The U.S. Navy’s Air Test and Evaluation Squadron (VX) 31, the Dust Devils, conducted a sundown flight for the AV-8B Harrier on September 23, concluding the fighter jet’s service for the squadron. The final flight, which was confirmed by the Navy on Tuesday, included the traditional water salute as the jet came to rest for the last time at the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division hangar in China Lake, California.

VX-31 technical director, Jim “Jimbo” Coppersmith, piloted the aircraft’s final sortie.

“That jet right there flew its very first flight off the production line 33 years ago,” he said. “Today we completed AV-8B flight operations. We shut it down full mission capable, and it flew flawlessly. It’s a testament to what we’ve done to this aircraft as a team.”

The ceremonial flig

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