The IA-63 Pampa is an advanced jet trainer with combat capability, produced in Argentina by Fabrica Argentina de Aviones (FAdeA) with assistance from Dornier of Germany.
IA-63 Pampa | |
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IA-63 in flight | |
Role | Trainer aircraft |
National origin | Argentina |
Manufacturer | FAdeA |
First flight | 6 October 1984 |
Introduction | April 1988 |
Status | In service |
Primary user | Argentine Air Force |
Produced | 1984-present |
Number built | 41[citation needed] |
Preliminary design studies for a replacement for the Morane-Saulnier MS-760 of the Argentine Air Force started at the Fábrica Militar de Aviones (FMA) in 1978, with these studies resulting in selection of a proposal powered by a single Garrett TFE731 turbofan with high, unswept wings. At the same time the FMA signed a partnership agreement with Dornier to develop the new aircraft.[1]
Although influenced by the Dassault/Dornier Alpha Jet design, the Pampa differs in being a smaller aircraft, it is also single-engined and has straight supercritical wings rather than the swept ones of the Alpha Jet. It is constructed mainly of aluminium alloy, with carbon-fibre used for components such as the air intakes. The crew of two sit in tandem under a single-piece clamshell canopy.[2] The avionics systems are also simpler than the Franco-German aircraft, which has an important secondary combat role. The Pampa prototype first flew on 6 October 1984.[3]
Data from Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1988–89 [25] and Air Force Technology[8]
General characteristics
Performance
Armament
Related development
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era
Split between two Mendoza-based units, the 12 surviving Pampas from an original 16-aircraft batch have all been upgraded to near Series II standard. They are expected to be rotated through FAdeA's installations for re-engining, along with six newly-built IA-63s delivered between 2004 and 2008.