AV-8B "Harrier"
Wing | Belly | Wing |
Outboard | Middle | Inboard | | Inboard | Middle | Outboard |
| Mk.20 | Mk.20 | Gun pod | Mk.20 | Mk.20 | AIM-9L/M |
Sometimes additional Mk.20 was carried on belly pylon, they just had to lie to the weapons computer that it was Mk.82
(computer canĀ“t work with Mk.20 on belly rack) Explanation
Wing | Belly | Wing |
Outboard | Middle | Inboard | | Inboard | Middle | Outboard |
| Mk.20 | Mk.20 | Gun pod | Mk.20 | Mk.20 | AIM-9L/M |
| | | Mk.20 | | | |
Wing | Belly | Wing |
Outboard | Middle | Inboard | | Inboard | Middle | Outboard |
| Mk.77 | Mk.77 | Gun pod | Mk.77 | Mk.77 | AIM-9L/M |
Wing | Belly | Wing |
Outboard | Middle | Inboard | | Inboard | Middle | Outboard |
AIM-9L/M | Mk.77 | LAU-10 4 x WP rockets | Gun pod | LAU-10 4 x WP rockets | Mk.77 | AIM-9L/M |
Wing | Belly | Wing |
Outboard | Middle | Inboard | | Inboard | Middle | Outboard |
| | LAU-10 4 x WP rockets | Gun pod | LAU-10 4 x WP rockets | | AIM-9L/M |
Wing | Belly | Wing |
Outboard | Middle | Inboard | | Inboard | Middle | Outboard |
Mk.77 | Mk.77 | Mk.77 | Gun pod | Mk.77 | Mk.77 | Mk.77 |
Wing | Belly | Wing |
Outboard | Middle | Inboard | | Inboard | Middle | Outboard |
| Mk.82 SE | Mk.82 SE | Gun pod | Mk.82 SE | Mk.82 SE | AIM-9L/M |
Wing | Belly | Wing |
Outboard | Middle | Inboard | | Inboard | Middle | Outboard |
| Mk.82 LDGP | Mk.82 LDGP | Gun pod | Mk.82 LDGP | Mk.82 LDGP | AIM-9L/M |
Wing | Belly | Wing |
Outboard | Middle | Inboard | | Inboard | Middle | Outboard |
Mk.20 | Mk.20 | Mk.82 LDGP | Gun pod | Mk.82 LDGP | Mk.20 | Mk.20 |
Wing | Belly | Wing |
Outboard | Middle | Inboard | | Inboard | Middle | Outboard |
| Mk.83 LDGP | Mk.83 LDGP | Gun pod | Mk.83 LDGP | Mk.83 LDGP | AIM-9L/M |
Wing | Belly | Wing |
Outboard | Middle | Inboard | | Inboard | Middle | Outboard |
| Mk.20 | Mk.20 | Gun pod | Mk.20 | Mk.20 | AIM-9L/M |
| | | AN/ALQ-164 DECM | | | |
Wing | Belly | Wing |
Outboard | Middle | Inboard | | Inboard | Middle | Outboard |
Mk.82 SE | Mk.82 SE | Mk.82 SE | Gun pod | Mk.82 SE | Mk.82 SE | Mk.82 SE |
| | | AN/ALQ-164 DECM | | | |
VMA-231, BuNo. 163183/CG-15
Wing | Belly | Wing |
Outboard | Middle | Inboard | | Inboard | Middle | Outboard |
Mk.20 | Mk.20 | Mk.20 | Gun pod | Mk.20 | Mk.20 | Mk.20 |
| | | AN/ALQ-164 DECM | | | |
Wing | Belly | Wing |
Outboard | Middle | Inboard | | Inboard | Middle | Outboard |
Mk.20 | Mk.20 | AGM-65E | Gun pod | AGM-65E | Mk.20 | Mk.20 |
Less than 10 AGM-65E laser guided Mavericks were fired.
VMA-331 first strike, one plane in formation.
Wing | Belly | Wing |
Outboard | Middle | Inboard | | Inboard | Middle | Outboard |
AIM-9M | Mk.82 LDGP | Mk.82 LDGP | Gun pod | Mk.82 LDGP | Mk.82 LDGP | AIM-9M |
| | | AN/ALQ-164 DECM | | | |
NOTE:
On the Store/Warfare Management Computer there is a place to enter "store codes" and fuzing codes, the codes tell what kind of weapon/store is loaded on the station and what type of fuzing it has.
Example, for a Mk 82 with BSU-86 Pilot Option fin, the code would be XX. The bomb is fuzed with a FMU-139C/B and Mk 122 Mod 0 so the fuze code YY.
The computer software has a data base of what codes go to what weapon/store/fuze so it will know what is loaded and provide release data/perimeters for the weapon/store loaded in.
It will also prevent illegal loads/release if you load something illegally or try to release something that is illegal and code it to what you actually have.
What they did was code the Mk 20 as a Mk 82 since loading a Mk 20 on centerline was illegal and the computer did not have any info for having a Mk 20 on that station.
Since it was an "illegal" load, the computer would not allow the weapon to be released if it was coded as a Mk 20 so they basically fooled the computer into thinking it was a Mk 82 (an authorized weapon) when they really had a Mk 20 (an unathorized weapon) loaded.
Was doing this legal, no, but when you have to get the job done you refer to the first rule of Naval Aviation - it's always better to beg for forgiveness than it is to ask for permission.