NIVEAU 5 OACI / ICAO LEVEL 5 plus PLS 3333
11/6/2009 – KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, New Mexico
Fiscal year 2009 was the safest flying year in the 62-year history of the Air Force with only 17 Class A mishaps.
According to William C. Redmond, Air Force Safety Center executive director, regarding destroyed aircraft specifically, the Air Force matched its safest year, (fiscal year 2006) with eight destroyed aircraft, down from 15 in fiscal year 2008.
Developped from the A-4M Skyhawk, this ground attack fighter aircraft remains undoubtedly the Argentine Air Force flagship. Its roll-out dates back to 1998. The Fightinghawk is the Argentine government’s main asset in its crackdown on drugs for the A-4AR strike capability would be overpowering:
As far as the bombs are concerned, almost 10,000 lbs can be loaded. The elegant Fightinghawk streamlining features two sidewinders (AIM-9M); a jammer; a chaff and flare dispenser; two 20-mm guns; Sextant Avionique + Thales Avionics S.A. head-up display; a P&W J52 turbojet engine; and last but not least… a 1,700-nautical-mile range (i.e. 3220km)!
That is quite enough for a fighter aircraft deemed fairly light, isn’t it?
You can watch a video of this aircraft hereafter:
