{"product_id":"av-8b-harrier-ii-units-of-operations-desert-shield-and-desert-storm","title":"AV-8B Harrier II Units of Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm","description":"\u003cmeta content=\"text\/html; charset=unicode\" http-equiv=\"Content-Type\"\u003e\u003cmeta name=\"GENERATOR\" content=\"MSHTML 11.00.10570.1001\"\u003e\u003cspan style='FONT-SIZE: 14px; FONT-FAMILY: \"Amazon Ember\", Arial, sans-serif; WHITE-SPACE: normal; WORD-SPACING: 0px; TEXT-TRANSFORM: none; FLOAT: none; FONT-WEIGHT: 400; COLOR: rgb(15,17,17); FONT-STYLE: normal; ORPHANS: 2; WIDOWS: 2; DISPLAY: inline !important; LETTER-SPACING: normal; BACKGROUND-COLOR: rgb(255,255,255); TEXT-INDENT: 0px; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial'\u003eIn \nthe 1970s the USMC bought the AV-8A Harrier from the UK to test V\/STOL concepts \nfor close air support. A successful funding battle was subsequently fought in \nthe 1980s to secure military, political and economic support to expand this \nconcept to develop and field the second generation AV-8B Harrier II from the \nlate 1980s onward. The AV-8B was, and still is, the only tactical aircraft that \ncould deploy with Marine forces on amphibious assault ships and provide air \ncover and close air support separate from large deck aircraft carriers. When \nIraq invaded Kuwait in August 1990, a coalition of nations launched Operation \nDesert Shield in order to defend Saudi Arabia. The Harrier II was among the \nfirst tactical air assets to be deployed to the region to support ground forces \nin their efforts to halt the advance of Iraqi forces at the border with Kuwait \nand Saudi Arabia. During Operation Desert Storm, the five units flying the AV-8B \nin-theatre became some of the top tactical squadrons of choice by air mission \nplanners for allied battlefield preparation and close air support. This was due \nto the AV-8B's capabilities, proximity to the battle zone and the proven \nabilities of Marine pilots and forward air controllers, who were closely \nintegrated with ground forces and knew their business so well. The untold story \nof the AV-8B in this conflict is vividly brought to life by the author through \nfirsthand accounts and period photography sourced from those that were there, as \nwell as official archives. This is planned to be the first of three volumes on \nUSMC Harrier IIs in combat, with follow-on titles covering the jet's operations \nin Iraq in 2003-08 and Afghanistan in 2001-2009.\u003c\/span\u003e","brand":"Shop EAA Merchandise","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":58145039778095,"sku":"2274209300000","price":25.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0672\/9272\/5551\/files\/AV8BHarrierIIUnitsofOp.png?v=1787085830","url":"https:\/\/shop.eaa.org\/products\/av-8b-harrier-ii-units-of-operations-desert-shield-and-desert-storm","provider":"Shop EAA Merchandise","version":"1.0","type":"link"}