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Alenia Aermacchi S-211

1984 COLD WAR MODERN AIRCRAFT

Alenia Aermacchi S-211 History

Italian group SIAI-Marchetti, recognizing the growing demand for light dual-purpose jets, has proposed a new aircraft through a self-funded in-house company called "S. 211". The main objective of the program is to manage existing operators of propeller driven SFs. 260 Lightweight sneaker. Conventional in every way, the S. 211 will allow budget-conscious air forces around the world to take advantage of a modern two-seat training platform that doubles as a light attack aircraft.

This development became increasingly popular and was the type of aircraft typical of the period, including the Spanish CASA C-101 and the Joint Franco-French Dassault/Dornier Alpha jet.

Design work on the S. 211 began in 1976, after which the project was publicly displayed at the 1977 Paris Air Show. Two prototypes were subsequently ordered, and the first flew for the first time on April 10, 1981.

In 1983, after a period of trials and evaluations, SIAI-Marchetti was able to complete its first purchase order via Singapore for 10 aircraft. The official introduction of this type took place in 1984 with the RSAF. The aircraft was produced from 1981 to 1994, with the Philippine Air Force and later the Haitian Air Force joining as operators.

In January 1997, Aermacchi acquired SIAI-Marchetti and inherited the production rights for the S.211, slightly changing the name to "S-211". A total of about 58 S-211s have been sold since the mid-1980s, most of which were locally assembled under license from their respective customers. Singapore purchased 30 24s for the Philippines.

Haiti only bought 4 units.

The S. 211/S-211 belongs to a group of aircraft procured specifically for the primary purpose of training aspiring pilots on jet-powered platforms while providing second-strike capability. This design often relies on a simple airframe with advanced equipment and basic ordnance options. Two crew members certainly spread the workload, while jet propulsion provides the necessary capabilities for the low-altitude strike role.

Trainer/light attack aircraft have been offered by many manufacturers since the 1960s, and this group of aircraft remains a vital part of the modern world's air force - although dual-role capability may be more important for developing countries or countries with tight procurement budgets.

Outside, S-211/S. The 211 is a no-frills platform with two people sitting side by side under the one-piece canopy (hinged on the right).

Both crew members sat in Martin Baker ejection seats, and the fuselage was very smooth and clean in profile from the slender, pointed nose shield to the rear tapered tail. The rear has a vertical spoiler and a high-mounted spoiler, and the single-engine exhaust is located at the bottom of the spoiler. The main wing assemblies are mounted on the shoulders to provide proper ground clearance for underwing weapons. There is only noticeable sweep along their leading edge (less so along the trailing edge). Power is provided by a single turbofan unit, drawn in through two small air intakes on either side of the cockpit and exhausted through a single port in the stern.

The landing gear is fully retractable and consists of a pair of single-wheel main legs and a single-wheel front leg. The structure of the S-211 fuselage is primarily composed of composite materials, making up about 60 percent of the aircraft, making the final product overall lighter.

The S-211 is powered by a Pratt & Whitney JT15D-4C turbofan engine producing 2,500 pounds of thrust. This gives the airframe a top speed of over 400 miles per hour. Range is listed as 1,000 miles, with service capped at 40,000 feet. The rate of climb is reported as 4,200 feet per minute.

In the strike role, the S-211 is authorized to carry a variety of basic externally mounted ammunition (although ammunition is limited to the ground attack category) via four underwing hardpoints. Carry items up to 1,500 lbs. Ammunition options include machine gun pods, missile pods, and conventionally dropped bombs.

The S-211 lacks a nose-mounted internal radar facility and does not support air-to-air missile weapons. There is also no default internal cannon in the base design.

Ultimately, the S-211 emerged as a possible competitor to the United States' Joint Primary Aircraft Training System (JPATS) program to procure a single-target trainer aircraft for the United States Air Force and United States Navy. The program began in the early 1990s and ended in 1995 with the winning Beechcraft T-6 Texan II.

The Aermacchi S-211 submission was designated "S-211A" and was supported by the US firm Grumman/Northrop Grumman through a nomination process. Only two S-211A models were produced, which were refurbished and modified examples of a pair of systems from the former Haitian Air Force.

Aermacchi (now Alenia Aermacchi) attempted the S-211 modernization program in 2004, resulting in the new "M-311". As of 2013, the aircraft was still in development, with only two prototypes completed. The first prototype flew for the first time in June 2005, and Chile signed a contract with Alenia Aermacchi to produce the aircraft in Chile for interested South American customers.

In May 2008, Alenia Aermacchi joined the mighty Boeing to help promote the M-311 worldwide. In 2012, the name of the M-311 was changed to "M-345".

The Philippine Air Force is today (2012) the sole operator of the S-211 as both Singapore and Haiti have discontinued the use of this type of aircraft. There were only four of the Haitian S-211s, although those were eventually sold to civilian buyers in the United States.

As many as 20 ex-military S-221s are operated by civil society in Australia (Singapore's AF S-211s are actually based in Australia due to less airspace restrictions). The Philippine Air Force currently manages five active-duty S-211s from its available 25 airframes.