Photo Album - AMX A-1

The AMX International AMX is an air combat and ground attack aircraft that was developed jointly by Italy and Brazil. The project was initiated in the early 1970s with the aim of developing an aircraft capable of performing tactical air attack and reconnaissance missions effectively both during the day and at night, and that could operate from unprepared or damaged runways.

The name 'AMX' is an abbreviation denoting the participating countries in the project: 'A' for Aermacchi from Italy, 'M' for Macchi also from Italy, and 'X,' or rather, '10' in Roman numerals, representing Embraer from Brazil. The production of the AMX was divided between the two nations, with Embraer building one-third of the aircraft and Italy the remainder.

The first aircraft flew on May 15, 1984. The Brazilian Air Force (FAB) nicknamed its model A-1, and the first delivery took place in 1989. The AMX is capable of performing ground attack, bombing, close air support, reconnaissance, and air interception missions. It is equipped with a Rolls-Royce Spey turbofan engine, a variety of weapons mounted on hardpoints under the wings and fuselage, and advanced navigation and targeting systems.

The Brazilian version, A-1, saw extensive and varied use in the FAB. It participated in numerous domestic and international exercises and operations. The platform has proven to be robust, reliable, and capable of performing a variety of missions. Although the design is several decades old, modernizations and updates have kept the aircraft relevant. Between 2007 and 2017, the FAB carried out a modernization program to upgrade its A-1s with new avionics systems, radar, and weapons, ensuring they remain an effective part of its fleet.

On the other hand, the AMX has also seen use in the Italian Air Force, where it performed similar roles to its Brazilian counterparts. The Italian version was used in various combat campaigns, including the Balkans and Afghanistan.

• Crew: 1 (AMX), 2 (AMX-T)
• Length: 13.23 m
• Wingspan: 8.87 m
• Height: 4.55 m
• Empty Weight: 6 730 kg
• Loaded Weight: 10 750 kg
• Maximum Takeoff Weight: 13 000 kg
• Engine: 1 Rolls-Royce Spey 807 Turbofan

• Maximum Speed: 1 020 km/h
• Range: 3 330 km
• Service Ceiling: 13 000 meters

• 2 30 mm DEFA 554 cannons
• 2 AIM-9 Sidewinder or MAA-1 Piranha air-to-air missiles on wingtip rails
• 3 800 kg of payload on 5 hardpoints, including general-purpose bombs, laser-guided bombs, air-to-surface missiles, rockets, and reconnaissance pods.