Alenia offers surplus AMX fighters to Afghanistan for close air support
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DATE:22/09/09
SOURCE:Flight International
There is a surplus of AMX fighters because the Italian Air Force plans to retire about 58 AMX aircraft that are not programmed to receive the ATOL upgrade, the Alenia official says.
Flightglobal |
Going by discussions on other threads, apparently the PAF is planning to acquire an interim 3rd generation fighter to bridge the gap between the late lamented F-5A and true latest-generation frontline jets. With Italy looking to reduce its AMX fleet, is there an opportunity for the PAF with this development?
Pros:
- Combat-proven - The AMX is in service with the AFs of Italy and Brazil, seeing combat over Kosovo, Colombia (allegedly), and, possibly, Afghanistan.
- Rugged and economical - Although a fly-by-wire machine, the AMX is designed to operate from primitive airfields, survive more battle damage than most modern jets, and be cheap and easy to maintain.
- Upgrades available, up-to-date equipment integrated - Both Italy and Brazil invested in a Mid-Life Upgrade for some of their aircraft, along with individual improvements like PGMs and targeting pods.
- Meets existing(?) PAF requirements - An AMX has actually visited the Philippines for demonstration flights before PAF officials, though this took place in the early nineties. A "Surface Attack Aircraft" appeared on the PAF's shopping list for several years, but was seemingly dropped a few years ago. In any case, the AMX is touted as a tailor-made ground attack/close air support machine, in the spirit of the legendary A-4 Skyhawk. The AMX's manufacturer, Alenia Aermacchi, has an existing relationship with the PAF, in the form of the S211 and SF260.
Cons:
- Accident-prone - Unfortunately, the Italian AF alone has lost 12 AMXs in crashes, killing five pilots, blaming human error and bad weather. The fact is remaining AMXs in service have been modified to correct perceived weaknesses in its original design.
- Old airframe and outdated engine - The first AMX was inducted into service way back in 1989, hitting 20 years in October, though the last was delivered in 1997. Although unquestionably a proven design, the basic technology of its Spey turbofan engine dates back to the 1950s. The AMX is no longer in production.
- Subsonic, not intended for air-to-air combat - As explained by this article:
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The AMX experienced a great success in the Kosovo war, success that can be credited to the fact that the aircraft was called to operate in the CAS mission, the one it was projected to fulfil. The aircraft in the Balkan Scenario was able to show its excellent navigational and avionics equipment, good endurance and penetration speeds.
The problem faced in the war were the same the aircraft suffered in all its operative life and can be addressed to the its Rolls-Royce RB-168 Spey Mk.807 engine. It produces too much smoke, too low of a thrust to weight ratio and lacking an afterburner it leaves the pilot a few reaction manoeuvres against an aggressor.
Ghiblis over the boot: the story of the AMX in the Aeronautica Militare Italiana |
FYC
Please no more 2nd hand aircraft, especially crashprone Italian planes, we have enough of those already.
Go for broke PAF, brand new MRFs and brand new CAS.