The Fábrica Argentina de Aviones SA (mostly known for its acronym FAdeA, officially Fábrica Argentina de Aviones "Brigadier San Martín" S.A.), is Argentina's main aircraft manufacturer. Founded on 10 October 1927 and located in Córdoba, for most of its existence it was known as "Fábrica Militar de Aviones" (FMA) until its privatization in the 1990s to Lockheed Martin. In 2009, the concession ended and the company is now wholly owned by the Argentine government.

History

thumb|left|1930s view of the FMA workshop

thumb|Late 1940s view of the FMA/IAe "Hangar 90" production line: I.Ae.22 DL (back) and I.Ae.24 Calquín (front)

thumb|1960s view of the production line: Morane Saulnier 760

Formed on 10 October 1927 and on 18 July 1928 ends the construction and testing begins on the track the first domestically produced aircraft: the license built Avro 504 Gosport training aircraft equipped with a Gnome engine. It had a speed of 140 km/h with a flying endurance of 2 hours. A series of indigenous and foreign designs followed, mostly for military use.

The factory is known for producing the first jet fighter aircraft in Latin America: the Pulqui I (1947) and the Pulqui II (1950) under the direction of engineers Emile Dewoitine (French) and Kurt Tank (German) respectively.

In the 1960s, it produced the Guarani light transport and the Pucara COIN aircraft, followed by the Pampa jet trainer in the 1980s; the last two still in service with the Argentine Air Force as of early 2016.

Privatization (1995)

In 1995, FMA was privatized by the government of Carlos Menem and from that year until March 2009 it operated as a concession to LAASA (Lockheed Aircraft Argentina SA, a subsidiary of Lockheed Martin Corporation). Under the terms of the privatization agreement LAASA would operate it for 25 years, which could be renewed for two 10 year periods.

During this period the activity was mostly focused in maintenance and upgrades of existing aircraft in service with the Argentine Air Force.

Nationalization (2010)

During the government of Cristina Fernández de Kirchner the factory was nationalized in August 2009, with compensation of ARS $67 million paid. The text of the expropriation law provides that "the State cannot divest itself of majority shareholdings or the power to make decisions at the factory."

It was renamed after Argentine Air Force Brigadier Juan Ignacio San Martín a military engineer who laid the foundations of the aeronautics industry at Córdoba when he directed the Instituto Aerotécnico, the forerunner of the FMA, in the 1940s.

The United States Department of State announced that effective 18 December 2009, Lockheed Martin Aircraft Argentina would be renamed to Fábrica Argentina de Aviones "Brigadier San Martin" S.A. and divested to the Government of Argentina.

Aircraft design and production

thumb|AeMB.2 Bombi bombers in flight

thumb|Pulqui I prototype in flight (c.1951)

thumb|[[FMA IAe 33 Pulqui II|I.Ae. 33 Pulqui II]]

thumb|[[DINFIA IA 35 Huanquero, utility aircraft designed in the early 1950s]]

thumb|Prototype [[DINFIA IA 38 Naranjero|IA 38 Naranjero under construction, early 1960s]]

thumb|IA 46 ‘’Super Ranquel’’ at San Justo airfield (Buenos Aires), April 1975

thumb|[[FMA IA 50 Guaraní II|I.A. 50 Guarani II]]

thumb|[[FMA IA 58 Pucará|I.A. 58 Pucará]]

thumb|[[FMA IA 63 Pampa|I.A. 63 Pampa II]]

The FMA has produced innovative aircraft prototypes, but the state of the Argentine economy has usually 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 "Dirección General de Aerotécnica", on the first period (1927–1936);
  • F.M.A., for "Fábrica Militar de Aviones", on the second period (1938–1943);
  • I.Ae., for "Instituto Aerotécnico", on the third period (1943–1952);
  • IA, for "Instituto Aerotécnico", on the current period (1952–present).

List of aircraft manufactured, projected, or upgraded

{| class="wikitable"

! style="text-align: left;"|Year

! style="text-align: left; width:200px; "|Model

! style="text-align: left;"|Built

! style="text-align: left;"|Obs

|-

! colspan=4 style="text-align: center; background: #C4CCFC;" |Started as Instituto Aerotécnico

|-

|1928

|Avro 504K Gosport

|31

|Biplane basic trainer, license-built. First aircraft produced by FMA.

|-

|1930

|Dewoitine D.21

|35

|Monoplane fighter, license-built.

|-

|1931

|FMA AeC.1

|1

|Civil tourism aircraft prototype (initial version); basic trainer (later version). First local design.

|-

|1932

|FMA AeC.2

|2

|Civil tourism aircraft

|-

|1932

|FMA AeME.1

|7

|Basic military trainer

|-

|1933

|FMA AeT.1

|3

|Transport/commercial aircraft

|-

|1934

|FMA AeMO.1

|41

|Observation monoplane

|-

|1934

|FMA AeMOe.1

|6

|Derivative of the AeMO.1, observation and training aircraft

|-

|1934

|FMA AeMOe.2

|61

|Variant of the AeMOe.1, observation and training aircraft

|-

|1934

|FMA AeC.3

|16

|Civil aircraft.

|-

|1935

|FMA AeMB.1

|1

|First bomber built by FMA.

|-

|1935

|FMA AeMB.2

|14

|Bomber.

|-

|1935

|FMA AeMS.1

|1

|Ambulance aircraft

|-

|1936

|FMA AeC.3G

|1

|Tourism aircraft.

|-

|1936

|FMA AeC.4

|1

|Improved prototype version of the C.3G

|-

! colspan=4 style="text-align: center; background: #C4CCFC;"|Name changed to Fábrica 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

|-

|1940

|FMA I.Ae.20 El Boyero

|130

|Tourism aircraft, series built by Industrias Petrolini

|-

|1943

|FMA I.Ae.21

|1

|Advanced trainer aircraft prototype, based on the North American NA-16-1P fuselage.

|-

|1943

|FMA I.Ae.22 DL

|206

|Advanced trainer aircraft

|-

|1943

|FMA I.Ae.23

|1

|Basic trainer prototype, based on the Focke-Wulf Fw44J

|-

|1943

|FMA I.Ae.24 Calquín

|100

|Attack/Light bomber

|-

|1945

|FMA I.Ae.25 Mañque

|1

|Assault/Transport glider.

|-

|1947

|FMA I.Ae.27 Pulqui

|1

|Jet fighter prototype, first of its kind built in Latin America.

|-

|1947

|FMA I.Ae.28 Super Calquín

|0

|Merlin-powered development of Calquin, abandoned in favour of I.Ae. 30 Ñancú.

|-

|1948

|FMA I.Ae.30 Ñancú

|1

|Fighter/Attack prototype

|-

|1947

|FMA I.Ae.31 Colibrí

|3

|Two-seat Trainer aircraft

|-

|1949

|FMA I.Ae.32 Chingolo

|1

|Tourism/Trainer aircraft

|-

|1950

|FMA I.Ae.33 Pulqui II

|5

|First swept-wing jet fighter designed in Latin America

|-

|1949

|FMA I.Ae.34 Clen Antú

|7

|Flying wing sailplane designed by Reimar Horten, also known as the Horten XVa and XVb

|-

|1953

|FMA I.Ae.35 Huanquero/Constancia/Pandora

|36

|Twin engine transport aircraft.

|-

|1960

|FMA I.Ae.35 Guaraní I

|1

|Approximate date, transport derived from the I.Ae. 35 Huanquero

|-

|1951

|FMA I.Ae.36 Cóndor

|0

|Cancelled Kurt Tank civil passenger transport project.

|-

|1954

|FMA I.Ae.37

|1

|Supersonic delta-wing interceptor, Unpowered glider prototype only.

|-

|1960

|FMA I.Ae.38 Naranjero

|1

|Prototype flying-wing cargo transport.

|-

|mid-1950s

|FMA I.Ae.39

|0

|Cancelled transport project based on the I.Ae.35.

|-

|1956

|FMA I.Ae.40

|0

|Cancelled night fighter project.

|-

|1953

|FMA I.Ae.41 Urubú

|4

|Flying-wing glider, designed by Reimar Horten, also known as the Horten XVc.

|-

|1953

|FMA I.Ae.43 Pulqui III

|0

|Cancelled swept-wing supersonic jet fighter project

|-

|1953

|FMA IAe.44 DL.II

|0

|Cancelled advanced trainer project

|-

|1959

|FMA I.Ae.45 Querandí

|2

|Executive transport prototype (Some sources give 1957 and 1 built)

|-

|1957

|FMA I.Ae.46 Ranquel

|217

|2-seat utility aircraft. Second series, developed into Super Ranquel.

|-

|1960

|FMA I.Ae.48

|0

|Cancelled supersonic delta-wing all-weather interceptor

|-

|1963

|DINFIA IA 50 Guaraní II

|35

|Transport derived from IA 35 Guaraní I

|-

|

|Beechcraft T-34 Mentor

|75

|Licence-built trainer.

|-

|1965

|IA 53 Mamboretá

|2

|Agricultural aircraft

|-

|1963

|IA 54 Carancho

|1

|Prototype laminar flow glider

|-

|1960

|Morane-Saulnier MS.760 Paris

|48

|Licence-built trainer.

|-

|1967

|FMA IA 58 Pucará

|120

|Counter-insurgency/light attack aircraft

|-

|1985

|FMA IA 58C Pucará "Charlie"

|1

|Single seater with DEFA cannon, air-to-surface missiles. Cancelled after prototype flown.

|-

|1972

|FMA IA 59

|1

|UAV prototype

|-

|1975

|FMA IA 60

|0

|Cancelled advanced trainer/light attack project

|-

|1978

|FMA IA 62

|0

|Cancelled military trainer project

|-

|1984

|FMA IA-63 Pampa

|32

|Advanced trainer. AT-63 currently under production.

|-

|1980

|FMA IA 66 Pucará II

|1

|Single prototype; converted IA-58A powered by two 1,000-ehp (746-kW) Garrett TPE331-11-601W turboprop engines.

|-

|(mid-1980s)

|IA 67 Córdoba

|0

|Cancelled light transport project

|-

|(mid-1980s)

|IA 68 ATL

|0

|Cancelled light transport project

|-

|(mid-1980s)

|FMA SAIA 90

|0

|Cancelled Supersonic air superiority jet fighter project

|-

|1990

|FMA IA 70<br/>Embraer/FMA CBA 123 Vector

|2

|Cancelled 19-passenger turboprop airliner

|-

! colspan=4 style="text-align: center; background: #C4CCFC;"|Name changed to Lockheed Martin Aircraft Argentina SA

|-

|1999

|Lockheed Martin A-4AR Fightinghawk

|18

|Another 18 by Lockheed Martin in Pasadena, California, US.

|-

|2003

|Beechcraft T-34 Mentor

|

|Refurbishment of Argentine and Bolivia Air Forces

|-

|2006

|Lockheed C-130 Hercules

|

|Refurbishment of Argentine Air Force and Colombian Air Force aircraft.

|-

! colspan=4 style="text-align: center; background: #C4CCFC;"|Name changed to FAdeA S.A.

|-

|2009

|FMA IA 63 Pampa II-40

|

|Changing power plant

|-

|2010

|FMA IA 58 Pucará

|1

|Changing power plant and avionics (cancelled)

|-

|2010

|FAdeA IA 73

|

|Basic trainer to replace the T-34 (cancelled)

|-

|2014

|FAdeA IA 100

|1

|Elemental trainer and a project to demonstrate the capabilities of the Argentine industry

|-

|2018

|IA 63 Pampa III Block I

|6

|Third evolution of the Pampa aircraft, with 3 more in order for 2019 for the Argentine Air Force.

|-

|}

Local designs

<gallery>

FMA Ae. C.1 Prototipo.jpg|Prototype AeC.1 (1931)

FMA Ae. C.2 (Ae. M.E.1).jpg|AeC.2 (1932)

Aet1-1.jpg|AeT.1 (1933)

FMA Ae. M.Oe. 1.jpg|AeMOe.1

AMS 1.jpg|AeMS.1 prototype

FMA 20 EL BOYERO.jpg|FMA 20 El Boyero (1940)

FMA 21.jpg|Prototype FMA 21 trainer (1943)

IAeDl22.jpg|I.Ae. 22 DL advanced trainer (1944)

IA23.jpg|I.Ae. 23 trainer prototype, based on the FW-44J Stieglitz (1944)

I.Ae. 24 Calquin.jpg|I.Ae. 24 Calquin attack aircraft, c.1950

IAe25.gif|Prototype I.Ae. 25 Mañque glider (1945)

IAe30.jpg|I.Ae. 30 Ñancú (1948)

IA31.jpg|IAe.31 Colibrí (1947)

IA32.jpg|I.Ae.32 Chingolo (1949)

Tecnopolis2012-003.JPG|I.Ae.33 Pulqui II prototype 5 (1959), preserved, Tecnópolis show, 2012

Ia34.jpg|I.Ae. 34 Clen Antú, tailless glider designed by Reimar Horten, late 1940s

Ia 36.jpg|Model I.A. 36 Cóndor, airliner designed by Kurt Tank, early 1950s

Ia 37 I.jpg|FMA I.Ae. 37 fighter prototype (1953)

IA41.jpg|IAe.41 Urubú flying wing glider (1953)

I.Ae. 45 Querandí.jpg|IA 45 Querandi light transport prototype (1957)

Guarani i.jpg|IA 50 Guaraní I (1962)

FMA Dinfia Guarani TX-01 LEB 19.06.65 edited-3.jpg|Prototype Guarani II, 1965 Paris Air Salon

FMA-IA-53.jpg|IA 53 Mamboretá agricultural aircraft prototype (mid-1960s)

FMA-IA.X59.jpg|IA-59, prototype Unmanned aerial vehicle, early 1970s

FMA IA 63 Pampa 1991.jpg|FMA IA 63 Pampa, Paris Air Show, 1991

Embraer-FMA CBA-123 Vector (IA-70 Parana) (PT-ZVE).jpg|CBA 123 / IA 70 prototype, Farnborough 1990

Unasur I.jpg|FAdeA I.A. 73 Unasur I mock-up

IA-100 despegando (cropped).jpg|FAdeA I.A. 100, August 2016

</gallery>

Manufactured under license

<gallery>

Dewotine D.21 Argention.jpg|Dewotine D.21

FMA CURTISS HAWK 75-0.jpg|Curtiss Hawk 75O

FMA FOCKE WULF FW 44-J STIEGLITZ.jpg|FW-44J Stieglitz

Argentina Air Force Morane-Saulnier (FMA) MS-760 Paris Lofting-2.jpg|Morane-Saulnier MS-760 Paris, Mendoza, 2005

</gallery>

Engines

<gallery>

Motor I.Ae. 16 El Gaucho y hélice I.Ae. 2M-B-30.jpg|I.Ae. R-16 El Gaucho

Motor I.Ae. R-19 El Indio.jpg|I.Ae. R-19 El Indio

</gallery>

See also

; Other aircraft manufacturers in Argentina:

  • Aero Boero
  • Chincul
  • Cicaré Helicópteros

References

Notes

Bibliography

Further reading

  • FÁBRICA MILITAR DE AVIONES: CRÓNICAS Y TESTIMONIOS, retrieved 2010-01-18 (PDF file available for download). Published in 2007 by Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnología de la Provincia de Córdoba, Argentina (Córdoba's Province Science and Technology Ministry)
  • La Argentina fabricante de Aviones (retrieved 2016-04-23)
  • FAdeA Mulls Major Changes" - Jane's IHS
  • FMA history
  • Aeromilitaria.com.ar
  • "Former Lockheed Martin Argentina plant relaunched as FAdeA" FlightGlobal