Article Posted on : - Jun 20, 2012

The A-1 AMX fighter of Brazil. An Air Force photo

SAO PAULO (BNS): Embraer has successfully test flown the first refurbished A-1 AMX fighter aircraft for the Brazilian Air Force.

The first prototype of the combat jet, called A-1M, took to the sky from Embraer's manufacturing plant at Gaviao Peixoto, Sao Paulo on Tuesday in the presence of Brazilian Air Force (FAB) Chief Juniti Saito and other senior officials.

The aircraft's flight test campaign will soon begin, the company said.

Brazilian Air Force had awarded a contract to Embraer in January 2011 to upgrade its fleet of AMX fighter jets. Under the contract, which was an extension of a previous contract awarded to Embraer in 2003, the company was to overhaul a total of 43 A-1 AMX supersonic fighters of the FAB.

The contract entailed structural overhaul, repair and substitution of outdated equipment of the fighters.

"The A-1M are getting modern systems similar to those already fitted to our F-5M and A-29 (fighters). The similarity between these aircraft avionics will help in the adaptation of our pilots and represents a standard that offers numerous operational advantages, such as improving the employment doctrine of the FAB and the best performance of flight hours," the FAB Chief Juniti Saito said.

Embraer expects to begin deliveries of the modernised fighters to the Air Force in 2013.

The AMX fighters/bombers have been the frontline attack aircraft of the Brazilian Air Force over the last two decades. Built by AMX International, an Italian-Brazilian joint venture, the ground-attack aircraft has been designed for battlefield interdiction, close air support and reconnaissance missions.