Last USMC AV-8B Harrier II Retired to National Naval Aviation Museum

The last AV-8B Harrier II constructed for the U.S. Marine Corps has been placed on permanent display at the National Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola, Florida. The aircraft, BuNo 166288, had been assigned to Marine Attack Squadron 223 (VMA-223), known as the Bulldogs. It was demilitarized and transported by truck with its wings detached before being reassembled at the museum.

Images of the move, taken on July 22, 2026, were released by the Specialized and Proven Aircraft office (PMA-226) via the DVIDS network on September 9. The demilitarization and display effort was coordinated by Pablo Sanchez, Assistant Program Manager for Logistics for the AV-8B V/STOL Attack Program Office and Harrier Museum Task Force Lead.

The Marine Corps retired the Harrier from operational service on June 3, 2026, when VMA-223 conducted its final flight during a sundown ceremony at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina. The Corps had operated Harriers for almost 55 years, starting with the British-built AV-8A in 1971 and transitioning to the McDonnell Douglas AV-8B in 1985.