By the mid-1980s, the Marines introduced the AV-8B Harrier II, developed jointly with McDonnell Douglas. It featured a redesigned wing, more powerful engine, improved avionics, greater payload capacity, and longer range. The AV-8B proved its combat value in the 1991 Gulf War, flying strike missions and destroying armored vehicles, and later in Kosovo, Iraq, and Afghanistan, where its ability to operate from austere locations was invaluable.

The Harrier remained a central part of Marine aviation into the 21st century, serving aboard amphibious assault ships as a “mini–carrier air wing” and supporting Marine units ashore. However, by the 2010s it began to be phased out in favor of the F-35B Lightning II, which offers stealth, supersonic speed, and modern sensors while retaining V/STOL flexibility. The Harrier officially retired from Marine service in December 2021, marking the end of five decades of continuous U.S. operations with this unique aircraft.