AIDC AT-3

Infobox Aircraft
name= AT-3 "Tzu Chung"


caption= AT-3s of the Thunder Tigers Aerobatics Team
type= Trainer
national origin = Republic of China (Taiwan)
manufacturer= Aerospace Industrial Development Corporation
first flight= September 1980
introduced=
retired=
status= Active
primary user= Republic of China Air Force
more users=
produced= 1984-1990
number built=
developed from =
variants with their own articles=

The ADIC AT-3 "Tzu Chung" (Chinese for "self-improvement" and "to draw strength from one's self")Fact|date=August 2008 is an advanced jet trainer operated by the Republic of China Air Force. Sixty of the aircraft were manufactured by Aerospace Industrial Development Corporation of the Republic of China (Taiwan), in collaboration with US aircraft manufacturer Northrop, between 1984 and 1990.

Design and development

Design of the advanced jet trainer began in 1975 with a conventional low-wing configuration with a tricycle undercarriage, tandem seat cockpit, and twin turbofans mounted in nacelles on either side of the fuselage. After the design was approved in 1978, the first prototype was produced, and it made its maiden flight in September 1980. Further evaluation resulted in a contract for 60 AT-3As for the ROCAF.

The AT-3 is an advanced jet trainer which follows a traditional low-wing configuration with a tricycle undercarriage, tandem seat cockpit, and twin turbojets mounted in nacelles on either side of the fuselage. The AT-3 has five weapon mounts (one centerline, two inboard underwing, two outboard underwing) and wingtip launch rails. There are two zero/zero Martin-Baker 10 ejection seats in the dual-control cockpit of production models. The rear seat (the Instructor position) is elevated 30 cm to allow better over-the-nose visibility.

Operational history

The first AT-3A operator is the Flight Training Command in ROCAF Academy. In 1988 the Thunder Tiger demonstration team replaced its F-5E aircraft with AT-3s. In September 9, 1989 35th Combat Squadron replaced its T-33 Shooting Star trainers with AT-3s. The AT-3s delivered to the 35th Combat Squadron were equipped with semi-recessed twin 12.7 mm machine guns.

The aircraft is operated as an advanced trainer which has won praise for its maneuverability. It can also undertake weapons training with a wide variety of ordnance.

The XA-3 "Lui Meng" single-seat attack version never progressed beyond the prototype stage, but the armed two-seat AT-3B upgrade did enter service with the ROCAF.

Variants

* XAT-3 : The first two prototypes.
* AT-3A Tzu Chung : Single-seat advanced jet trainer, light attack aircraft for the ROCAF.
* AT-3B : Two-seat ground-attack aircraft for the ROCAF. 45 of the 60 aircraft have been upgraded to the AT-3B standard which includes radar and a head-up display (HUD).
* XA-3 Lui Meng : Single-seat ground-attack aircraft. Two prototypes built.

Operators

;ROC (Taiwan)
* Republic of China Air Force

pecifications

aircraft specifications

plane or copter?=plane
jet or prop?=jet

ref=Attack and Interceptor Jets [cite book |last= Sharpe |first= Michael |title= Attack and Interceptor Jets |year= 1999 |publisher= Friedman/Fairfax Publishers |location= New York City, NY |isbn= 1-58663-301-5 ]
crew=2
length main= 12.9m (including probe)
length alt= 42ft 4in (including probe)
span main= 10.46m
span alt= 34ft 3.75in
height main= 4.36m
height alt= 14ft 3.75in
area main= 21.93m^2
area alt= 236.05ft^2
empty weight main= 3855kg
empty weight alt= 8500 lb
max takeoff weight main= 7940kg
max takeoff weight alt= 17,505 lb
engine (jet)= Garrett Systems TFE731-2
type of jet= turbofans
number of jets= 2
thrust main= 5.6 kN
thrust alt= 3,500 lbf
max speed main= 904 km/h (at 11,000m)
max speed alt= 562 mph (at 36,090ft)
range main= 2280 km
range alt= nm, 1417 mi
ceiling main= 14,650 m
ceiling alt= 48,065 ft
armament= Two wingtip pylons for Air-to-air missiles and 5 wing hardpoints with provision up to 2720kg (5998lb) of stores
* Guns: 2x .50 cal machine guns in ventral pack, 20 mm gun pods
* Bombs: Mk 82 500 lb bombs, Mk20 cluster bombs
* Rockets: 5 in and 2.75 in rocket pods
* Missiles: Sky Sword I and Sky Sword II air to air missiles

ee also

aircontent
related=
similar aircraft=
* Aero L-39
* BAE Hawk
* CASA C-101
* Aermacchi MB-339
* Dassault/Dornier Alpha Jet
* Soko G-4 Super Galeb
lists=
see also=

References

*

External links

* [http://www.aidc.com.tw/aidcsite/eng/eng5-1b.asp AIDC AT-3 official web page]
* [http://www.aidc.com.tw/aidcsite/eng/eng5-1c.asp AIDC XA-3 official web page]
* [http://www.taiwanairpower.org/af/at3.html TaiwanAirPower.org]