AV-8B Harrier II

The AV-8B Harrier II is a STOVL aircraft that appears in Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare and Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. The Harrier is used by the USMC to support their amphibious landing operations. They usually carry out airstrikes against enemy fortifications and units in support of friendlies. As a VTOL aircraft, it is capable of hovering in place, much like a helicopter.

Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
A flight of USMC AV-8B Harrier IIs appear in the mission "Heat", callsign Falcon One. They provide close air support to the SAS team using cluster bombs. Additionally the player can see USMC Harriers bombing targets in the mission "Shock and Awe" ahead of the Marine assault, thereby reducing resistance to a ground assault by the Marines. Two of the jets fly right over the player's position in the mission "Charlie Don't Surf" when they are on the roof of the TV station. Several Harriers are flying on the sky in the mission "War Pig", too.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2
The Harrier II also makes an appearance in the campaign, though they are seen far less often than in Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, with the F-15 Eagle replacing them in the role of close-air support. In the level "Exodus", prior to reaching the HVI's house, a pair of Harriers can be seen using their VTOL capability to take off from a driving range near the C-130 crash site.

The Harrier is also available as a killstreak in Modern Warfare 2. The first 2 Harriers drop cluster bombs while the third hovers, using it's GAU-12 rotary cannon against enemy players and missiles against helicopters.

Trivia

 * Harriers of the Spetsnaz, Militia, and OpFor have a jet black color, while Harriers of the SEALs, Rangers, and Task Force 141 have a light gray. The same applies to the Pave Low.
 * A Harrier is seen in the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 campaign level "S.S.D.D." on a runway alongside a Pave Low.
 * If the player watches the pair of Harriers in "Exodus" fly away, it can be seen that the Harriers fire rockets at an unknown location.