B Radar-equipped Harrier IIs. - listing of combat sorties per squadron for all operations - color plates commentary