In fact, Harriers rarely take off vertically, since they can carry a much greater weapons load if they roll forward in a short take-off run. But the aircraft can be operated from short sections of road away from an airfield or from damaged runways. Despite the Harrier's success with the RAF and US Marine Corps, no other vertical take-off jet has been developed in the West, and Russia's attempt, a naval fighter, was an operational failure.

Swing-Wing Aircraft

Slightly more popular was the "swing-wing", an idea originally conceived by the inventor of the bouncing bombs of Britain's World War II raids on German dams, Barnes Wallis. Swept delta wings are ideal for high-speed supersonic flight, but they are less suited to low-level flight at slower speeds. Straight, high-lift wings are far better for take-off and landing. The swing-wing is an attempt to achieve the best of both worlds. The wing pivots round a "shoulder" near the wing root. For take-off, it extends straight out from the aircraft. When the pilot wants to increase speed, the wings sweep back to form a delta triangle. The first aircraft to be developed with swing-wings was the Convair F-111, designed for the US Navy, but in the event serving only with the US Air Force (USAF). The multinational Tornado, in both bomber and interceptor versions, is the only swing-wing aircraft in European service; the US Navy flies the F-14 Tomcat fighter from its carriers. Although the swing-wing does solve some problems, the added complexity and weight of the swinging mechanism have conspired to prevent it being used in many designs.

While America learned the lessons of the Vietnam War, the Soviet Union continued to build increasingly sophisticated aircraft. The swing-wing MiG-23 Flogger and Mach 3 MiG-25 Foxbat astounded Western observers when they first appeared in the 1970s. Soviet aircraft were built to operate from rapidly prepared forward bases and rough airstrips. They are robust, heavy, and unsophisticated to Western eyes. However, they are attractive to many air forces in developing countries because of that very robustness and ability to operate without the technologically advanced facilities that are vital to keep a Western jet fighter in the air. The Soviet Air Force is also equipped with a supersonic heavy bomber: the swing-wing Tupolev Tu-160 Blackjack.

Collaborative Projects

The sheer cost of developing a new military aircraft has forced European countries to work together.