Flight deck officer nearly gets blown off by the jet blast from a Harrier taking off.

The Harrier's unique operational characteristics set it above the competition. The 'Jump Jet' is the only aircraft in the world that can take off and land in a vertical trajectory.

Essentially, the Harrier doesn't need a runway. It can operate out of restricted spaces little bigger than the aircraft itself. This gives it a major advantage at sea where it can operate from the decks of a wide variety of ships - not just from traditional aircraft carriers.

At the root of its virtuosity is a single Rolls-Royce Pegasus vectored-thrust turbofan engine. Simply put, four swivelling nozzles give the Harrier thrust for lift and for forward propulsion.

At the root of its virtuosity is a single Rolls-Royce Pegasus vectored-thrust turbofan engine. Simply put, four swivelling nozzles give the Harrier thrust for lift and for forward propulsion.

Operating this gravity-defying aircraft couldn't be simpler. The thrust vectoring is controlled by a single lever in the cockpit.

Since development began in the late 1950s, Harriers have been and continue to be, operated by the British Royal Air Force, US Marine Corps and the Navies of India, Italy, Spain, and Thailand.