Lockheed Martin Aircraft Argentina
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The Fábrica Militar de Aviones (FMA, or Military Aircraft Factory) is Argentina's main manufacturer of military aircraft. Formed on October 10, 1927 it is owned by the Argentine government. It was privatized in 1995 with Lockheed Martin given its concession for 25 years with two additional ten-year options. It is currently known as Lockheed Martin Aircraft Argentina SA.
[edit] Background
The FMA has produced numerous innovative aircraft prototypes, but the state of the Argentinian economy has prevented most of them from entering large-scale production. Nevertheless the FMA has managed to put several aircraft types of more conventional designs into full productions. It also engaged in production of licensed aircraft from other countries.
The prefixes used for the aircraft locally developed (and produced) are:
- Ae, for "Direccion General de Aerotecnica", on the first period (1927-1936);
- F.M.A., for "Fabrica Militar de Aviones", on the second period (1938-1943);
- I.Ae., for "Instituto Aerotécnico", on the third period (1943-1952);
- IA, meaning not specified, on the fourth (current) period (1952 to 2007).
[edit] Aircraft and Projects
| Year | Model | Built | Obs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Started as Instituto Aerotecnico | |||
| 1928 | Avro 504K "Gosport" | 31 | Biplane basic trainer, license-built. First aircraft produced by FMA. |
| 1930 | Dewoitine D.21 | 35 | Biplane fighter, license-built. |
| 1931 | Ae.C.1 | 1 | Civil tourism aircraft prototype (initial version); basic trainer (later version). First national design. |
| 1932 | Ae C2 / Ae.M.E.1 | 2 | Civil tourism aircraft (C2); basic military trainer (M.E.1) |
| 1933 | Ae.T.1 | 3 | Transport/commercial aircraft |
| 1934 | Ae.M.O.1 | 41 | Observation monoplane |
| 1934 | Ae.M.Oe.1 / Ae.M.Oe.2 | 6+14 | Variant of the Ae.M.O.1, observation and training |
| 1934 | Ae.C.3 | 16 | Civil aircraft. |
| 1935 | Ae.M.B.1 / Ae.M.B.2 Bombi | 1+14 | First bomber aircraft built by FMA |
| 1935 | Ae. M.S.1 | 1 | Sanitary aircraft |
| 1936 | Ae.C.3G | 1 | Tourism aircraft. |
| 1936 | Ae.C. 4 | 1 | Improved prototype version of the C.3G |
| Name changed to Fabrica Militar de Aviones | |||
| 1940 | Curtiss "Hawk" 75O | 20 | License built version of the US monoplane fighter Curtiss Hawk 75 |
| 1940 | Focke-Wulf Fw-44J "Stieglitz" | 190 | License built version of the German biplane trainer Focke-Wulf Fw 44 |
| 1940 | F.M.A. 20 "El Boyero" (I.Ae. 20) | 130 | Tourism aircraft, series built by "Industrias Petrolini" |
| 1943 | F.M.A. 21 | 1 | Advanced trainer aircraft protorype, based on the North American NA-16-1P fuselage. |
| 1943 | I.Ae. 22 "DL" | 206 | Advanced trainer aircraft |
| 1945 | I.Ae. 23 | 1 | Basic trainer prototype, based on the Focke-Wulf Fw44J |
| 1945 | I.Ae. 25 Mañque | 1 | Assault/Transport glider. |
| 1946 | I.Ae. 24 Calquín | 100 | Attack/Light bomber |
| 1947 | I.Ae. 27 Pulqui I | 1 | Jet fighter prototype, first of its kind built in Latin America. |
| 1947 | I.Ae. 31 Colibrí | 3 | Two-seat Trainer aircraft |
| 1948 | I.Ae. 30 Ñancú | 1 | Fighter/Attack prototype |
| 1949 | I.Ae. 32 Chingolo | 1 | Tourism/Trainer aircraft |
| 1949 | I.Ae. 34 Clen Antú | 3+1+3 | Glider, flying wing. Designed by Reimar Horten. |
| 1950 | I.Ae. 33 Pulqui II | 5 | First swept-wing jet fighter designed in Latin America |
| 1953 | I.Ae. 35 Huanquero | 2+3+20+9(+1+1) | Transport aircraft; variants "Constancia" and "Pandora" executive aircraft. |
| 1953 | I.Ae. 41 Urubú | 4 | Flying-wing glider, designed by Reimar Horten. |
| 1953 | I.Ae. 43 Pulqui III | 0 | Project, swept-wing supersonic jet fighter |
| I.Ae. 36 "Cóndor" | 0 | Project unbuilt, civil transport | |
| 1954 | I.Ae. 37 | 1 | Supersonic delta-wing interceptor, designed by Reimar Horten. Glider, unpowered prototype only. |
| 1960 | I.Ae. 38 Naranjero | 1 | Flying-wing transport/cargo, designed by Reimar Horten. |
| 1953 | I.Ae. 44 "DL" II | 0 | Advanced trainer (project, unbuilt) |
| 1959 | I.Ae. 45 Querandí | 2 | Executive transport, prototypes only (NOTE: some sources mention "1957" and "1" built) |
| 1957 | I.Ae. 46 Ranquel | 101+116 | 2-seat utility aircraft. Second series, enhanced variant "Super Ranquel". |
| 1960 | IA 35 Guaraní I | 1 | Approximate date, transport derived from the I.Ae. 35 "Huanquero" |
| 1963 | FMA IA 50 Guaraní II | 1+2+18+14 | Transport aircraft, derived from the IA 35 Guaraní I |
| Beechcraft T-34 Mentor | 75 | Trainer, licence built | |
| 1960 | Morane-Saulnier MS-760 Paris | 48 | Trainer, licence built |
| 1975 | FMA IA 58 Pucará | 120 | Counter-insurgency/light attack aircraft |
| 1990 | Embraer/FMA CBA 123 Vector | 2 | Turboprop 19-passenger regional airliner, only protptypes built before being cancelled |
| FMA SAIA 90 | Supersonic air superiority jet fighter project, unbuilt (mid-1980's) | ||
| 1984 | FMA IA 63 Pampa | 20+12 | Advanced trainer. AT-63 currently under production |
| Name changed to Lockheed Martin Aircraft Argentina SA | |||
| 1999 | A-4AR Fightinghawk | 18 | other 18 by Lockheed Martin in Pasadena, CA. |
| 2003 | T-34 Mentor | Refurbished of Argentine and Bolivia Air Forces | |
| 2006 | C-130 Hercules | Refurbished of Argentine and Colombian Air Forces | |
[edit] External links
- Lockheedmartin.com
- FMA history
- (Spanish) FMA History
- (Spanish) FMA's 75 years
- (Spanish) Aeromilitaria.com.ar
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