Aermacchi MB-339

MB-339

Role: 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 was developed as a replacement for the earlier MB-326.

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 12 August 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 CEs 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 capable of carrying Sidewinder AAMs, AGM-65 Maverick AGMs, and laser-guided bombs. Unit price of the MB-339C would have to be somewhere around $US 8.3 million in 1997 dollars.

Variants

Picture - italian Air Force Boeing 707 refuelling MB-339s

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.

Picture - A MB-339PAN

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

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

Operational history

Argentina

Picture - Argentine Naval Aviation MB-339

The Argentine Naval Aviation (Comando de Aviacix³n 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 Pucarx¡s and T-34 Mentors) during the Falklands War in 1982. On 21 May during a routine reconnaissance flight and flown by Lieutenant Owen Crippa, a MB-339 was the first one to attack the Royal Navy amphibious force hitting HMS Argonaut. Three airframes were captured by the British, and one, (0766 (4-A-114)) was shot down by a Blowpipe missile during the Battle for Goose Green, the Pilot Lt Miguel, was killed.

Eritrea

During tensions between Eritrea and Ethiopia in the late 1990´s, Eritrea started to rebuild its air force. In 1995-1996, the Eritreans ordered six Aermacchi MB.339FD strike fighters, 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 started on 5 June 1998 (the same day in which the 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 Ethiopian province Tigray. Reportedly, as many as 44 civilians were killed and 135 injured as cluster bombs were used.

However, on 6 June one of the Macchis was shot down north of Mekelle. The pilot ejected and was rescued by a Mi-8 of the ERAF. The Eritrean Macchis were deployed again on the next day during the fighting around Erde Mattios.

On the morning of 12 June 1998, two Eritrean 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 two Eritrean MB.339FDs attacked a fuel depot in Adigrat, some 48 kilometres inside the Ethiopian border, important for the supply of the Ethiopian army with fuel.

Operators

Picture - Frecce Tricolori at RIAT 2005 in their anniversary year

Argentina

Argentine Naval Aviation 10 originally delivered, widthdraw 1990s

Dubai

Dubai Air Wing operates 7 MB-339A.

Eritrea

Eritrean Air Force operates 5 MB-339CE.

Ghana

Ghana Air Force operates 4 MB-339A

Italy

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

Malaysia

Royal Malaysian Air Force operated 13 MB-339AM - 8 survivors. An order for 8 MB-339CM replacements was placed in 2006.

Nigeria

Nigerian Air Force operates 12 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 14 MB-339AP.

Specifications (MB-339A)

Data from Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1980-81

General characteristics

Crew: two, student and instructor
Length: 10.97 m (36 ft 0 in)
Wingspan: 10.86 m (35 ft 7½ in)
Height: 3.60 m (11 ft 9¾ in)
Wing area: 19.3 m² (208 ft²)
Airfoil: NACA 64A-114 (mod) at centreline, NACA 64A-212 (mod) at tip
Empty weight: 3,075 kg (6,780 lb)
Loaded weight: 4,400 kg (9,700 lb)
Max takeoff weight: 5,897 kg (13,000 lb)
Powerplant: 1x— Rolls-Royce Viper Mk. 632 turbojet, 4,000 lbf (17.8 kN)

Performance

Never exceed speed: Mach 0.82 (926 km/h, 500 knots, 575 mph)
Maximum speed: 898 km/h (485 knots, 558 mph) at sea level
Stall speed: 148.5 km/h (80 knots, 92.5 mph)
Range: 1,760 km (950 NMI, 1,093 mi)
Service ceiling: 14,630 m (48,000 ft)
Rate of climb: 33.5 m/s (6,595 ft/min)
Wing loading: 228 kg/m² (46.6 lb/ft)

Armament

Related development

Aermacchi MB-326

Comparable aircraft

BAE Hawk
Aero L-39 Albatros
L-159 ALCA
G-4 Super Galeb
IAR 99

"Initial Malaysian MB-339CMs Delivered". Air International, April 2009, Vol.76, No. 4. p. 7.
Ethell, Jeffrey and Alfred Price. Air War South Atlantic.London: Sidgwick & Jackson, 1983.ISBN 0-283-99035-X.
Taylor, John W.R. (ed.) Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1980-81. London: Jane's Publishing. ISBN 0 7106-0705-9.

Aermacchi MB-339 Pictures and Aermacchi MB-339 for Sale.

Living Warbirds: The best warbirds DVD series.

Source: WikiPedia