This VTOL Aircraft Is One of the Most Heavily-Armed Fighter Jets in the Marines Corps

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24/7 Wall St. Insights:

• The Harrier II was developed in the 1970s and introduced to service in 1985
• This fighter jet is defined by its capability to take off and land vertically, which most aircraft cannot do
• The Harrier II is outfitted with a 30mm ADEN cannon and a suite of drop bombs or missiles
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The AV-8B Harrier II is one of the most iconic jets in the U.S. military, and it is only used by one branch, the U.S. Marine Corps. Its unique capabilities and armament make it ideal for the missions that Marines normally undertake. While the Harrier II is not one of the fastest jets in the fleet, it is one of the most heavily armed. (These are the most widely used fighter jets on Earth. )

Developed in the late 1970s and introduced into service in 1985, the Harrier II is built for close-air support, reconnaissance and air interdiction. Perhaps the defining feature of the Harrier II is its ability to take off and land vertically. This allows the Harrier II to land anywhere where small airstrips to amphibious assault ships.

In terms of its armament, the Harrier II is outfitted with 30mm ADEN cannons standard and can equip a variety of drop bombs and laser-guided bombs. Along with this, it can equip Maverick, Harpoon, and Sidewinder missiles depending on the mission.

The versatility in the Harrier II's armament make it ideal for whatever operational needs are required. It is just one of a few fighter jets that are employed by the Marine Corps. There are a number of other heavily armed fighter jets and attack helicopters in use by the Corps as well. ( These countries have the most Apache attack helicopters. )

24/7 Wall St. is taking a closer look at the U.S. Marine Corps' aerial arsenal. To identify the most heavily armed aircraft currently in service of the U.S. Marine Corps, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed data from the 2024 World Air Forces report from FlightGlobal, an aviation and aerospace industry website, and ranked these aircraft according to their weapons systems and excluded those without any armament. Additionally, we’ve included supplemental information on the type of aircraft, top speed, how many are in active service, and armament.

Here is a look at the heavily armed U.S. Marine Corps aircraft currently in service: Why Are We Covering This?

On average, the U.S. spends $400 billion a year on the operation and support of its military units. In 2024, $5.7 billion was budgeted to the Marines Corps for aviation readiness. Overall, the Department of Defense has $2.02 trillion in budgetary resources which is 14.6% of the federal budget for 2024.

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