It entered service with the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm in 1980 and its capabilities were fully tested during the Falklands War of early 1982. The lessons of this conflict led to various proposals for the future development and deployment of the Sea Harrier, the most important one being the mid-life update programme for the proposed FRS 2. The main improvements were the fitting of the much enhanced GEC-Marconi Blue Vixen pulse-Doppler multi-mode radar with its look down/shoot-down capabilities and the use of the AIM-120 AMRAAM (Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile). Both form a fully integrated weapons system and up to four missiles can be simultaneously launched and tracked onto individual targets beyond visual range. The AMRAMM's own avionics systems can assimilate track-while-scan information from the Blue Vixen radar while en route without alerting the target, and switch to its own active homing for the final stages of interception. There are several modifications to the airframe, the most noticeable being the new nose radome and a balancing increase in the length of the rear fuselage; the original nose-mounted pitot tube is now relocated onto the fin leading edge, while the inboard wings have leading edge extensions and additional fences. Earlier proposals for bolt-on wingtip extensions due to the AMRAAM fit proved to be unnecessary. The first FRS 2 flew in September 1988 and following lengthy development and trials the first machines were in service with the Operational Evaluation Unit, a part of No.B99 Naval Air Squadron at RNAS Yeovilton, in 1993. At about this time the designation was amended to Sea Harrier FA 2. Some 30 of the existing FRS 1 fleet have been converted to FA 2s by British Aerospace, the FAA being responsible for the completion of external painting to current standards; this accounts for some machines wearing the old Dark Sea Grey and other hybrid schemes after modification. A further 18 new build FA 2s (serial numbers ZH796-813) have been delivered from BAe, these all factory finished in the current air defence Medium Sea Grey scheme. No.899 NAS, the Headquarters and training squadron, was fully re-equipped by 1994, following which No.801 NAS also re-equipped in 1994, leaving No.800 NAS the last to re-equip in 1995. Since 1994 all three units have been deployed in the three aircraft carriers (HMS Invincible, Illustrious and Ark Royal) to many parts of the world, including the Adriatic from where they have flown on several NATO and UN operations over the former Yugoslavia. These Sea Harriers will continue to provide the Royal Navy with first class front line fighter protection attack and reconnaissance capabilities well into the 21st century. In the air defence role four AMRAAMs, or two AMRAAMs and two 30mm Aden cannon packs, can be carried along with two AIM-9 sidewinder AAMs fitted to side rails on the outbound AMRAAM pylons; up to two Sea Eagle air-to-surface missiles and the cannons can be carried for the anti-shipping role. For other attack roles free fall, laser guided bombs and other munitions can be carried, and the 864 ltr. (190 gall.) fuel tanks are standard fit under the inboard wing pylons. The Sea Harrier FA 2 is powered by a Rolls Royce Pegasus Mk.106 turbofan rated at 95.64kN (9,750kg/21,500lb) thrust, giving a maximum speed (clean) of 1,328km/h (825mph) at high altitude. Length: 14.17m (46ft 6in), wing span: 7.7m (25ft 3in), Height: 3.71m (12ft 2in).

Polystyrene Cement and Paints Required = 11,130,159,165,166,19,29,3,33,56,61,73,85,94.