The Marine Corps is bidding farewell to a decades-old jet and plans to ship it off with fanfare and contrails of shimmering vapor in one in every of its ultimate public appearances.
The AV-8B Harrier II has been a tactical stalwart for the service for the reason that Nineteen Eighties — and even earlier than that, in several configurations — solidifying it in Marine Corps historical past as a legendary plane. It was concerned in a number of operations world wide, together with not too long ago when pilots have been searching down drones within the Pink Sea amid turmoil within the area.
On Saturday and Sunday, it is going to make its ultimate look at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Level in North Carolina throughout a biennial air present on the set up that has traditionally drawn crowds of round 150,000 individuals.
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The service is buying and selling the older jet for the brand new F-35 Lightning II, and the Harrier can count on to see its ultimate days of service someday in 2026, in keeping with the Marine Corps’ aviation plans. The bottom air present, which is able to embody one of many jet’s ultimate public demonstrations, will likely be held in Havelock, North Carolina — an enormous occasion that has racked up a number of awards in earlier years.
“This yr features a demonstration of the AV-8B Harrier II for its final efficiency on the MCAS Cherry Level Air Present as we proceed to transition to the F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter,” Maj. Gen. Scott Benedict, the commanding officer of the 2nd Marine Plane Wing, mentioned in a launched assertion. “The AV-8B Harrier II has been a trademark of Havelock and the encompassing communities, having had greater than a 40-year presence in jap North Carolina after first arriving to MCAS Cherry Level in January 1984.”
The jet, which is a brief takeoff, vertical touchdown plane, has seen motion in Operation Desert Storm, Operation Allied Power in 1999 within the former Yugoslavia, Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and elsewhere, in keeping with Benedict.
Earlier this yr, the Corps skilled its ultimate batch of Marines who work on the jet’s engine. 5 Marines graduated from a 60-day course geared toward taming and troubleshooting its formidable F402 engine; they headed to the fleet to assist preserve the plane up because it sunsets.
Different jet-related jobs are seeing their very own sundown, to incorporate the commencement of the Corps’ final weapons system officer, or “wizzo,” for the F/A-18 whom Army.com interviewed earlier this yr.
However throughout the upcoming weekend, pilots working a number of the Corps’ greater than 60 Harriers will hit their cockpits and take to the air for one of many final occasions in entrance of the general public.
“The demo isn’t too removed from what we do on daily basis,” Maj. Eric Scheibe, a pilot with Marine Assault Squadron 231, or VMA-231, instructed Army.com in an announcement by way of electronic mail. “It showcases what the plane can do and what its capabilities are. It is quick takeoffs to simulated assaults. It is good to have the ability to showcase that, all of the work that has gone into it. The squadron is happy.”
The occasion presents different demonstrations as effectively, together with a Navy Blue Angels flight and F-22 Raptors capturing throughout the sky. The 2nd Marine Plane Wing Band will play, and static shows of army tools are anticipated to attract giant crowds.
The final air present at Cherry Level befell in September 2021 and noticed fewer numbers than standard, possible because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Gates for this yr’s occasion open at 9 a.m. aboard the set up.
“The air present celebrates our long-standing relationship with our neighbors in the local people and supplies guests an opportunity to talk with Marines and sailors whereas showcasing world-class civilian performers, army flight demonstration groups, historic plane, and the capabilities of the Marine Air-Floor Process Power,” Benedict mentioned.
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