Lockheed Martin A-4AR Fightinghawk

The Lockheed Martin A-4AR Fightinghawk is a major upgrade of the McDonnell Douglas A-4M Skyhawk attack aircraft developed for the Argentine Air Force which entered service in 1998. The program was named Fightinghawk in recognition of the F-16 Fighting Falcon, which was the source of its new avionics.

Design and development

Background The supply of combat aircraft to Argentina was restricted by the imposing of arms embargoes, such as by the United States in 1978 in response to human rights abuses via the Kennedy Amendment to the Foreign Assistance Act;backing the Humphrey-Kennedy amendment to the Foreign Assistance Act of 1976, the Carter administration placed an embargo on the sale of arms and spare parts to Argentina and on the training of its military personnel as well as by the United Kingdom after the outbreak of the Falklands War in 1982. The only combat aircraft that the Argentine Air Force, which lost over 60 aircraft during the conflict, could obtain were 10 Mirage 5Ps transferred from the Peruvian Air Force, 19 Six-Day War veteran Mirage IIICJs from Israel, and 2 Mirage IIIB trainers from the French Air Force.

In 1989, Carlos Menem was elected President of Argentina and quickly established a pro-United States foreign policy, which led to the country gaining Major non-NATO ally status.... represents our recognition of the importance of Argentina's leadership and cooperation in the field ofinternational peacekeeping, notably during Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm, in Haiti, in its role in supervising the peace between Peru and Ecuador, and in nearly a dozen other international peacekeeping efforts ... During 1994, a counteroffer from the United States to modernize 36 former US Marine Corps A-4M Skyhawk II under a US$282 million deal that would be performed by Lockheed Martin and included the privatization of the Fabrica Militar de Aviones (Military Aircraft Factory – FMA), which was renamed Lockheed Martin Aircraft Argentina SA (LMAASA) afterward. In 2010, LMAASA reverted to the Argentine government as Fabrica Argentina de Aviones (FADEA).Back at the hands of the stateMinisterio de Defensa – República Argentina

Production

Argentine Air Force technicians chose 32 A-4M (built between 1970/1976)Six A-4M batches Serials C-905 = 159472, C-906 = 158161, C-907 = 158167, C-908 = 158178 C-909 = 158419, C-910 = 158193, C-911 = 158429, C-912 = 159471 C-913 = 159493, C-914 = 159778, C-915 = 159780, C-916 = 160029 C-917 = 158164, C-918 = 158423, C-919 = 158171, C-920 = 158426 C-921 = 159475, C-922 = 160045, C-923 = 159470, C-924 = 160025 C-925 = 158413, C-926 = 160032, C-927 = 160035, C-928 = 160039 C-929 = 160040, C-930 = 160042, C-931 = 160043, C-932 = 159478 C-933 = 159483, C-934 = 159486, C-935 = 159487, C-936 = 159783 and 4 TA-4FTwo seats C-901 BuNo 154328, C-902 BuNo 154294, C-903 BuNo 154651 & C-904 BuNo 153531 are TA-4F built airframes later converted to the OA-4M variant. On the contrary the single seats were originally built as A-4M airframes from the Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Center at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson, Arizona to upgrade. The upgrade plans included:

Complete overhaul of the airframe, wiring looms and the Pratt & Whitney J52P-408A engine Installation of Douglas Escapac 1-G3 ejection seats HGU-55/P helmets Honeywell Normal Air-Garrett's OBOGS (On Board Oxygen Generation System) Westinghouse/Northrop Grumman AN/APG-66V2 (ARG-1) radar HOTAS controls and a 'glass' cockpit (2 CRT color screens) Sextant Avionique/Thales Avionics SHUD Litton/Northrop Grumman LN-100G inertial navigation system MIL-STD-1553B data bus Two General Dynamics Information Systems AN/AYK-14 mission computers Northrop Grumman AN/ALR-93 (V)1 Radar warning receiver AN/ALQ-126B jammer AN/ALQ-162 jammer ALR-47 chaff/flare dispenser AN/APX-72 IFF

The contract stipulated that eight airframes would be refurbished at Lockheed Martin's plant in Palmdale, California and the rest (27) in Córdoba, Argentina at LMAASA. At least ten TA-4J and A-4M airframes for use as spare parts, eight additional engines, and a new A-4AR simulator were also delivered.

Operational history

The Fightinghawks, having received Air Force serials C-901 to C-936, saw their first group arrive in Argentina on 18 December 1997; the first Argentine A-4AR was rolled out on 3 August 1998 at Cordoba. The last one, number 936, was delivered in March 2000. Two aircraft (a one-seat and a two-seat) remained for a time in the United States for weapons homologation. All A-4ARs were delivered to the 5th Air Brigade (V Brigada Aérea) at Villa Reynolds, San Luis Province, where they replaced two squadrons of aged A-4P (locally known as A-4B) and A-4C. They were soon deployed in rotation around the country from Rio Gallegos in the south to Resistencia in the north where they were used to intercept smugglers and drug trafficking airplanes.

In November 2005, they were deployed to Tandil airbase to enforce a no-fly zone for the Mar del Plata Summit of the Americas. In July 2006, they were deployed to Cordoba province for the Mercosur's 30th Presidents Summit.

In August 2009, they were deployed to Bariloche for the UNASUR Presidents summit. Later that month, they participated at Reconquista, Santa Fe of the Pre-Salitre official video an exercise of preparation for the Salitre IIofficial video of next October in Chile with Chile, Brazil, France and the United States.<ref>[http://www.presalitre.faa.mil.ar/ ejercicio pre salitre 2009''' FAA site] </ref>

On 1 May 2010, they participated in the Air Fest 2010 show at Morón Airport and Air Base.video On 25 May 2010, three A-4ARs flew over the 9 de Julio Avenue at Buenos Aires as part of the Argentina Bicentennial shows.<ref>[http://blogs.perfil.com/armas/2010/05/26/a-4-ar-volando-en-el-cielo-del-bicentenario/ A-AR volando en el cielo del Bicentenario' Perfil Blogs] </ref>

In August 2010, the aircraft enforced a no-fly zone at San Juan for the Mercosur's Presidents Summit. One month later, they were present at Reconquista, Santa Fe for the ICARO III integration manoeuvers.FUERZA AÉREA REALIZA EJERCICIO ICARO III

In January 2016, Argentine Minister of Defence Julio Martinez confirmed that all A-4ARs had been grounded. This was originally due to the expiry of the explosive cartridges in their ejection seats, but additional problems became apparent later on. Only 4-5 were found airworthy with the rest were in storage at Villa Reynolds.

In May 2017, several A-4ARs participated in celebrations marking the 2017 anniversary of the May Revolution.

By 2020, as few as six of the aircraft were still reported as operational. In March 2024, Argentina signed a letter of intent with Denmark to acquire 24 used F-16 fighter aircraft as likely replacements for its Fightinghawks.

On 14 May 2026, the A-4AR was officially retired from service and replaced by ex-Danish F-16Ms, due to high maintenance costs and difficulties keeping airframes operational.

Variants A-4AR 32 converted from A-4Ms OA-4AR 4 converted from TA-4Fs

Operators

Argentine Air Force – 36 (32 A-4AR, 4 OA-4AR)

Specifications (A-4AR Fightinghawk)

See also

References

External links

Argentine Air Force Aerospacio Magazine El programa A-4AR avanza Aerospacio Magazine Halcones al Sur, llegan los A-4AR La Nacion newspaper 1997 Nuevos aviones para la Fuerza Aérea La Nacion newspaper 1998 Ejercicio militar con los EE.UU La Nacion newspaper 1998 Aviones argentinos interceptarán aeronaves norteamericanas La Nacion newspaper 2005 Habilitan un puente aéreo con EE.UU.'' "A-4M Skyhawk II y el A-4AR Fightinghawk"