Modern RAF

Aircraft profiles from the modern raf era of the Royal Air Force.

6 Aircraft Profiles
Featured Modern RAF Aircraft

Hawker Siddeley Harrier

Hawker Siddeley

Fighter Aircraft

The Harrier was a British V/STOL multi-role military aircraft. It is a single-seat, single-engine jet fighter with the ability to land vertically, like a helicopter. The aircraft was designed and built by British aerospace company Hawker Siddeley (now part of British Aerospace). The Royal Air Force (RAF) first deployed the aircraft in 1969. Later in its career the aircraft was also used for air-to-air combat and air patrol as well as maritime surveillance.

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Entered service 1 April 1969
Retired 1990 (first-generation RAF Harrier)
Max speed 731 mph (1,176 km/h)
Ceiling 51,200 ft (15,600 m)
Range 2,130 mi (3,430 km)

Modern RAF · 6 aircraft

Modern RAF

BAE Hawk

British Aerospace / BAE Systems
Reconnaissance & Special Duties 1976–N/A
Modern RAF

Boeing E-3 Sentry

Boeing
Reconnaissance & Special Duties 1991–2021
Modern RAF

F-35B Lightning II

Lockheed Martin
Fighter Aircraft 2018–In service
Modern RAF

General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems
Reconnaissance & Special Duties 2007–N/A
Modern RAF

Hawker Siddeley Harrier

Hawker Siddeley
Fighter Aircraft 1969–1990
Cold War

Lockheed C-130 Hercules

Lockheed (later Lockheed Martin)
Transport & Support Aircraft 1967–2023