Brazil and Italy developed a multirole fighter called AMX.
It was dubbed as the "Light Tornado".
This is a Close air support aircraft in line with the Brazilian and Italian philosophy, at an affordable price
So how good was the AMX and how successful it was on the roles it was given?
In early 1977, the Italian Air Force issued a request to build 187 attack aircraft
to replace the Aeritalia G.91 and Lockheed RF-104G Starfighter as reconnaissance
In the 1980s, the Brazilian government announced that it intended to join the program as an alternative to the Aermacchi MB-326 family
In July 1981, the Italian and Brazilian governments agreed to cooperate on a joint project
The plan is 187 aircraft for Italy and 100 for Brazil
AMX International is classified as a ground attack aircraft, providing aerial fire support, and performing reconnaissance missions
AMX is designated A-11 Ghibli in the Italian Air Force and A-1 in the Brazilian Air Force
The AMX attack aircraft is capable of operating at high subsonic speeds at low altitudes, day and night
If necessary, it can operate on bases that have field runways or damaged
It has a low infrared signal and is designed to reduce radar signature
It is composed primarily of aluminium and manufactured using traditional construction methods
however elements such as the tail fin and elevators use carbon fibre composite materials
AMX has a length of 13.23 m (43 ft 5 in), a wingspan of 8.87 m (29 ft 1 in), a height 4.55 m (14 ft 11 in),
an empty weight of 6.7 tons (14,771 lb), and maximum takeoff weight of 10.75 tons (28,660 lb).
Essentially, the AMX is a single-engine attack aircraft, with high-mounted monoplane wings, and twin air intakes
A large proportion of the AMX's internal space is allocated to avionics and onboard computer systems
both the navigation and attack systems are computerized
For accessability and ease of maintenance, all avionics are installed directly in bays beneath the cockpit in a manner
in which they can be worked upon at ground level without the use of support platforms.
Drawing on experience from the Panavia Tornado, the AMX is equipped with a hybrid flight control system
a fly-by-wire control system is employed to operate flight control surfaces such as the spoilers
rudder and variable incidence tailplane, while the ailerons and elevators are actuated via a dual-redundant hydraulic system
The wing is fitted with both leading edge slats and trailing edge flaps and overwing spoilers ahead of the flaps
The spoilers can function as airbrakes and to negate lift
improving take-off and landing performance as well as manoeuvrability during flight
The AMX is powered by a Rolls-Royce Spey 807 turbofan engine that produces 49.1 kN of thrust
The aircraft can reach a top speed of 1,053 km/h (654 mph), combat range is 889 km (552 mi)
service ceiling is 13,000 m (43,000 ft), and rate of climb is 52.1 m/s (10,260 ft/min).
Brazilian and Italian aircraft differ significantly in the avionics system
Italian planes are equipped with NATO standards while Brazil is not
The flight system employs a GE Avionics flight control computer
Extensive electronic countermeasure (ECM) are fitted to protect the aircraft
include passive receiver antenna on the tailfin and an active jammer pod that is typically mounted on one of the aircraft's hardpoints
AMX is equipped with 7 hardpoints with a payload of up to 4 tons including bombs, missiles, rockets, etc
Italy's AMX is equipped with a 20mm M61A1 Vulcan 6-barreled Gatling cannon located on the left, below the nose of the aircraft
Since the US refused to sell the M61 to Brazil, their AMX was therefore armed with two 30mm Bernardini Mk-164 cannons
The Italian AMX has seen remarkable performance since put into service
In 2011, it fought as part of a UN-led air campaign against Serbia with more than 250 sorties
Italian military aircraft deployed 710 guided bombs and missiles during sorties
Italian Air Force Tornados and AMX fighter bombers deployed 550 bombs and missiles, while Navy AV-8Bs deployed 160 guided bombs
For Brazil, the AMX is one of the three most important fighter and the main ground attack aircraft. In total, about 200 AMXs were produced