The British military uses the Harrier II as a single-engine ground-attack aircraft. It can perform vertical take-off and short takes-off, or V/STOL. The United States Marine Corps also uses the aircraft. The Harrier II was developed by British Aerospace for the British military. Another variant of the Harrier is the TAV-8B, which is a dedicated two-seat trainer.
The AV-8B project was initiated in the early 1970s and was centered around a larger Pegasus engine. The UK abandoned the project in 1975. In the following years, McDonnell Douglas developed the AV-8A Harrier and added a composite wing and additional hardpoints. The AV-8B also featured an elevated cockpit and fuselage redesigned to make it more maneuverable. The AV-8B also received structural improvements.