Paul Lewis/SINGAPORE
THE AMX International AMX-T has been dropped from the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) lead-in fighter-trainer competition, narrowing the selection to five contenders.
Elimination of the AMX-T comes shortly before the release of a draft request for tenders (RFT). The tender document is expected to place a much greater emphasis on advanced training, rather than the light-strike role, for any new lead-in fighter trainer.
The aircraft is needed primarily for fast-jet conversion and introductory fighter courses, for pilots transitioning to the RAAF's McDonnell Douglas F-18A/Bs and General Dynamics F-111Cs.
A secondary strike capability is needed mainly for naval fleet support and training, now provided under contract by Royal New Zealand Air Force McDonnell Douglas A-4Ks.
The AMX-T offered to Australia, was a tandem seat trainer derivative of the AMX, which was developed primarily as a strike aircraft by Alenia, in partnership with Aermacchi and Embraer.
Its performance and capabilities were considered too big a jump for RAAF student pilots graduating from the Pilatus PC-9 turboprop trainer.
Aermacchi will instead concentrate its marketing efforts in Australia on the smaller MB.339FD. Still on offer for the lead-in fighter-trainer contract, are the Aero Vodochody L-59F, British Aerospace Hawk 100, Dassault/Dornier Alpha Jet ATS and the McDonnell Douglas T-45 Goshawk (Flight International, 29 March-4 April, P8).
A final RFT is due to be issued by September, giving manufacturers until the end of year to submit tenders
Source: Flight International
