Aermacchi MB-339

The Aermacchi MB-339 is a military jet trainer and light attack aircraft designed and manufactured by Italian aviation company Aermacchi.

The MB-339 was developed during the 1970s in response to an Italian Air Force requirement that sought a replacement for the service's existing fleet of Aermacchi MB-326s. Its design was derived from that of the MB-326, rather than a new design, and thus the two aircraft share considerable similarities in terms of their design. Aermacchi had found that the MB-339 was capable of satisfying all of the specified requirements while being the most affordable option available. The maiden flight of the MB-339 took place on 12 August 1976; the first production aircraft were delivered two years later.

Roughly half of all MB-339s entered service with the Italian Air Force, while the remainder have been sold to various export customers. As well as being used for training, the type is also flown by the Frecce Tricolori aerobatic display team. The type has been used in combat by both the Eritrean Air Force during the Eritrean–Ethiopian War of 1998–2000 and the Argentine Naval Aviation during the Falklands War of 1982. In both conflicts, the MB-339 was typically flown as an attack aircraft. In Italian service, the aircraft is intended to be replaced by the newer Aermacchi M-345.

Development

During September 1972, Aermacchi was awarded a contract to study a replacement for the Italian Air Force's aging MB-326 fleet, a type which had effectively been the standard advanced jet trainer of the 1960s. During this study, designers at the company compared seven all-new designs (which were collectively referred to by the designation of MB-338) against an improved version of the MB-326, which was designated MB-339. The service would be the primary operator of the type; reportedly, between 1978 and 1987, 101 MB-339As would be delivered to the Italian Air Force, which is almost half of the total examples of the type to have been constructed to date.

During 1989, Aermacchi formed a partnership with American defense conglomerate Lockheed and the aircraft division of General Motors to jointly bid in the American Joint Primary Aircraft Training System (JPATS) programme.

Throughout the 1990s and into the 2000s, multiple tranches of the MB-339CD variant would be inducted into Italian service. Furthermore, various operators chose to have their existing aircraft remanufactured to the more advanced MB-339C standard. During the 2000s, the MB-339FD (FD standing for Full Digital), was proposed but ultimately attracted little market interest.

During the 1990s and 2000s, as a result of corporate mergers and restructuring, the MB-339 became only one of several training aircraft being offered by Aermacchi, other aircraft being propeller-driven SF-260, the basic S.211, M-311, and the M-346. According to company Giorgio Brazzelli, its various training platforms come together to form part of an integrated training system to its customers.

Design

thumb|right|MB-339 at the [[Volandia Museum of Milan Malpensa Airport]]

The Aermacchi MB-339 is a military jet trainer and light attack aircraft, featuring a conventional configuration, tricycle undercarriage and all-metal construction. It has many similarities with the design of the MB-326, sharing the majority of its airframe with the older aircraft.

While some models of the MB-339 are primarily intended for training operations, other are instead principally equipped to perform light fighter and fighter-bomber roles. Combat-orientated aircraft are typically outfitted with more advanced avionics, such as improved inertial guidance systems, digital nav/attack computers, a MIL-STD-1553B databus, and hands-on throttle-and-stick (HOTAS)-compatible flight controls.

In October 2013, it was announced that the Italian Air Force intended to replace its MB-339s with newly built M-345s in the long term. The M-345 is intended to replace Italian Air Force MB-339s as a basic trainer, and with the Frecce Tricolori.

Many of its operators, such as the Royal New Zealand Air Force, chose to procure the type during the 1980s and 1990s as a replacement for various aging jet-powered attack aircraft, such as the British-built BAC Strikemaster. According to a report by Forecast International published in 2014, the later-built MB-339CD model has remained viable as a training platform for various newer fighter aircraft, such as the Panavia Tornado and the Eurofighter Typhoon; however, the type's appeal is waning and shall largely be confined after the 2010s to those nations with weaker economies or facing little military pressure. During the Falklands War, late in April 1982, six of them were located at Port Stanley Airport, renamed Base Aérea Militar (BAM) Malvinas. Other Aermacchis were operated from three mainland bases, these being Almirante Zar, Bahía Blanca, and Río Grande, Tierra del Fuego naval air stations.

On 3 May 1982, Lieutenant Benitez crashed into high ground while approaching the airport at Port Stanley, and was killed. On 21 May an MB-339A flown by Lieutenant Owen Crippa on a reconnaissance flight attacked the Royal Navy amphibious force. The Aermacchi hit the frigate , causing light damage. On 27 May, an MB-339A (4-A-114) was shot down by a Blowpipe missile during the Battle for Goose Green, while attempting to attack British ships and landed troops. The pilot, Lieutenant Miguel, was killed. Three MB-339 airframes were captured by the British, with one of these preserved at the South Yorkshire Aircraft Museum, Doncaster.

Eritrea

During tensions between Eritrea and Ethiopia in the late 1990s, Eritrea started to rebuild its air force. During 1996, the Eritreans ordered six Aermacchi MB-339CEs, with which the first combat unit of the ERAF was founded in 1997. They have proved their worth as training aircraft and even during the early fighting in 1998.

Their initial deployment occurred on 5 June 1998, the same day in which the Ethiopian Air Force (ETAF) also started its operations. During the same afternoon, the Ethiopians reported two attacks of Eritrean MB-339FDs on the city of Mekelle, the capital of the Ethiopian region of Tigray. Reportedly, as many as 44 civilians were killed and 135 injured.

However, on 6 June one of the MB-339s was shot down north of Mekelle. The pilot ejected and was either rescued by a Mi-8 of the ERAF or was captured by local militia. The surviving Eritrean Aermacchis were deployed again on the next day during the fighting around Erde Mattios.

On the morning of 12 June 1998, a pair of Eritrean Mil Mi-8 appeared in low level over Addis Pharmaceutical works, in Adigrat, attempting to bomb it. Their weapons, however, fell a few yards from the plant and caused only minor damage. Only a couple of hours later, four MB-339s rocketed and cluster-bombed against several targets in the city as well. According to Ethiopian sources, four people died and 30 other were injured during those attacks.

On 5 February 1999, the Ethiopian government claimed that a pair of Eritrean MB-339FDs had attacked a fuel depot in Adigrat, some 48 kilometres inside the Ethiopian border, which was important for supplying fuel to the Ethiopian Army.

Variants

right|thumb|[[Italian Air Force Boeing 707 refuelling MB-339s]]

thumb|A MB-339PAN

;MB-339X

:Three prototypes. In addition, four delivered to Ghana and five to UAE.

:;MB-339RM

::Radio and radar calibration variant for Italian Air Force. Three built in 1981 but later converted to MB-339A standard.

:;MB-339AN

::MB-339A version built for Nigeria. Twelve built from June 1984. One built.

;MB-339B

:Trainer with more powerful (4,400 lbf (19.57 kN)) Viper 680-43 engine. One example built.

:;MB-339CB

::New Zealand trainer and weapons training version of MB-339C, powered by Viper 680-43 engine and equipped with laser rangefinder, radar detection, AIM-9L Sidewinder and AGM-65 Maverick capability. Eighteen built and delivered from March 1991. – 16 survivors – 8 airworthy with SDTS in France, the remainder on museum display in New Zealand

:;MB-339CD

::MB-339C for Italy, with modernised flight controls and avionics, but retaining original 4,000 lbf (17.79 kW) Viper 632-43 of MB-339A. 30 built.

:;MB-339FD ("Full Digital")

::Export version of the MB-339CD

;

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

;

Nigerian Air Force operated 12 MB-339AN, now stored.

;

Peruvian Air Force operated 14 MB-339AP, now stored.

;

Draken International a private defense contractor purchased 9 MB-339CB from the Royal New Zealand Air Force.

Specifications (MB-339A)

right|300px|Orthographic projection of the Aermacchi MB-339A

References

Sources

Braybrook, Roy. "Aermacchi MB-339C". Air International, September 1992, Vol. 43, No. 3. pp. 137–144.
Chant, Christopher. Air War in the Falklands 1982. Oxford, UK, Osprey Combat Aircraft 28, 2001. .
Ethell, Jeffrey and Alfred Price. Air War South Atlantic.London: Sidgwick & Jackson, 1983. .
"Initial Malaysian MB-339CMs Delivered". Air International, April 2009, Vol.76, No. 4. p. 7.
Jackson, Paul. Jane's All The World's Aircraft 2003–2004. Coulsdon, UK: Jane's Information Group, 2003. .
"Mentor with a Pedigree: Aeronautica Macchi's MB-339". Air International, June 1978, Vol. 14 no. 6. pp. 267–276, 310–311.
Taylor, John W.R. (ed.) Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1980–81. London: Jane's Publishing. .
Wright, Matthew. "Not all black for the winged Kiwis". Air International, May 1992, Vol. 42, No. 5. pp. 249–257.