OK I’ve read a few things on this thread and I guess it’s time to clear up a few things.
1. Sao Paulo can’t operate anything heavier than the current A-4 because the steam cat she has won’t take the load, if you’ll observe, not even the Trainer versions put to sea due to the heavier weight. The MdB is looking at refitting a stronger system capable of launching heavier a/c but funds are hard to come by atm what with Brazil needing other defence toys to play with. A-7’s would be right out due to their weight as would most things these days including a naval AMX, though one thought does spring to mind, a naval Tejas might work, hmmmm.
2. There was a proposal put forth back in the early 90’s for a marinised version of the A-1, coinsidently also called the AF-1, but the cost of producing so few was deemed far too much, now if the Italians had have come on board or even the French as a replacement for their aging SuE’s, then they might have come into being. It’s a pitty though, Embraer did work hard on the planning!
3. Yes the Raf was tested on Foch, but it was found that with both the Raf and the Hawkeye coming into service, they’d need a longer deck- CdG’s deck was lengthened two years after it’s launch to handle both a/c. The so called Ski Jump you have pictured there, isn’t a ramp at all, it’s an extention test piece, to see just how much length was actually needed, the end result was 4 meters forward and 2m aft. This would also have been the case if the French had of bought the Hornet, thus the MdB can’t buy them either
4. As pointed out already, they are/were Zephyrs, these were produced for the French Navy because the French didn’t want to buy foregin trainers for their home fleet, IIRC something like 25 were eventually built and the last retired from front line duties in 1995.
5.
Well at a LA teather at least it was the best ground attack plane . And about the context italian AMXs were used , italian pilots claim they were iluminated by SAMs on their strike mission ( I think it was SA-6s but Im not sure ) .
The AMX/A-1 does have a lot going for it and both the FAB and AMI will testify to that extent, their only weakness is as the pilots have explained- a lack of power in the engine. AMI pilots couldn’t praise the plane enough in ops over Kosovo, they were targets buy SA-6’s and managed to evade with relative ease.
6. I too have thought abaout a carrier capable Gripen, alas without a major power jumping in to buy them, non will ever be produced, the cost of development would out weigh any purchace Brazil could possibly make, besides again I have to tie it back to weight with the cat, it wouldn’t be able to fire it off the deck!
Oh and if the French only want 1 euro for those birds, who do I have to see to buy them? I’d even be happy to buy those SEIV’s for the same price let alone have them thrown in for free.
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