Aermacchi MB.339

Aermacchi MB.339
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MB-339

Role	Light attack aircraft and advanced trainer
Manufacturer	Alenia Aermacchi
First flight	12 August, 1976
Primary user	Italian Air Force
Produced	1978-
Number built	Over 213
Developed from	Aermacchi MB-326

The Aermacchi MB-339 is an Italian military trainer and light attack aircraft. It is a development of the company's earlier MB-326 that it was designed to replace.

1 Design and development
2 Variants
3 Operators
4 Specifications (MB-339A)
5 References
6 External links
7 See also

Design and development

The MB-339 is of conventional configuration, and shares much of the 326's airframe. It has a low, un-swept wing with tip tanks and jet intakes in the roots, tricycle undercarriage, and accommodation for the student and instructor in tandem. The most significant revision was a redesign of the forward fuselage to raise the instructor's seat to allow visibility over and past the student pilot's head.

The first flight took place on August 12, 1976 and deliveries to the Italian Air Force commenced in 1979. Still in production in 2004 in an enhanced version with a much-modernised cockpit. Over 200 MB-339s have been built, with roughly half of them going to the Italian Air Force.

The Lockheed-Aermacchi MB-339 T-Bird II was a losing contender in the USA's Joint Primary Aircraft Training System (JPATS) aircraft selection. Among the seven to enter, the Raytheon/Pilatus entry won, which became the T-6 Texan II.

According to an article posted on the Italian website 'Il Porto Franci', called 'Armi e finanziamenti nel corno d'Africa', Eritrea paid about $US 50 million for six MB-339 CE's in 1997. This is the original MB-339 with more advanced avionics for the ground attack role, RWR, uprated Viper 680-43 engine, and larger wingtip tanks. It is said to be capable of carrying Sidewinder AAM's, AGM-65 Maverick AGM's, and laser guided bombs. Unit price of the MB-339C would have to be somewhere around $US 8.3 million in 1997 dollars.

Variants

MB-339X: Two prototypes
MB-339A: Original production variant for Italy

MB-339PAN: Variant for Frecce Tricolori aerobatic team
MB-339RM: Radio and radar calibration variant
MB-339AM: MB-339A version built for Malaysia.
MB-339AN: MB-339A version built for Nigeria.
MB-339AP: MB-339A version built for Peru.

MB-339K Veltro II: Single-seat dedicated attack version, first flew 1980
MB-339B: Trainer with enhanced attack capabilities
MB-339C: More powerful engine

MB-339CB: New Zealand version (weapons training with laser designation, radar detection, AIM-9L and AGM-65 Maverick capability - 17 survivors - in storage at RNZAF Base Ohakea, New Zealand)
MB-339CE: MB-339C version built for Eritrea.
MB-339CM: MB-339C version being built for Malaysia.

MB-339CD: Modernised flight controls and instrumentation.

MB-339FD ("Full Digital"): Export version of the MB-339CD

MB-339 T-Bird II (Lockheed T-Bird II): Version for U.S. JPATS competition.

Operators

Frecce Tricolori at RIAT 2005 in their anniversary year

Argentina

Argentine Navy (Comando de Aviación Naval) was the first foreign user of the forerunner MB-326GB, buying eight in 1969. Ten MB-339s arrived in 1979 and were the only attack jets to operate from Port Stanley Airport (along with turboprops FMA IA 58 Pucarás and T-34 Mentors) during the Falklands War in 1982. On May 21 during a routine reconnaissance flight and flown by Lieutenant Crippa, a MB-339 was the first one to attack the Royal Navy amphibious force hitting HMS Argonaut. Five airframes were captured or destroyed by the British. 11 surplus Brazilian Air Force MB-326GC were delivered after the war and are still in service and they are locally known as MC-32.

Dubai

Dubai Air Wing operates 7 MB-339A.

Eritrea

Eritrean Air Force operates 12 MB-339CE.

Ghana

Ghana Air Force operates 4 MB-339A

Indonesia

Indonesian Air Force Hasn't decided yet

Italy

Italian Air Force operates 72 MB-339A and 30 MB-339CD.

Malaysia

Royal Malaysian Air Force operated 13 MB-339AM - 8 survivors.

Nigeria

Nigerian Air Force operates 12x MB-339AN.

New Zealand

Royal New Zealand Air Force received 18 MB-339CB used by No. 14 Squadron RNZAF between 1991 and 2002.

Peru

Peruvian Air Force operates 16x MB-339AP.

Venezuela

Venezuelan Air Force will receive 14x MB-339FD. (order cancelled)

Specifications (MB-339A)

General characteristics

Crew: two, student and instructor
Length: 10.97 m (36 ft 0 in)
Wingspan: 10.85 m (35 ft 7 in)
Height: 3.99 m (13 ft 1 in)
Wing area: 19.3 m² (208 ft²)
Empty weight: 3,075 kg (6,780 lb)
Max takeoff weight: 4,400 kg (9,700 lb)
Powerplant: 1× Rolls-Royce Viper Mk. 632 , 4,000 lb_f (17.8 kN)

Performance

Maximum speed: 896 km/h (560 mph)
Range: 1,760 km (1,100 mi)
Service ceiling 14,600 m (47,900 ft)
Wing loading: 62,73 lb/ft² ()

Armament

Up to 1,800 kg (4,000 lb) of weapons on six hardpoints, including AIM-9 AAMs, AGM-65 AGMs, Marte ASMs, gunpods, bombs, and rockets. (option for two 7.62mm miniguns or two 30mm DEFA cannon in MB-339CD)

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Contents

Design and development

Variants

Operators

Specifications (MB-339A)

References

External links

See also