Harrier

The AV-8 Harrier is a high speed VTOL (Vertical Takeoff and Landing) fighter employed by most of the Allied forces during the Third World War and the Psychic Dominator Disaster. Korea was the only exception, as they used the Black Eagle instead.

Background
This VTOL jet is the main fighter of the Allied forces. Capable of both hovering and flying at high speeds, this single pilot aircraft is the bane of enemy armour and buildings thanks to its array of Maverick missiles. However, it has very weak armour and any kind of AA defense poses a serious threat. Gatling cannons and Gatling tanks prove to be extremely effective, as the high rate of fire and AP rounds can easily punch through the light fuselage of a Harrier. Flak is as less useful, but better at taking out large groups, due to the area effect caused by exploding shells. Harrier can take off vertically, but fuel limitations prevent them from patrolling the sky for long time. However, Harriers will not crash because of fuel shortage and can be used to reveal the map. If the Airforce Command is destroyed, the Harrier will stay mid-air until it unloads its missiles, if it manages to evade the same fate of its airpad. Maverick missiles cannot attack air targets.

In the opening of the Psychic Dominator Disaster a squadron of at least 4 Harriers, attempting to destroy the Psychic Dominator at San Francisco, but before any of them could get within striking distance of the Dominator, Yuri's Gatling cannons opened fire. Even though the Harriers took evasive action, they were all hit by Gattling cannon fire and shot down, but one of the Harriers was hit in the engine and crashed into the Nuclear Reactor powering the Psychic Dominator, damaging it and disabling the Dominator for some time, buying the Allies and Soviets enough time to go back in time and stop Yuri.

In-game
Harriers should be used for destroying specific immobile targets, as well as slow ground-based units (ore miners, for instance). Roughly three Harriers can destroy a tank, less if veteran or elite. It is, however, rare for a Harrier pilot to survive long enough to gain a promotion.

Legacy
In War of the Three Powers, the F-11X Apollo Fighter has replaced the aging Harrier on its anti-air duty, while the B2-X Century Bomber and Vindicator have taken its place regarding ground attacks.

Pros

 * Bane of enemy armour and buildings.
 * Powerful in numbers.
 * Faster than other aircraft.

Cons

 * Poorly armoured.
 * Easy ripped to shreds by most anti-aircraft defenses, especially Yuri's Gatling cannons and Gatling tanks

Trivia
Harrier original name is Intruder, which is seen in the game files.

If you closely look at a Harrier, you can notice that it resembles an A-6 Intruder, a carrier-based strike aircraft, rather than Harrier, which has a sleeker shape, further confirming that in the beta, the plane's original name is Intruder.