Hawker Siddeley Harrier single lever added in the cockpit. For horizontal flight, the nozzles are directed rearwards by shifting the lever to the forward position; for short or vertical takeoffs and landings, the lever is pulled back to point the nozzles downwards. The Harrier has two control elements not found in conventional fixed-wing aircraft: the thrust vector and the reaction control system. The thrust vector refers to the slant of the four engine nozzles and can be set between 0° (horizontal, pointing directly backwards) and 98° (pointing down and slightly forwards). The 90° vector is normally deployed for VTOL manoeuvring. The reaction control
McDonnell Douglas AV-8B Harrier II of funds for a replacement aircraft. Following the decommissioning of "Príncipe de Asturias" in February 2013, the sole naval platform from which Spanish Harrier IIs can operate is the amphibious assault ship . During its service with the USMC, the Harrier has had an accident rate three times that of the Corps' F/A-18s. , approximately 110 aircraft have been damaged beyond repair since the type entered service in 1985, the first accident occurring in March that year. The "Los Angeles Times" reported in 2003 that the Harrier family had the highest rate of major accidents among military aircraft in service