When Will The US Marines Retire The Last Of The AV-8 Jump Harriers?

All good things come to an end. The Navy retired its F-14 Tomcats, the Air Force is progressively retiring its A-10 Warthogs and B-1 Lancers, and it’s only time until the Marines retire their Harrier jump jets. For now, the AV-8B II Harrier remains in service with the Marine Corps, but the clock is ticking. The Harriers are short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) aircraft designed to be able to operate off the Marines’ amphibious assault ships and the former Royal Navy’s small Illustrious-class carriers.