[3e] AMX Fighter Jet

[Phaelen Bleux]

AMX International AMX
In 1978, the Italian Air Force issued a requirement for an advanced multi-purpose strike and reconnaissance aircraft. Rather than compete for the contract, Aeritalia and Aermacchi agreed to cooperate on the design, as they both had similar aircraft in the works. They were joined in 1980 by Embraer, making the AMX an international joint project between Italy and Brazil.
To date, over 300 AMX aircraft have been built. Although jointly produced, the Brazilian and Italian aircraft do have some slight differences. Italian jets are armed with a single 20mm M61A1 cannon, while the Brazilian aircraft feature two 30mm DEFA 544 cannons. Italian jets carry AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles on the wingtip rails, while the Brazilian jets carry the Orbita MAA-1 Piranha (which is essentially a variant of the AIM-9). The centerline hardpoint and underwing hardpoints are used for a variety of ordnance, including air-to-surface missiles, freefall bombs, laser-guided bombs, retarded bombs, cluster bombs, precision guided munitions and rocket launchers. Alternatively, to extend range, the underwing hardpoints can carry two 290-gallon and two 153-gallon drop tanks. Some jets are also equipped with in-flight refueling capacity.
The AMX burns 331 gallons of jet fuel per hour at routine usage. A full load of fuel (internal capacity only) costs $2,772. A full load of 20mm ammo costs $840. Other ordnance varies by mission parameter. It has a ferry range of 2,070 miles and a combat radius of 345 miles.

Subassemblies: Body with Very Good Streamlining +3, high-agility Wings +1, three retractable Small Wheels +0.
Powertrain: 11,030-lb. thrust Turbofan, 2,300-kWs advanced battery.
Fuel: 924 gallons jet fuel (Fire 13) in Standard self-sealing tank [Body and Wings] (Fire -1).
Occupancy: 1 NCS.
Cargo: 8,380 lbs. ordnance [Body and Wings:U].

Armor: 4/15 overall.

Equipment:
Body: Long-range radio with scrambler (300-mile); very long-range radio with scrambler (3,000-mile) light amplification; autopilot; military GPS; IFF; inertial navigation system; targeting radar (15-mile; Scan 18) HUDWAC; advanced radar/laser detector, laser designator (12-mile), deceptive jammer (-2); refueling probe, centerline hardpoint. Wings: One wingtip and two underwing hardpoints each.

Weaponry:
20mm autocannon/Vulcan M61A1 [Body:F] (350 rounds).
2x AIM-9 Sidewinders [Wings: L,R].
8,000-lbs. of other disposable ordnance.

Statistics:
Size: 43'x29'x15' Payload: 6.93 tons Lwt.: 14.35 tons
Volume: 255 cf Maint.: 16 hours Price: $1,528,415

HT: 10. HPs: 744 Body, 339 each Wing, 66 each Wheel.

aSpeed: 721 aAccel: 8 aDecel: 23 aMR: 6 aSR: 4
Stall speed 165.
gSpeed: 444 gAccel: 22 gDecel: 10 gMR: 0.5 gSR: 2
Ground Pressure: Extremely High. No Off-Road speed.

Design Notes:
The Body is 255 cf with Heavy frame and Standard materials. It has Very Good streamlining. Sealed. Electronic controls. Wing volume (29 cf) was reverse-engineered from actual wing area (226 sf). Wheels are 12.75 cf. Armor is Standard metal. Design empty weight was 745 lbs. lighter than the historical. Design loaded weight was reduced 1% to the historical; design aSpeed was 910 mph (or 783 mph with loaded hardpoints). The historical value is shown.

Variants:
The AMX-T (1986) is a two-seat trainer. 66 built. It was upgraded in 1999 to produce the AMX-ATA.
The AMX-R is a reconnaissance version used by Brazil.