Marine Corps
GalleryMarines bid farewell to AV-8B Harrier II in ‘Sundown Ceremony’
Stars and Stripes
June 3, 2026
U.S. Marine Corps AV-8B Harrier II aircraft with Marine Attack Squadron 223, Marine Aircraft Group 14, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, fly over Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, N.C., June 3, 2026. (Orlanys Diaz Figueroa/U.S. Marine Corps)
The 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing bid farewell to the AV-8B Harrier II in a “Sundown Ceremony” Wednesday at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point in North Carolina.
The Harrier jump jet was in service for over 40 years.
The farewell ceremony featured a five-jet formation flyover, which landed in front of a crowd of service members, veterans and aviation fans.
The week’s events kicked off with an evening “Sundown Social” Monday, followed by a “Sunrise Run,” an open house and picnic Tuesday. Thursday’s events will include a golf tournament and a ticketed gala.
The U.S. Marine Corps posted a memorandum announcing the “Harrier Sundown Celebration” in March, as the Harrier will reach the end of its service life at the end of the fiscal year on Sept. 30, 2026.
The Harrier was the first operational warplane with vertical/short takeoff and landing capabilities. The Marines Corps obtained the aircraft as the AV-8A Harrier and allowed them to operate from rough airfields and amphibious assault ships.
The Harrier will be replaced by Lockheed Martin’s F-35B Lightning II, a fifth-generation stealth fighter and ground-attack aircraft.
U.S. Marine Corps AV-8B Harrier II aircraft with Marine Attack Squadron 223, Marine Aircraft Group 14, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, stage on the flightline at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, N.C., June 3, 2026. (Bryan Giraldo/U.S. Marine Corps)
A U.S. Marine Corps AV-8B Harrier II with Marine Attack Squadron 223, Marine Aircraft Group 14, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, sits in front of a crowd at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, N.C., June 3, 2026. (Bryan Giraldo/U.S. Marine Corps)
A U.S. Marine Corps AV-8B Harrier II with Marine Attack Squadron 223, Marine Aircraft Group 14, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, hovers over the runway at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, N.C., June 3, 2026. (Bryan Giraldo/U.S. Marine Corps)
Spectators watch as U.S. Marine Corps AV-8B Harrier II aircraft with Marine Attack Squadron 223, Marine Aircraft Group 14, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, fly over Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, N.C., June 3, 2026. (Michael Robinson/U.S. Marine Corps)
U.S. Marines with Marine Attack Squadron 223, Marine Aircraft Group 14, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, and families celebrate with water and champagne at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, N.C., June 3, 2026. (Michael Robinson/U.S. Marine Corps)
U.S. Marine Corps color guard with Marine Attack Squadron 223, Marine Aircraft Group 14, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, present arms as AV-8B Harrier II aircraft with VMA-223 fly over Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, N.C., June 3, 2026. (Michael Robinson/U.S. Marine Corps)
A U.S. Marine Corps AV-8B Harrier II with Marine Attack Squadron 223, Marine Aircraft Group 14, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, passes under a water salute at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, N.C., June 3, 2026. (Orlanys Diaz Figueroa/U.S. Marine Corps)