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127-589: The AMX International AMX is a ground-attack aircraft jointly developed by Brazil and Italy. The AMX is designated A-11 Ghibli by the Italian Air Force and A-1 by the Brazilian Air Force . The Italian name, "Ghibli", is taken from the hot dry wind of the Libyan desert . During the early 1970s, Italian manufacturer Aermacchi conducted a design study on a prospective light ground-attack aircraft, which

254-605: A PBY Catalina and a Lockheed Hudson , and an American PBM Mariner attacked the U-boat. The Catalina, named Ärará , was captained by 2nd Lt. Alberto M. Torres, and hit U-199 with depth charges , sinking her. Forty-nine of the crew were killed, although twelve Germans managed to escape, including the captain. This was possible due to the Catalina's crew, who threw a lifeboat to the survivors. "1st Fighter Group", which saw action in Italy,

381-597: A 102mm anti-ship cannon, The BK 7,5 was unsurpassed as an aircraft-fitted gun until 1971, when the four-engine Lockheed AC-130 E Spectre; equipped with a 105 mm M102 howitzer , entered service with the US Air Force.) In the immediate post war era the piston-engined ground-attack aircraft remained useful since all of the early jets lacked endurance due to the fuel consumption rates of the jet engines. The higher powered piston engine types that had been too late for World War II were still capable of holding their own against

508-450: A battlefield, their slower speeds made them extremely vulnerable to ground fire, as did the lighter construction of fighters. The survivability of attack aircraft was guaranteed by their speed/power, protection (i.e. armor panels) and strength of construction; Germany was the first country to produce dedicated ground-attack aircraft (designated CL-class and J-class ). They were put into use in autumn 1917, during World War I. Most notable

635-585: A class of Schlacht ("battle") aircraft, such as the Henschel Hs 123 . Moreover, the experiences of German Condor Legion during the Spanish Civil War , against an enemy with few fighter aircraft, changed ideas about ground attack. Though equipped with generally unsuitable designs such as the Henschel Hs 123 and cannon -armed versions of the Heinkel He 112 , their armament and pilots proved that aircraft were

762-705: A crash, of which he was killed. Ricardo Kirk was the first Brazilian Military Aviator. In 1891 he entered the Military Academy and was commissioned an ensign in November, 1893 and to first-lieutenant in March, 1898 and posthumously to captain in 1915. Although the two sides in struggle had few airplanes during the Constitutionalist Revolution of 1932, aviation made a big impact during the conflict. The federal government had approximately 58 aircraft divided between

889-513: A day. On 22 April 1945, the three remaining flights took off at 5-minute intervals, starting at 8:30 AM, to destroy bridges, barges, and motorized vehicles in the San Benedetto region. At 10:00 AM, a flight took off for an armed reconnaissance mission south of Mantua . They destroyed more than 80 tanks, trucks, and vehicles. By the end of the day, the group had flown 44 individual missions and destroyed hundreds of vehicles and barges. On this day

1016-522: A gallon of gasoline in one of the wagons carrying the dismantled aircraft. The fire spread, much like the planes. After the crash, only the Morane-Saulnier remained in flying condition. In the conflict zone, he coordinated the construction of runways and hangars to be used in União da Vitória, Canoinhas and Rio Negro. Then, two Morane-Saulnier and special ammunition were brought from Rio de Janeiro, as well as

1143-708: A group of 40 rebels from the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia ), which had seized a Brazilian military detachment. In October, 2002, the Brazilian Air Force used its A-1 AMX fighter bombers to destroy clandestine airstrips used by the narcotics traffickers in the interior of the Amazon rainforest near the border with Suriname. The operation also had support from the Brazilian Army and Brazilian Federal Police with many drug dealers being arrested as

1270-589: A high altitude bomber escort, but gradually found that role filled by the North American P-51 Mustang (because of its much longer range and greater maneuverability). The P-47 was also heavier and more robust than the P-51 and regarded therefore, as an " energy fighter ": ideal for high-speed dive-and-climb tactics, including strafing attacks. Its armament of eight 0.50 caliber machine guns was effective against Axis infantry and light vehicles in both Europe and

1397-404: A lack of Air Force enthusiasm for the ground-attack role, developed the dedicated attack helicopter . On 17 January 1991, Task Force Normandy began its attack on two Iraqi anti-aircraft missile sites. TF Normandy, under the command of LTC Richard A. "Dick" Cody , consisted of nine AH-64 Apaches , one UH-60 Black Hawk and four Air Force MH-53J Pave Low helicopters. The purpose of this mission

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1524-592: A landing at Brasilia International Airport at 10:12 pm. On June 3, 1982, two F-5E Tiger II fighters from the 1st Fighter Aviation Group, based at the Santa Cruz Air Force Base - Rio de Janeiro, intercepted an Avro Vulcan Royal Air Force that had technical problems when returning from a mission during the Falklands War in the South Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Rio de Janeiro. The aircraft

1651-657: A light aircraft mixing all the roles that required extensive communication with land forces: reconnaissance, liaison, artillery spotting , aerial supply, and, last but not least, occasional strikes on the battlefield. The concept was similar to front-line aircraft used in the World War I, which was called the CL class in the German Empire. Eventually the RAF's experience showed types such as Westland Lysander to be unacceptably vulnerable and it

1778-720: A light attack aircraft. The Soviets' similar Sukhoi Su-25 ( Frogfoot ) found success in the "flying artillery" role with many air forces. The UK has completely retired the BAE Harrier II in 2011, and the Panavia Tornado dedicated attack-reconnaissance aircraft in 2019. It obtained the F-35 in 2018 and it retains its fleet of Eurofighter Typhoon multirole fighters. [REDACTED] Media related to Attack aircraft at Wikimedia Commons Brazilian Air Force The Brazilian Air Force ( Portuguese : Força Aérea Brasileira , FAB )

1905-571: A light ground attack aircraft under the designation of MB-340 . In April 1978, development work on the joint venture formally commenced. During 1980, the Brazilian government announced that they intended to participate in the program in order to provide a replacement for the Aermacchi MB-326 . In July 1981, the Italian and Brazilian governments agreed on joint requirements for the aircraft, and Embraer

2032-590: A mechanic. The first aerial activity occurred only on January 4, 1915, when a training flight followed the course of the Iguaçú River to the Timbo River. The first official mission took place on January 19 and the duration of the flight was just over an hour. The following week, on February 25, 1915, a Morane-Saulnier had an accident. During a test flight in the vicinity of the field, the engine stopped and aircraft crashed with total loss, pilot survived. March 1, 1915

2159-612: A much higher percentage of the total destruction wrought: After the war, the FAB began flying the British Gloster Meteor jet fighter . The jets were purchased from the British for 15,000 tons of crude cotton , as Brazil had no foreign currency reserves to spare. The jet was operated by the FAB until the mid-1960s, when it was replaced by the F-80C and TF-33A , which were later replaced by

2286-541: A new laser INS , new cockpit displays and allowing the aircraft to drop Joint Direct Attack Munition guided bombs. In August 2007, Embraer began a major midlife upgrade programme and modernisation of 53 Brazilian Air Force AMX A-1s, focusing on avionics systems and new armament additions; the programme is estimated to have extended the lifespan of the fleet beyond 2027. Starting in November 2009, four Italian AMXs were deployed overseas for operations in Afghanistan, replacing

2413-471: A propaganda weapon, dropping leaflets on enemy cities and into rebel concentration camps. For the use of aerial means, General Góis Monteiro had in his Staff of two advisers, Captains Vasco Alves Secco and Carlos Pfaltzgraff Brazil. Major Eduardo Gomes , commander of the Joint Aviation Group, who since the outbreak of hostilities had coordinated the employment of his unit and the reinforcements of

2540-443: A result of a memorandum between Italy and Brazil for the aircraft's joint development in 1981, AMX International , an Italian-Brazilian joint venture, was formed to develop, manufacture, and market the aircraft. During early 1977, the Italian Air Force issued a requirement for 187 new-build strike fighters , which were to replace its existing Aeritalia G.91 in the close air support and reconnaissance missions, as well as

2667-520: A result. The AMX Bomber/Fighter was the primary plane used. On November 21, 2008, F-5E Tiger II fighter jets from the 1st Fighter Aviation Group based at the Santa Cruz Air Force Base intercepted a civilian cargo Douglas DC-8 from a private company in Ghana as it entered the Brazilian airspace, off the coast of Cabo Frio , littoral of Rio de Janeiro. The aircraft was escorted by the Brazilian F-5s to

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2794-535: A strike aircraft of the era, no attempt was made to develop the aircraft to fly at supersonic speeds. Brazilian and Italian aircraft differ considerably in their avionics, Italian aircraft being equipped with various NATO systems which were considered redundant in the South American theatre. AMXs in Brazilian service are often fitted with one of three pallet -mounted sensor packages, which contain various vertical, oblique, and forward-facing cameras, for performing

2921-617: A task of converted trainers, like the BAE Systems Hawk or Aero L-39 Albatros , and many trainers are built with this task in mind, like the CASA C-101 or the Aermacchi MB-339 . Such counter-insurgency aircraft are popular with air forces which cannot afford to purchase more expensive multirole aircraft, or do not wish to risk the few such aircraft they have on light ground attack missions. A proliferation of low intensity conflicts in

3048-478: A very effective weapon, even without bombs. This led to some support within the Luftwaffe for the creation of an aircraft dedicated to this role, resulting in tenders for a new "attack aircraft". This led to the introduction (in 1942) of a unique single-seat, twin-engine attack aircraft, the slow-moving but heavily armored and formidably armed Henschel Hs 129 Panzerknacker ("Safecracker" /"Tank Cracker"). In Japan,

3175-426: Is considered an attack mission . In United States Navy vocabulary, the alternative designation for the same activity is a strike mission . Attack missions are principally divided into two categories: air interdiction and close air support . In the last several decades, the rise of the ubiquitous multi-role fighter has created some confusion about the difference between attack and fighter aircraft. According to

3302-505: 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. Manual reversion is provided for the ailerons, elevator and rudder to allow the aircraft to be flown even in the event of complete hydraulic failure; either control system can act independent of one another. The wing

3429-510: 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. A single Rolls-Royce Spey turbofan engine serves as the AMX's powerplant. During the aircraft's development, the Spey was heavier and less modern than some of

3556-512: Is the air branch of the Brazilian Armed Forces and one of the three national uniformed services. The FAB was formed when the Army and Navy air branches were merged into a single military force initially called "National Air Forces" in 1941. Both air branches transferred their equipments, installations and personnel to the new force. According to Flight International ( Flightglobal.com ) and

3683-418: Is typically mounted on one of the aircraft's hardpoints . Various munitions could be mounted on the one centerline and four under-wing hardpoints, including bombs, missiles and rockets; payloads of up to 2,000 lb may be carried upon the centerline and the two innermost under-wing pylons, while the outer pylons can carry up to 1,000 lb. All four of the under-wing hardpoints are plumbed for drop tanks to extend

3810-402: The Brazilian Air Force during the following year. On 14 March 1990, the prototype two-seat AMX made its first flight. The AMX is a conventional shoulder-winged monoplane . 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. For its size, a large proportion of

3937-741: The Cold War , the then Brazilian military government was aligned with the United States and NATO . This meant that the Northrop F-5 could be bought cheaply from the United States, which called this jet the "Freedom Fighter". Many other countries, such as Mexico , also benefited from this policy. But Brazil did not buy the F-5A Freedom Fighter, instead buying the F-5 Tiger II years later. In

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4064-687: The F-111 "Aardvark" was designated F despite having only minimal air-to-air capabilities. Only a single aircraft in the USAF's current inventory bears a simple, unmixed "A" designation: the A-10 Thunderbolt II. British designations have included FB for fighter-bomber and more recently "G" for "Ground-attack" as in Harrier GR1 (meaning "Ground-attack/Reconnaissance, Mark 1"). Imperial Japanese Navy designation use "B" to designate carrier attack bomber such as

4191-581: The Galeão Air Force Base . On 3 June 2009, two Brazilian Air Force A-29 Super Tucanos , guided by an Embraer R-99 , intercepted a Cessna U206G engaged in drug trafficking activities. Inbound from Bolivia, the Cessna was intercepted in the region of Alta Floresta d'Oeste , and after exhausting all procedures, one of the Super Tucanos fired a warning shot from its 12.7 mm machine guns, after which

4318-442: The Henschel Hs 123 ). Although not a synonymous class with ground-attack aircraft, fighter-bombers were usually used for the role, and proved to excel at it, even when they were only lightly armored. The Royal Air Force and United States Army Air Forces relegated obsolescent fighters to this role, while cutting-edge fighters would serve as interceptors and establish air superiority . The United States Navy , in distinction to

4445-791: The Imperial Japanese Navy had developed the Aichi D3A dive bomber (based on the Heinkel He 70 ) and the Mitsubishi B5M light attack bomber. Both, like their US counterparts, were lightly armored types, and were critically reliant on surprise attacks and the absence of significant fighter or AA opposition. During the Winter War , the Soviet Air Forces used the Polikarpov R-5 SSS, and Polikarpov R-Z Sh, as attack aircraft. Perhaps

4572-645: The International Institute for Strategic Studies , the Brazilian Air Force has an active strength of 80,937 military personnel and operates around 715 aircraft. The Brazilian Air Force is the largest air force in the Southern Hemisphere and the second largest in the Americas after the United States Air Force . The Contestado War was the first conflict in which Brazilian military aviation

4699-473: The Lockheed RF-104G Starfighter also being used in the reconnaissance role. Rather than competing for the contract, Aeritalia (now Alenia Aeronautica ) and Aermacchi agreed to produce a joint proposal for the requirement, as both firms had been considering the development of a similar class of aircraft for some years. During the early 1970s, Aermacchi conducted work on a design study for such

4826-537: The MB-326 , Mirage III and Northrop F-5 jets. During events involving the Lobster War, between 1961 and 1964, the Brazilian Air Force played an important role in monitoring and patrolling the large area of litigation with France, making its B-17 squadrons available for observation and photo-reconnaissance of French vessels close to Brazilian coast, in addition to using its most modern anti-submarine warfare means, such as

4953-988: The Nakajima B5N Type-97 bomber although these aircraft are mostly used for torpedo attack and level bombing. They also use "D" to specifically designate carrier dive bomber like the Yokosuka D4Y Suisei . However by the end of the world war II, the IJN introduced the Aichi B7A Ryusei which could performed both torpedo bombing and dive bombing rendering the "D" designation redundant. The NATO reporting names for Soviet/Russian ground-attack aircraft at first started with "B" categorizing them as bombers, as in case of Il-10 'Beast'. But later they were usually classified as fighters ("F")—possibly because (since Sukhoi Su-7 ) they were similar in size and visual appearance to Soviet fighters, or were simply derivatives of such. In

5080-653: The Olympic Games Rio 2016 , there will be over 15,000 military and 80 aircraft involved in the Olympics. To defense missions and aerial patrol 32 fighters ( Northrop F-5M and A-29 Super Tucano ), for aerial warning missions 2 radar aircraft ( Embraer R-99 ), surveillance missions 3 Unmanned aircraft ( Hermes 450 and Hermes 900 ), for maritime patrol missions 1 ( P-3 Orion ), for logistical support missions ( Boeing C-767 , C-130 and C-295 ), 15 helicopters ( Mil Mi-35 , UH-60 Black Hawk and EC-725 ). Between 2004 and 2017,

5207-657: The PLAAF , ground-attack aircraft are given the designation "Q". So far this has only been given to the Nanchang Q-5 . The attack aircraft as a role was defined by its use during World War I , in support of ground forces on battlefields. Battlefield support is generally divided into close air support and battlefield air interdiction, the first requiring strict and the latter only general cooperation with friendly surface forces. Such aircraft also attacked targets in rear areas. Such missions required flying where light anti-aircraft fire

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5334-710: The Pacific . While machine guns and cannon were initially sufficient, the evolution of well-armored tanks required heavier weapons. To augment bombs, high explosive rockets were introduced, although these unguided projectiles were still "barely adequate" because of their inaccuracy. For the British RP3 , one hit per sortie was considered acceptable. However, even a near miss with rockets could cause damage or injuries to "soft targets," and patrols by Allied rocket-armed aircraft over Normandy disrupted or even completely paralyzed German road traffic. They also affected morale, because even

5461-507: The S-2 Tracker and P-2V Neptune . Having been given authority over all national military aircraft since 1941, from her commissioning in 1961 to 1999 the Brazilian Air Force flew the S-2 Trackers of the aircraft carrier Minas Gerais while from 1965 naval aviation flew its own helicopters. Now naval aviation is also authorized to fly its own fixed wing carrier based aircraft. During

5588-563: The U.S. Fifth Army started its offensive along the Po Valley . By then, the strength of the Group had fallen to 25 pilots, some having been killed and others shot down and captured. Some others had been relieved from operations on medical grounds due to combat fatigue . The Group disbanded the Yellow flight and distributed the surviving pilots among the other flights. Each pilot flew on average two missions

5715-531: The United States occupation of Haiti and Nicaragua . The United States Army Air Corps was notable for its creation of a separate "A-" designation for attack types, distinct from and alongside "B-" for bomber types and "P-" for pursuit (later replaced by "F-" for fighter) aircraft. The first designated attack type to be operational with the USAAC was the Curtiss A-2 Falcon . Nevertheless, such aircraft, including

5842-555: The carrier-based nuclear strike Douglas A-3 Skywarrior and North American A-5 Vigilante , while the Grumman A-6 Intruder , F-105 Thunderchief , F-111 , F-117 Nighthawk , LTV A-7 Corsair II , Sukhoi Su-25 , A-10 Thunderbolt II , Panavia Tornado , AMX , Dassault Étendard , Super Étendard and others were designed specifically for ground-attack, strike , close support and anti-armor work, with little or no air-to-air capability. Ground attack has increasingly become

5969-477: The fighter-bomber began to take over many attack roles, a transition that continued in the post-war era. Jet -powered examples were relatively rare but not unknown, such as the Blackburn Buccaneer . The U.S. Navy continued to introduce new aircraft in their A - series , but these were mostly similar to light and medium bombers . The need for a separate attack aircraft category was greatly diminished by

6096-401: The interdiction and tactical bombing roles. Today it remains the only dedicated fixed-wing ground-attack aircraft in any U.S. military service. Overall U.S. experience in the Gulf War , Kosovo War , Afghanistan War , and Iraq War has resulted in renewed interest in such aircraft. The U.S. Air Force is currently researching a replacement for the A-10 and started the OA-X program to procure

6223-417: The " Night Witches " utilised an obsolescent, wooden light trainer biplane type, the Polikarpov Po-2 and small anti-personnel bombs in "harassment bombing" attacks that proved difficult to counter. Wartime experience showed that poorly armored and/or lightly built, pre-war types were unacceptably vulnerable, especially to fighters. Nevertheless, skilled crews could be highly successful in those types, such as

6350-401: The 1,420 maritime strike variants of the North American B-25 Mitchell G/H, which mounted either a M4 cannon , or light-weight T13E1 or M5 versions of the same gun. These weapons, however, were hand-loaded, had shorter barrels and/or a lower muzzle velocity than the BK 7,5 and, therefore, poorer armor penetration, accuracy and rate of fire. (Except for versions of the Piaggio P.108 armed with

6477-407: The A-2's replacement, the Curtiss A-12 Shrike , were unarmored and highly vulnerable to AA fire. The British Royal Air Force focused primarily on strategic bombing, rather than ground attack. However, like most air arms of the period it did operate attack aircraft, named Army Cooperation in RAF parlance, which included the Hawker Hector , Westland Lysander and others. Aviation played a role in

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6604-402: The AMX's internal space is allocated to avionics and onboard computer systems, both the navigation and attack systems are computerized. For accessibility 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

6731-415: The Afghan theatre, and on 20 June 2014, all remaining AMXs were withdrawn from Afghanistan. In 2011, Italian AMX aircraft were employed during the 2011 military intervention in Libya . 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. The conflict saw

6858-418: The Air" ( "Uma premente necessidade: o Ministério do Ar" ). Two years later the French Military Mission, working for the Brazilian Army, made the first steps to organize a national air arm. The idea got more support when a group of Brazilian airmen came from Italy in 1934 and explained the advantages of having a military aviation unified. Also, the Spanish Revolution and the first movements of World War II at

6985-445: The Allied war effort in World War II , especially as part of the Brazilian Expeditionary Force on the Italian front . From mid-1942 until the end of the war, the FAB also patrolled the Atlantic. On 31 July 1943 it claimed the German submarine U-199 , which was located on the surface, off Rio de Janeiro , at 23°54′S 42°54′W  /  23.900°S 42.900°W  / -23.900; -42.900 . Two Brazilian aircraft,

7112-432: The Brazilian Constitutionalist Revolution of 1932 , although both sides had few aircraft. The federal government had approximately 58 aircraft divided between the Navy and the Army , as the Air Force at this time did not constitute an independent branch. In contrast, the rebels had only two Potez 25 planes and two Waco CSO , plus a small number of private aircraft. During the 1930s, Nazi Germany had begun to field

7239-461: The Brazilian Air Force showed its ability to guarantee Brazilian sovereignty. In the midst of the Falklands War , on a rainy Good Friday night, the radar system detected a lyushin II-62M , registration number CU-T1225, Soviet-made and belonging to Cubana, a Cuban state company about 300 km away from Brasilia. Two F-103E Mirage III fighters from the 1st Air Defense Group (1st GDA), based at Anápolis Air Base, took off at around 9:00 pm to carry out

7366-648: The Constitutionalist Aviation Group. The establishment of the United Kingdom 's Royal Air Force in April 1918, and the creation of the Italian Air Force ( Regia Aeronautica ) and the French Air Force during the 1920s drove the idea of uniting Brazilian air power under the same organization. Together with these events the Brazilian strategists were also influenced by the theories of Giulio Douhet , Billy Mitchell and Hugh Montague Trenchard . The first public manifest to create an integrated military air service came up in 1928 when an army Major called Lysias Rodrigues wrote an article called "An urgent need: The Ministry of

7493-423: The FAB worked on the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) supporting the United Nations force (a joint Brazilian, Uruguayan , Chilean and Argentine force) deployed there. In November 2017, while searching for the missing Argentine Submarine ARA San Juan , the Brazilian Air Force sent a C-295M search and rescue aircraft and a P-3AM Orion anti-submarine warfare aircraft to assist in

7620-410: The FAB. Working with Italian corporations, it developed the new AMX attack aircraft (known locally as the A-1) which makes up the backbone of the FAB's attack force. The successful Tucano T-27 trainer and the new A-29 light attack aircraft are also Embraer types used extensively by the FAB. During Operation Traira , in February 1991, six AT-27 Tucanos were used for close air support against

7747-413: The German Focke-Wulf Fw 190 , the British Hawker Typhoon and the US Republic P-47 Thunderbolt . The Typhoon, which was disappointing as a fighter, due to poor high altitude performance, was very fast at low altitudes and thus became the RAF's premier ground attack fighter. It was armed with four 20mm cannon , augmented first with bombs, then rockets. Likewise the P-47 was designed and intended for use as

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7874-558: The Italian Air Force used dozens of Mk 82 bombs fitted with Opher Israeli guidance kits, effectively converting the "dumb" bombs into an infrared -guided bomb. In the late 1990s, AMX International was considering a major engine refit; a non- afterburning variant of the Eurojet EJ200 was proposed, with considerably more thrust than the existing powerplant. In 2005, the Italian Air Force launched an upgrade programme (ACOL Aggionamento Capacità Operative e Logistiche – Operational and Logistical Capability Upgrade) for 55 of its AMXs, adding

8001-403: The Military Aviation School, was designated, on September 16, Commander of the Air Units of the Army Detachment of the East. On September 6, Major Ajalmar Vieira Mascarenhas was appointed Commander of the Air Units of the Detachment of the Southern Army. The Navy's aircraft were under the direct operational control of the naval authorities, operating in support of the surface ships deployed near

8128-538: The Navy and the Army. On the other hand, the Paulistas had only two Potez 25 and two Waco planes, in addition to a small number of tourist planes. At the end of July, the rebel government obtained another plane, brought by Lieutenant Artur Mota Lima, who defected from Campo dos Afonsos, Rio de Janeiro . The "reds", as the federal government planes were known, not only acted on the lines of combat, but also were used to bombard several cities of São Paulo, among them Campinas, where they caused great damage. They also served as

8255-977: The Operation Agata 4, the Brazilian Air Force used two A-29 Super Tucano to destroy a clandestine runway used by drug traffickers within the Amazon rainforest. In 2011–2013, Operation Agatha marks the start of a new decade of the twenty-first century with the consolidation of the Amazon Surveillance System (SIVAM), an intricate network of radars, meteorological sensors, digital satellite communications, and advanced air-traffic-control software, among other technological advances available to Brazilian Military personnel. The Brazilian Air Force (FAB), which deployed new tactics and methods of fighting using RQ-450 remote-controlled aircraft . Operating in conjunction with sophisticated E-99 Guardian planes , they will locate objectives for A-29 Super Tucano fighters flying in darkness. Northrop F-5EM fighters, responsible for providing air superiority. In July 2016, Defense Aerospace Brazilian command displays participation of Brazilian Air Force at

8382-423: The Philippines' Department of National Defense signed a contract for 12 FA-50 light attack aircraft worth P18.9 billion (US$ 421.12 million). The Italian Air Force held a retirement ceremony on 5 April 2024 at Istrana Air Base in northern Italy. In 1986, development of a two-seat advanced trainer variant was undertaken. This was intended to provide trainee pilots with experience on fast jets, while still retaining

8509-403: The Soviet/Russian Sukhoi Su-25 Frogfoot. A variety of light attack aircraft has also been introduced in the post-World War II era, usually based on adapted trainers or other light fixed-wing aircraft. These have been used in counter-insurgency operations. U.S. attack aircraft are currently identified by the prefix A- , as in " A-6 Intruder " and " A-10 Thunderbolt II ". However, until

8636-421: The Spey 807 model, which featured several additional improvements, was selected to power the new aircraft. Key features that were reportedly emphasised in the design process of the new aircraft were accessibility and survivability; the AMX had to be able to sustain a single failure to any onboard system without any performance degradation. To achieve this, key systems are duplicated and vital systems are protected;

8763-454: The U.S. Marine Corps has noted similar problems. In the late 1960s the United States Air Force requested a dedicated close air support (CAS) plane that became the Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II . The A-10 was originally conceived as an anti-armor weapon (the A-X program requirements specifically called for an aircraft mounting a large rotary cannon to destroy massed Warsaw Pact armored forces) with limited secondary capability in

8890-567: The US to convert to the Republic P-47D Thunderbolt . On September 19, 1944, the 1º GAVCA left for Italy, arriving at Livorno on October 6. It became part of the 350th Fighter Group of the USAAF , which in turn was part of the 62nd Fighter Wing , XXII Tactical Air Command , of the 12th Air Force . The Brazilian pilots initially flew from 31 October 1944, as individual elements of flights attached to 350th FG squadrons, at first in affiliation flights and progressively taking part in more dangerous missions. Less than two weeks later, on November 11,

9017-409: The USAAF, preferred the older term "Scout-Bomber", under a "SB-" designation, such as the Curtiss SB2C Helldiver . The Junkers Ju 87s of the German Luftwaffe became virtually synonymous with close air support during the early months of World War II. The British Commonwealth's Desert Air Force , led by Arthur Tedder, became the first Allied tactical formation to emphasize the attack role, usually in

9144-728: The USAAF. It was not until 1946, when the US Navy and US Marine Corps started using the "attack" (A) designation, when it renamed BT2D Skyraider and BTM Mauler to, respectively, AD Skyraider and AM Mauler. As with many aircraft classifications, the definition of attack aircraft is somewhat vague and has tended to change over time. Current U.S. military doctrine defines it as an aircraft which most likely performs an attack mission , more than any other kind of mission. Attack mission means, in turn, specifically tactical air-to-ground action—in other words, neither air-to-air action nor strategic bombing

9271-731: The adoption of a glass cockpit, a new OBOGS system and HMD DASH IV . Italian military designation for the AMX from 2012. Italian military designation for the AMX-T from 2012. Italian military designation for the AMX ACOL from 2012. Italian military designation for the AMX-T ACOL from 2012. Data from Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1993–94, Jet Bombers General characteristics Performance Armament Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era Related lists Ground-attack aircraft Fighter aircraft often carry out

9398-524: The advanced trainer and attack aircraft role, but the US Congress vetoed the sale because the aircraft systems include US technology. An AMX variant designed for reconnaissance missions. Various reconnaissance pallets can be fitted; used by the Brazilian Air Force. The product of a Brazilian upgrade program of their A-1s; significant features include a Mectron SCP-01 Scipio radar, Embraer BR2 data link, FLIR Systems navigation equipment, Elbit INS/GPS/databus,

9525-476: The aircraft followed the Super Tucanos to Cacoal airport. In 2010, the FAB worked on the Search & Rescue mission of Air France Flight 447 . The Brazilian Air Force has started a search and rescue from the Brazilian archipelago of Fernando de Noronha, sending eight planes to search a stretch bounded by the coastal cities of Recife , Natal and the archipelago of Fernando de Noronha. On March 12, 2012, during

9652-495: The aircraft's range, Italian aircraft are also fitted with a fixed aerial refueling probe. Optical reconnaissance pods can be carried externally on the centerline hardpoint. Wingtip rails are provided for infrared guided air-to-air missiles such as the AIM-9 Sidewinder and MAA-1 Piranha . Italian aircraft are fitted with a M61 Vulcan 20 mm rotary cannon on the port side of the lower fuselage. The United States denied

9779-404: The aircraft's secondary aerial reconnaissance role. A simple ranging radar is equipped for targeting purposes, however the specific radar also differs between both operators. The flight system employs a GE Avionics flight control computer. Extensive electronic countermeasure (ECM) are fitted to protect the aircraft, including passive receiver antenna on the tailfin and an active jammer pod that

9906-501: The attack role, although they would not be considered attack aircraft per se ; fighter-bomber conversions of those same aircraft would be considered part of the class. Strike fighters , which have effectively replaced the fighter-bomber and light bomber concepts, also differ little from the broad concept of an attack aircraft. The dedicated attack aircraft as a separate class existed primarily during and after World War II . The precise implementation varied from country to country, and

10033-413: The available alternatives, but it was considered to be reliable, relatively cheap and was free of export restrictions that would be imposed by using American engines. The Spey engine also enabled for the use of a simplified round-lipped inlet design. The rear fuselage is detachable in order to gain access to the engine. Separate consortia in both Brazil and Italy manufactured the Spey for the AMX. Unusual for

10160-650: The city of Colares , Pará State. The objects observed in the military records received the nickname of luminous bodies and were associated with phenomena reported by residents and authorities, reported by the local press, which reported alleged attacks on the civilian population. The operation was terminated after 4 months, and other related missions were carried out during 1978 by the National Intelligence Service . The Operation's documentary collection comprises hundreds of pages of documents, such as reports, photographic images and footage. On April 9, 1982,

10287-666: The current U.S. designation system, an attack aircraft ( A ) is designed primarily for air-to-surface (Attack: Aircraft designed to find, attack, and destroy land or sea targets) missions (also known as "attack missions"), while a fighter category F incorporates not only aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat , but additionally multipurpose aircraft designed also for ground-attack missions. "F" - Fighter Aircraft were designed to intercept and destroy other aircraft or missiles. This includes multipurpose aircraft also designed for ground support missions such as interdiction and close air support. Just to mention one example amongst many,

10414-544: The detection of radar echoes at radial 270 of its VOR, prompting the air base to also be put on alert. During the events of that night, 2 Northrop F-5 and 3 Dassault Mirage III fighters were activated in an attempt to intercept dozens of UFOs over the four Brazilian states. The Minister of the Air Force, Brigadier Lt. of the Air Octávio Júlio Moreira Lima granted a press conference on the 23rd of May along with

10541-455: The end of World War II the A- designation was shared between attack planes and light bombers for USAAF aircraft (as opposed to B- prefix for medium or heavy bombers). The US Navy used a separate designation system and at the time preferred to call similar aircraft scout bombers (SB) or torpedo bombers (TB or BT). For example, Douglas SBD Dauntless scout bomber was designated A-24 when used by

10668-451: The end of the thirties showed the importance of Air power for military strategies. One of the main supporters of the plan to create an independent air arm was the then-president Getúlio Vargas . He organized a study group early in 1940 and the whole structure of the Ministry of Aeronautics ( Ministério da Aeronáutica ) was established the end of that year. This new governmental agency

10795-607: The engines. Italy assigned six AMXs from 103° Gruppo to operations over Bosnia in 1995 as part of Operation Deny Flight , which was followed by a similar deployment in support of the IFOR peacekeepers in Bosnia. This deployment was interrupted by another grounding, again due to engine failure, between January and March 1996. Italian AMX aircraft were used in 1999 in the Kosovo war . Instead of using unguided or more traditional laser-guided bombs ,

10922-413: The fighter pilots, confirming the events of the 19th and stating, "It's not about believing or not [in aliens]. We can only give out technical information . There are several hypotheses. Technically, I'd tell you gentlemen that we have no explanation." The Embraer ( Empresa Brasileira de Aeronáutica , Brazilian Aeronautic Co.) company has its origins as an enterprise directly managed and sponsored by

11049-486: The first use by AMX aircraft of Litening targeting pods paired with Paveway and JDAM guided bombs. In early 2016, due to the declining stability of Libya, Italy opted to station additional aircraft, including four AMX fighters, at Bassi Airbase , Trapani , Sicily . In March 2012, the Philippines were reportedly holding negotiations with Italy for the possible procurement of used AMX aircraft; however, on 28 March 2014,

11176-592: The form of single-engine Hawker Hurricane and Curtiss P-40 fighter-bombers or specialized "tank-busters", such as the Hurricane Mk IID, armed with two 40 mm Vickers S guns (notably No. 6 Squadron RAF ). At around the same time, a massive invasion by Axis forces had forced the Soviet air forces to quickly expand their army support capacity, such as the Ilyushin Il-2 Sturmovik. The women pilots known as

11303-460: The group flew the most sorties of the war; consequently, Brazil commemorates April 22 Brazilian Fighter Arm Day. In all, the 1 GAVCA flew a total of 445 missions, 2,550 individual sorties, and 5,465 combat flight hours, from 11 November 1944 to 6 May 1945. The XXII Tactical Air Command acknowledged the efficiency of the Group by noting that although it flew only 5% of the total of missions carried out by all squadrons under its control, it accomplished

11430-581: The group started its own operations flying from its base at Tarquinia , using its tactical callsign Jambock . Brazilian Air Force stars replaced the white U.S. star in the roundel on the FAB Thunderbolts. The 1 GAVCA started its fighting career as a fighter-bomber unit, its missions being armed reconnaissance and interdiction , in support of the US Fifth Army, to which the FEB was attached. On April 16, 1945,

11557-554: The international search effort. In January 2021, in the middle of the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic , the Brazilian city of Manaus , located in the interior of the amazon rainforest, was left with an overburdened medical service needing medical supplies and transferring patients, a major operation was set up by Brazilian air force, mobilizing all its available transport aviation, aircraft C-130 , KC-390 , C-97 Brasilia , C-95M Bandeirantes , CASA C-105 and C-99 were deployed for

11684-496: The introduction of precision-guided munitions which allowed almost any aircraft to carry out this role while remaining safe at high altitude. Attack helicopters also have overtaken many remaining roles that could only be carried out at lower altitudes. Since the 1960s, only two dedicated attack aircraft designs have been widely introduced, the American Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II and

11811-590: The jets as they were able to both out accelerate and out maneuver the jets. The Royal Navy Hawker Sea Fury fighters and the U.S. Vought F4U Corsair and Douglas A-1 Skyraider were operated during the Korean War while the latter continued to be used throughout the Vietnam War . Many post-World War II era air forces have been reluctant to adopt fixed-wing jet aircraft developed specifically for ground attack. Although close air support and interdiction remain crucial to

11938-481: The largest aeromedical evacuation operation in Brazilian aviation military history. In October 2023, during the Israel-Hamas war , the Brazilian Air Force together with the Brazilian government mounted its largest repatriation operation of nationals in a conflict zone in history, employing 6 aircraft (2 Airbus A330 MRTT , 2 Embraer C-390 Millennium and 2 Embraer Lineage 1000 ) to rescue more than 2,700 people from

12065-487: The leading Stuka ace, Hans-Ulrich Rudel , who claimed 500 tanks, a battleship, a cruiser, and two destroyers in 2,300 combat missions. The Bristol Beaufighter , based on an obsolescent RAF bomber, became a versatile twin-engine attack aircraft and served in almost every theatre of the war, in the maritime strike and ground attack roles as well as that of night fighter. Conversely, some mid-war attack types emerged as adaptations of fighters, including several versions of

12192-540: The middle of the Cold War , between 1970 and 1974, the Brazilian Air Force used its attack aircraft to bomb camps of internal Maoist guerrilla groups in the regions of the Vale do Ribeira and in the Araguaia River , attacking targets inside the jungles, using NA T-6 attack planes and B-26 Invader bombers armed with napalm . In 1977 the Brazilian Air Force conducted Operation Saucer regarding alleged UFO sightings in

12319-650: The mission to protect Brazilian airspace. Under the guidance of the ground control, the two F-103Es positioned themselves next to the Cuban invader. It was then that, from the Military Operations Center, Major José Orlando Bellon said on the radio, in English: “You were intercepted. There are two combat aircraft at your side. The order is to land in Brasilia immediately ”. Under the surveillance of Brazilian fighters, they made

12446-457: The modern battlefield, attack aircraft are less glamorous than fighters, while air force pilots and military planners have a certain well-cultivated contempt for "mud-movers". More practically, the cost of operating a specialized ground-attack aircraft is harder to justify when compared with multirole combat aircraft . Jet attack aircraft were designed and employed during the Cold War era, such as

12573-562: The most notable attack type to emerge during the late 1930s was the Soviet Ilyushin Il-2 Sturmovik , which became the most-produced military aircraft type in history. As World War II approached, the concept of an attack aircraft was not well defined, and various air services used many different names for widely differing types, all performing similar roles (sometimes in tandem with non-attack roles of bombers, fighters, reconnaissance and other roles. The British concept of

12700-748: The port of Santos, to effect a naval blockade and also in support of the Naval Flotilla of Mato Grosso, based in Ladário. They also participated in operations with Military Aviation in the Paraíba Valley and on the southern front, in escort and observation missions. The Air Force of São Paulo was under the overall command of Major Ivo Borges, Commander of the Aviation Units of the Constitutionalist Aviation, and Major Lysias A. Rodrigues, Commander of

12827-518: The post-World War II era has also expanded need for these types of aircraft to conduct counter-insurgency and light ground attack operations. A primary distinction of post-World War II aviation between the U.S. Army and the U.S. Air Force was that latter had generally been allocated all fixed-wing aircraft , while helicopters were under control of the former; this was governed by the 1948 Key West Agreement . The Army, wishing to have its own resources to support its troops in combat and faced with

12954-505: The prospect of a rocket attack was unnerving. The ultimate development of the cannon-armed light attack aircraft was the small production run in 1944 of the Henschel Hs 129 B-3, armed with a modified PAK 40 75 mm anti-tank gun. This weapon, the Bordkanone BK 7,5 , was the most powerful forward-firing weapon fitted to a production military aircraft during World War II. The only other aircraft to be factory-equipped with similar guns were

13081-639: The sale of the M61 to Brazil, thus its AMXs are instead fitted with two 30 mm DEFA 554 revolver cannons . The first operational squadron of the Italian air force, the 103° Gruppo of 51° Stormo formed in November 1989, with the first Italian unit also forming in 1989. Both the Italian and Brazilian AMX fleets were grounded in February 1992, following the crash of an Italian AMX due to engine failure. Operations were allowed to restart in May that year, following modification of

13208-488: The same number of Italian Tornado IDS in the reconnaissance role. Of particular note is the aircraft's ability to share digital electro-optical and infrared sensor information with ground troops in real time, providing valuable reconnaissance information and helping to minimise threat exposure. By the end of 2010 over 700 combat missions had been flown in the Afghan theatre. On 28 May 2014, the AMX performed its last combat sortie in

13335-571: The single-seater's attack capabilities. First flying in 1990, the AMX-T equipped both the Italian and Brazilian air forces. The AMX Advanced Trainer Attack (AMX-ATA) is a new AMX two-seater multi-mission attack fighter developed for combat roles and advanced training. The AMX-ATA incorporates new sensors, a forward-looking infrared helmet-mounted display, a new multi-mode radar for air-to-air and air-to-surface capability, and new weapons systems including anti-ship missiles and medium-range missiles. The Venezuelan Air Force ordered eight AMX-ATA in 1999 for

13462-500: The specification was dropped before an aircraft went into production. In some air services, dive bombers did not equip ground-attack units, but were treated as a separate class. In Nazi Germany, the Luftwaffe distinguished between the Stuka ( Sturzkampf- , "dive bombing") units, equipped with Junkers Ju 87 from Schlacht ("battle") units, using strafing/low-level bombing types such as

13589-595: The type; both twin-engine and single-engine approaches were considered. The use of US-sourced engines had been promptly discounted to avoid any potential restrictions on export sales of the overall aircraft. Amongst the engines examined were the Turbo-Union RB199 (as used by the larger Panavia Tornado ), the Rolls-Royce Turbomeca Adour , Rolls-Royce Viper , and the Rolls-Royce Spey engine. In 1978,

13716-442: The use of cockpit armor was considered but ultimately discounted due to the expense involved. The detailed definition phase of the project was completed in March 1980. A total of seven flight-capable prototypes were produced for the test program, three by Aeritalia, two by Aermacchi, and two by Embraer, as well as two static airframes. The first prototype, assembled in Italy, made its maiden flight on 15 May 1984. This first aircraft

13843-523: Was Alberto M. Torres, who had piloted a PBY Catalina that had sunk U-199 , operating off the Brazilian coast. The group trained for combat in Panama , where 2º Ten.-Av. (Aviation Second Lieutenant) Dante Isidoro Gastaldoni was killed in a training accident. On May 11, 1944, the group was declared operational and became active in the air defense of the Panama Canal Zone. On June 22, the 1º GAVCA traveled to

13970-605: Was a part of the Allied armies' strength in holding German attacks and supporting Allied counter-attacks and offensives. Admittedly, the cost to the Allies was high, with the Royal Flying Corps sustaining a loss rate approaching 30% among ground-attack aircraft. After World War I, it was widely believed that using aircraft against tactical targets was of little use other than in harassing and undermining enemy morale; attacking combatants

14097-493: Was an armored twin-engine triplane for ground strafing with eight machine guns and about a ton of armor plate, and the 1922 Aeromarine PG-1 was a combined pursuit (fighter) and ground attack design with a 37mm gun. The United States Marine Corps Aviation applied close air support tactics in the Banana Wars . While they did not pioneer dive bombing tactics, Marine aviators were the first to include it in their doctrine during

14224-600: Was carried out by purpose-designed and heavily armored aircraft such as the Henschel Hs 129 and Ilyushin Il-2 . The Germans and Soviets also used light bombers in this role: cannon-armed versions of the Junkers Ju 87 Stuka greatly outnumbered the Hs 129, while the Petlyakov Pe-2 was used for this role in spite of not being specifically designed for it. In the latter part of World War II,

14351-471: Was employed. On September 19, 1914, taking advantage of a special train driving troops, three aircraft were boarded: a Morane-Saulnier biplane, a Morane-Saulnier monoplane and a Blitzer SIT biplane. The train continued from Rio de Janeiro passing through São Paulo where it would reach the São Paulo – Rio Grande railway to the station of União da Vitória. Along the way, sparks shot through the locomotive, hitting

14478-475: Was expected and operating at low altitudes to precisely identify targets. Other roles, including those of light bombers , medium bombers , dive bombers , reconnaissance , fighters , fighter-bombers , could and did perform air strikes on battlefields. All these types could significantly damage ground targets from a low level flight, either by bombing, machine guns, or both. Attack aircraft came to diverge from bombers and fighters. While bombers could be used on

14605-477: Was formed on December 18, 1943. Its commanding officer was Aviation Lt.Col. Nero Moura. The group had 350 men, including 43 pilots. The group was divided into four flights: Red ("A"), Yellow ("B"), Blue ("C"), and Green ("D"). The CO of the group and some officers were not attached to any specific flight. Unlike the BEF's Army component, the 1º GAVCA had personnel who were experienced Brazilian Air Force pilots. One of them

14732-686: Was generally much more dangerous to aircrews than their targets, a problem that was continually becoming more acute with the ongoing refinement of anti-aircraft weapons . Within the range of types serving attack roles, dive bombers were increasingly being seen as more effective than aircraft designed for strafing with machine guns or cannons . Nevertheless, during the 1920s, the US military, in particular, procured specialized "Attack" aircraft and formed dedicated units, that were trained primarily for that role. The US Army Engineering Division became involved in designing ground attack aircraft. The 1920 Boeing GA-1

14859-462: Was given the designation of MB-340 . In 1977, the Italian Air Force issued a requirement for 187 new-build strike fighters, which were to replace its existing Aeritalia G.91 in the close air support role. In 1980, the Brazilian government announced that they intended to participate in the program in order to provide a replacement for the Aermacchi MB-326 used by the Brazilian Air Force . As

14986-539: Was handled by a wide variety of designs. In the United States and Britain , attack aircraft were generally light bombers or medium bombers , sometimes carrying heavier forward-firing weapons like the North American B-25G Mitchell and de Havilland Mosquito Tsetse . In Germany and the USSR , where they were known as Schlachtflugzeug ("battle aircraft") or sturmovik ("storm trooper") respectively, this role

15113-419: Was invited to join the industrial partnership. An agreement was also struck to divide AMX manufacturing between the partners; for each production aircraft, Aeritalia manufactured 46.5 per cent of the components (central fuselage, stabilisers and rudders), Aermacchi produced 22.8 per cent (front fuselage and tail cone), and Embraer performed 29.7 per cent of the work (wing, air intakes, pylons and drop tanks). There

15240-402: Was lost on its fifth flight in an accident, resulting in the death of its pilot. Aside from this early loss, testing progressed without further incident. The first Brazilian-assembled prototype made its first flight on 16 October 1985. On 11 May 1988, the first production aircraft performed its first flight. Deliveries of production aircraft to Italy began in 1988, the first units were delivered to

15367-486: Was no duplication of work, each component of the aircraft was built at one source only. The planned requirements were 187 aircraft for Italy and 100 for Brazil. Final deliveries were 136 aircraft for the Italian Air Force (110 AMX & 26 AMX-T) and 94 airplanes for the Brazilian Air Force (79 AMX & 15 AMX-T) for a total of 230 planes between the two countries. In the early stages of development, various different powerplants and engine configurations were studied to power

15494-523: Was replaced by faster fighter types for photo-reconnaissance, and light aircraft for artillery spotting. During the inter-war period, the British flew the Fairey Battle , a light bomber which originated in a 1932 specification. Designs in 1938 for a replacement were adapted as a target tug. The last British specification issued for a light bomber was B.20/40 described as a "Close Army Support Bomber" capable of dive bombing and photo-reconnaissance. However,

15621-585: Was responsible for the all aspects of the civil and military aviation including infrastructure, regulation and organization. Formally, the Ministry of Aeronautics was founded on January 20, 1941, and so its military branch called "National Air Forces", changed to "Brazilian Air Force" ( Força Aérea Brasileira – FAB ) on May, 22. The Army ( Aviação Militar ) and Navy ( Aviação Naval ) air branches were extinguished and all personnel, aircraft, installations and other related equipment were transferred to FAB. The Brazilian Air force made important contributions to

15748-473: Was temporarily detained in Brazil. On May 19, 1986, a series of radar and visual contacts with unidentified flying objects (UFOs) took place across the Brazilian states of São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Minas Gerais and Goiás, the Santa Cruz Air Force Base was put on alert due to the presence of several unidentified radar plots around São José dos Campos. Around half an hour later, Anápolis Air Force Base reports

15875-762: Was the Junkers J.I , which pioneered the idea of an armored "bathtub", that was both fuselage structure and protection for engine and crew. The British experimented with the Sopwith TF series (termed "trench fighters"), although these did not see combat. The last battles of 1918 on the Western Front demonstrated that ground-attacking aircraft were a valuable component of all-arms tactics. Close support ground strafing ( machine-gunning ) and tactical bombing of infantry (especially when moving between trenches and along roads), machine gun posts , artillery , and supply formations

16002-467: Was the scheduled date for a heavy attack on the rebels. The mission was to fly over the Valley of Santa Maria, to launch bombs on the rebels' stronghold, and to observe and direct the shots of the artillery and the advance of the infantry. Two Morane-Saulnier aircraft took off, but the attack was canceled due to adverse weather conditions, for the aircraft piloted by then lieutenant-aviator Ricardo Kirk suffered

16129-783: Was to create a safe corridor through the Iraqi air defense system. The attack was a huge success and cleared the way for the beginning of the Allied bombing campaign of Operation Desert Storm . One concern involving the Apache arose when a unit of these helicopters was very slow to deploy during U.S. military involvement in Kosovo. According to the Army Times , the Army is shifting its doctrine to favor ground-attack aircraft over attack helicopters for deep strike attack missions because ground-attack helicopters have proved to be highly vulnerable to small-arms fire;

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