Three modernized A-4 of the Brazilian Navy made the first bomb dropping exercises
(defensa.com ) Although the modernization program , by Embraer Defesa & Segurança and subcontractors , has experienced a noticeable slowdown, the three copies of A / 4 / AF-1 now available maneuvers made their first real launch of pumps . On 24 and 25 November , Squadron VF -1 , from Natal Air Base , finalized the successful launch of 120 pumps exercise for a air-ground training - with a mission to bring down ground targets .
So, do they still have just the three modernized aircraft to date?
The single seat modernized aircraft are now desingated AF-1B and the modernized two seat are AF-1C.
Is it still limited to nine single seat (which will be AF-1Bs) and three two-seaters (which will be AF-1Cs)?
The A-4 was a very popular US Navy attack aircraft. For its size it could carry quite a lot of ordinance, and it was really pretty nimble for dogfigting if it had to tanbgle with a Mig-19 or Mig-21 back in the day. They were introduced to the US fleet over 60 years ago and almost 3,000 of them were built and used by ten separate nations.
The Brazilian upgrade program for their 20 A-4KUs from Kuwait, which were built in the late 1970s and had very few flight hours on them, and which the Brazilians designated AF-1 when they got them...is being conducted by Brazil's indigenous aerospace giant Embraer. It is costing more tah $10M (US) per aircraft. Twelve aircraft were to be upgraded, nine single-seat Skyhawks (to be called AF-1B) and three two-seat Skyhawks (to be called AF-1C).
This upgrade will be quite extensivce and is really needed to get the Skyhawks up to a standard where they can fight alongside Brazils other upgraded and newer aircraft, like their F-5EEM/FM aircraft. It includes a totally new avionics suite, including an upgraded glass cockpit and heads up display (HUD) along with full hands on throttle and stick (HOTAS) controls.
Isreali defense electronics company, Elta, is suppling their "2032" radar system. This radar is highly compact and scalable, and will give Brazil's Skyhawks a modern beyond visual range interception capability for the first time. It will aslo give them confident ground and surface mapping as well as targeting abilities. An upgraded digital radar warning receiver (RWR) will also be added to imporve suvivability and and the pilot's situational awareness.
New weapons will also end on the AF-1B/C Skyhawks, including Brazil's MAA-1B "Pirahana" short-ranged air-to-air missile or Israel's highly capable "Python 4." There are talks to purchase Israeli "Derby" BVR air-to-air missile as well. These are very similar to the US AIM-120 AMRAAM, in a slightly smaller package and with less range. Still, with a range of 20-25 miles those missiles would be perfect to go along with the aircraft's new Elta pulse doppler radar.
An AF-1B or AF-1C Skyhawk armed with a pair of Pythons and a pair of Derbys would be a very capable opponent, especially if they carried one of Elta's capable jamming pods.
The AF-1C/B's air-to-ground weapons will also get upgraded with Brazil's Mectron SMKB-82 500lb and SMKB-83 1000lb laser guided bombs, along with a laser targeting pod. I do not believe that the exact pod is known at this time, but since the Rafael LITENING III pod is already in service with other Brazilian aircraft, it is a distinct possibility.
There is also talk of anti-ship missiles being on the Brazilian Navy's list for these modernized Skyhawks.
These new upgrades will include having the aircraft's engines, power generation and wiring systems totally overhauled to an "as-new," condition. The old, cumbersome oxygen bottles are also being replaced by a modern on-board oxygen generation system (OBOGS).
Finally, new data-link systems and radios are being added for networked operations between the Skyhawks and other Brazilian forces.
All of this is going to make for a huge increased capability and availability for the VF-1 naval squadron. This will be especially important, because Brazil's other aircraft have already undergone modernization over the last ten and more years. When they are done, these AF-1B and AF-1C Skyhawks will have just about the same capability as these other upgraded and modernized Brazilian aircraft...but they will have more range and be able to operate off of the Brazilian carrier.
In the future these modernized Skyhwaks (which will be the most effective Skyhawks that have ever flown...and will probably also be the last), will fly alongside Brazil's planned JAS-39 Gripens, which have been ordered and will be operational over the next several years.
Actually, this is pretty exciting stuff all around!
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