Replacing Yak-38s with Sea Harriers on a Kiev begins with whether the aircraft fit the available deck and hangar space. Their spans are similar, while the Sea Harrier is shorter, lower, and lighter in the figures used here. The quoted Sea Harrier combat radius is about 300 nautical miles, compared with a Yak-38 range of about 100 kilometers at its heaviest weapons load. These figures describe different range measures and loading conditions, so they are not a direct like-for-like comparison. The much larger 800-mile Yak-38 figure is identified as a later-model reconnaissance configuration carrying a camera and little else. External weapons disrupt the airflow of an aircraft shaped around a high headline speed, sharply reducing its practical range.
Notable Point · 3:49:26-3:58:50
Sea Harrier payload and range against the Yak-38 Forger
Sea Harrier and Yak-38 comparisons turn on aircraft size and weapons load, while quoted range figures need their operating conditions kept attached.