Update – The AMX Project

This then brought together three very efficient and innovative aircraft manufacturers in a truly international programme that should serve as an example to Australia in the decades ahead. With Indonesia’s Nurtanio ‘doing an Embraer’ right on our northern doorstep it might be appropriate to perhaps consider the advantages of the Australian Aircraft Consortium (as it represents all three major Australian aerospace facilities) becoming involved in a co-production programme with Nurtanio in the years ahead. The successful partnership of CASA of Spain and Nurtanio in developing and building the 36-seat CN-235 supercomputer is a graphic example of where the future lies in regard to second-level nations supporting an active aircraft industry. In fact, Indonesia has on numerous occasions exhibited an interest in building an aircraft similar to AMX for use in the mid-nineties. This is perhaps an ideal opportunity for Australia to get aboard a project that would allow us more rational use of the expensive F-18 in a time of conflict in addition to cementing ties with a valuable neighbour and ally. In this context, further study of the AMX project provides additional interest for Australia.

AMX itself has been built as simply as possible, in order to maintain a competitive cost structure and in the longer term to ensure that the aircraft is simple to operate and support in the field and able to consistently return a high level of operability. In the Falklands conflict the Harrier and Sea Harrier aircraft may not have been the tactical equivalent of the A-6 and F-14 aircraft deployed aboard a US carrier but with a better than 85% operability factor for the commencement of each day’s combat they more than proved the old saying that the world’s most sophisticated strike fighter is useless metal if it is not operational when required. AMX has been built and designed to this philosophy.

The work share split between the three companies runs at 46% for Aeritalia who build the fuselage centre section in addition to carbon fibre components for the wings and empennage. Aer Macchi shares 24% of the project and are responsible for the front and rear fuselage while Embraer with 30% are building the wings, empennage, pylons and fuel tanks. Production will run parallel in both Italy and Brazil with the projected maximum monthly production being 10 aircraft, though if export orders allow, this figure can go as high as 15 units per month.

The AMX is a single-seat aircraft grossing at 25,350 lbs with a dry weight of 14,330 lbs which places it squarely between the A-4 Skyhawk and the Mirage Ill. Powered by a single Rolls Royce Spey Mk 807 turbofan of 11,030 lbs thrust, the AMX will have a maximum speed at sea level of 625 kts and will be able to carry a maximum of 7716 lb in external. AMX features either twin 30 mm DEFA cannons or a single Vulcan M61 20 mm Gatling gun mounted internally while store selection varies according to mission requirements and includes a wide selection of air-to-ground missiles and precision-guided munitions systems. Selection of the Rolls Royce Spey was made because it was a proven engine with excellent SFCs and was of exactly the precise thrust rating that the partnership was seeking for an aircraft of this size and mission profile. Rolls have specially developed the Mk 807, which is derived from the civil version as used on the F. 28-4000 and the military version which powers the Buccaneer strike fighter. The AMX programme will use a minimum of 400 Speys and the majority of these will be produced by Fiat in Italy.

AMX has benefited widely through Aeritalia’s involvement on the Tornado programme while Embraer of course have been building Aer Macchi MB-326 trainers for many years. The overall potential technological and economic gain for all the partners is most obvious when it is considered that AMX has been precisely designed as a cost-efficient replacement for aircraft like the A-4 Skyhawk and Hawker Hunter. While no doubt ex-USN Skyhawks and later, Vought A-7 Corsair cells will continue to soak up some of this market in the present decade AMX stands to continue as a viable combat aircraft right into the nineteen nineties if series production can be adequately maintained once the present requirements are met. Present contracts call for 79 aircraft for the Brazilian Air Force and a further 187 for the Italian Air Force with first flight made by mid ’84 and initial operational capability being attained by 1987.

Overall the AMX is offered as a simple-to-operate and maintain subsonic ground support aircraft, able to operate out of short strips with a high level of daily operability in support of ground forces within principally 200 nautical miles of the operating base. From Australia’s point of view this type of aircraft could prove attractive during the next decade and a study of the implications of the industrial partnership involved tends to highlight potential opportunities that should not be overlooked if we are to sustain a viable aerospace industry during the nineteen nineties.