The Hawker-Siddley Harrier, the famed ‘Jump Jet’ could swivel its exhaust nozzles down to allow it to take off vertically. The Hawker-Siddley Harrier, the famed ‘Jump Jet’ could swivel its exhaust nozzles down to allow it to take off vertically.

The RAF use this capability to base the Harrier out of supermarket car parks and other concealed locations close to the front, reducing the interference from Soviet aircraft and allowing a higher sortie rate than conventional aircraft. Armed with an electrically-powered 30mm Aden 5-chamber revolver cannon and BL-755 anti-tank cluster bombs, the Harrier is deadly against both air and ground targets.