Researched 2026-10-11 from the sources listed below. Airframes move between hangars, workshops and loans: check with Ulster Aviation Society (Maze Long Kesh) before travelling to see this one.
The airframe in brief
| Serial / registration | ZD465 |
|---|---|
| Type | BAE Harrier GR.9 |
| First flew | 15 February 1990 |
| Units / operator | RAF No 1, No 4 and No 3 Squadrons; embarked in HMS Illustrious 2005–06 |
| Withdrawn | November 2010 |
| After service | Instructional airframe, HMS Sultan, Gosport |
| Arrived | 2026 |
| Status | On display |
| Where | Ulster Aviation Society (Maze Long Kesh), Lisburn |
The story of ZD465
The GR.9 was the RAF's final Harrier, a British development of the AV-8B. ZD465 first flew on 15 February 1990 and was delivered about two months later. It was one of 34 aircraft of its batch handed over in 1990 and 1991.
It was with No 1 Squadron by 1992 and No 4 Squadron by 1996. In 2005 it was photographed on HMS Illustrious with No 1 Squadron, and in 2006 with No 3 Squadron. It was later upgraded to GR.9 standard, which brought new weapons and targeting systems, improved GPS navigation and a tactical data link.
The 2010 Strategic Defence and Security Review ended Harrier operations at the end of that year. ZD465 left service in November 2010. It became a ground instruction airframe at the Royal Navy's engineering school, HMS Sultan in Gosport. Most of the other GR.9s were sold to the US Marine Corps in 2011 as a source of spares.
In 2025 it was agreed that ZD465 would move to the Ulster Aviation Society. It arrived at Maze Long Kesh in 2026 and went on show in Hangar 1. It is the newest fast jet in the collection.
Seeing ZD465 today
In Hangar 1 at Maze Long Kesh. Visits must be booked in advance.
| Museum | Adult entry | Airframes | Headline exhibit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ulster Aviation Society (Maze Long Kesh)Lisburn, County Antrim | By appointment | 63 | The Shorts family — SC.1 vertical take-off research aircraft included — plus a Buccaneer, Phantom, Wildcat, and a newly arrived AV-8… |
Also known as: Harrier ZD465 · Harrier GR9 Ulster · AV-8B Harrier Long Kesh