FMA IA 63 Pampa

The FMA IA 63 Pampa is an advanced trainer aircraft with combat capability, produced in Argentina by Fabrica Militar de Aviones (FMA) with assistance from Dornier of Germany.

Design and development
Preliminary design studies for a replacement for the Morane-Saulnier MS-760 of the Argentine Air Force started at the Fábrica Militar de Aviones (FMA) in 1978, with these studies resulting in selection of a proposal powered by a single Garrett TFE731 turbofan with high, unswept wings. At the same time the FMA signed a partnership agreement with Dornier to develop the new aircraft.

Although influenced by the Dassault/Dornier Alpha Jet design, the Pampa differs in being a smaller aircraft, it is also single-engined and has straight supercritical wings rather than the swept ones of the Alpha Jet. It is constructed mainly of aluminium alloy, with carbon-fibre used for components such as the air intakes. The crew of two sit in tandem under a single piece clamshell canopy. The avionics systems are also simpler than the Franco-German aircraft, which has an important secondary combat role. The Pampa prototype first flew on 6 October 1984.

Variants
Production of the initial series has been delayed and hampered by the state of the Argentinian economy, and as a result only 18 production aircraft have been built in the first batch (1988–90) and 6 in the second batch (2006–07) for the Argentine Air Force. First deliveries occurred in April 1988. The 18 aircraft are in service, all modernized, with the IV Brigada Aérea (IV Air Brigade) at Mendoza for the advanced training role of Argentine pilots.
 * IA 63

In the 1990s, LTV/Vought selected the IA 63 as the basis for the Pampa 2000, which Vought entered into the Joint Primary Aircraft Training System competition for the United States Air Force. The Pampa 2000 lost to the Beechcraft/Raytheon entry which became the T-6 Texan II.
 * Vought Pampa 2000

With the acquisition of FMA by Lockheed Martin the Pampa went through a midlife upgrade with new engine and a more advanced avionics package compatible with the A-4AR and weapon system. This new project is called AT-63 Pampa (for attack trainer) and is marketed by Lockheed Martin. The only client is the Argentine Air Force.
 * AT-63 Pampa

Operators

 * Argentine Air Force
 * Argentine Air Force