Article Posted on : - Sep 04, 2013

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

SAO PAULO, BRAZIL (BNS): The Brazilian Air Force (FAB) has taken delivery of the first modernised A-1 (A-1M) fighter jet from Embraer's industrial plant in Gaviao Peixoto, in outstate Sao Paulo.

The A-1M jet has the capability of performing air-to-ground attack, bombing, tactical air support and reconnaissance missions, Embraer said.

The fighter jet mordernisation was carried out under the O A-1M programme which provides for refurbishing and modernising 43 subsonic AMX jets. About 16 aircraft are already at the Company's facilities.

The modernised FAB airplanes will receive new systems for navigation, weaponry, oxygen generation, multimode radar, and electronic countermeasures.

This equipment, along with structural refurbishment, will allow these jets to continue operating until 2025, it said.

According to the Embraer modernisation programme, the A-1Ms will receive systems that are similar to those that are also found on the F-5Ms and the A-29 Super Tucanos belonging to the FAB.

This will assist with the adaptation period of the pilots and provides standardization with numerous operational advantages, such as improved fleet management policy, better output in terms of flight hours, and reduced maintenance and operating costs.

The programme also includes providing briefing and debriefing stations that will be used for training and improving the proficiency of the pilots of the FAB squadrons.