Lockheed Martin Aircraft Argentina

The Fábrica Militar de Aviones (FMA, or Military Aircraft Factory) is Argentina's main manufacturer of military aircraft. Formed on October 10, 1927 it is owned by the Argentine government. It was privatized in 1995 with Lockheed Martin given its concession for 25 years with two additional ten-year options. It is currently known as Lockheed Martin Aircraft Argentina SA.

Background

The FMA has produced numerous innovative aircraft prototypes, but the state of the Argentinian economy has prevented most of them from entering large-scale production. Nevertheless the FMA has managed to put several aircraft types of more conventional designs into full productions. It also engaged in production of licensed aircraft from other countries.

The prefixes used for the aircraft locally developed (and produced) are:
* Ae, for "Direccion General de Aerotecnica", on the first period (1927-1936);
* F.M.A., for "Fabrica Militar de Aviones", on the second period (1938-1943);
* I.Ae., for "Instituto Aerotécnico", on the third period (1943-1952);
* IA, meaning not specified, on the fourth (current) period (1952 to 2007).

Aircraft and Projects

! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Year! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc; width:200px; "|Model! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Built! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Obs
-----! colspan=4 style="text-align: center; background: #C4CCFC;" |Started as Instituto Aerotecnico
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1928
Avro 504K "Gosport"
31
Biplane basic trainer, license-built. First aircraft produced by FMA.
-----
1930
Dewoitine D.21
35
Biplane fighter, license-built.
-----
1931
Ae.C.1
1
Civil tourism aircraft prototype (initial version); basic trainer (later version). First national design.
-----
1932
Ae C2 / Ae.M.E.1
2
Civil tourism aircraft (C2); basic military trainer (M.E.1)
-----
1933
Ae.T.1
3
Transport/commercial aircraft
-----
1934
Ae.M.O.1
41
Observation monoplane
-----
1934
Ae.M.Oe.1 / Ae.M.Oe.2
6+14
Variant of the Ae.M.O.1, observation and training
-----
1934
Ae.C.3
16
Civil aircraft.
-----
1935
Ae.M.B.1 / Ae.M.B.2 Bombi
1+14
First bomber aircraft built by FMA
-----
1935
Ae. M.S.1
1
Sanitary aircraft
-----
1936
Ae.C.3G
1
Tourism aircraft.
-----
1936
Ae.C. 4
1
Improved prototype version of the C.3G
-----! colspan=4 style="text-align: center; background: #C4CCFC;"|Name changed to Fabrica Militar de Aviones
-----
1940
Curtiss "Hawk" 75O
20
License built version of the US monoplane fighter Curtiss Hawk 75
-----
1940
Focke-Wulf Fw-44J "Stieglitz"
190
License built version of the German biplane trainer Focke-Wulf Fw 44
-----
1940
F.M.A. 20 "El Boyero" (I.Ae. 20)
130
Tourism aircraft, series built by "Industrias Petrolini"
-----
1943
F.M.A. 21
1
Advanced trainer aircraft protorype, based on the North American NA-16-1P fuselage.
-----
1943
I.Ae. 22 "DL"
206
Advanced trainer aircraft
-----
1945
I.Ae. 23
1
Basic trainer prototype, based on the Focke-Wulf Fw44J
-----
1945
I.Ae. 25 Mañque
1
Assault/Transport glider.
-----
1946
I.Ae. 24 Calquín
100
Attack/Light bomber
-----
1947
I.Ae. 27 Pulqui I
1
Jet fighter prototype, first of its kind built in Latin America.
-----
1947
I.Ae. 31 Colibrí
3
Two-seat Trainer aircraft
-----
1948
I.Ae. 30 Ñancú
1
Fighter/Attack prototype
-----
1949
I.Ae. 32 Chingolo
1
Tourism/Trainer aircraft
-----
1949
I.Ae. 34 Clen Antú
3+1+3
Glider, flying wing. Designed by Reimar Horten.
-----
1950
I.Ae. 33 Pulqui II
5
First swept-wing jet fighter designed in Latin America
-----
1953
I.Ae. 35 Huanquero
2+3+20+9(+1+1)
Transport aircraft; variants "Constancia" and "Pandora" executive aircraft.
-----
1953
I.Ae. 41 Urubú
4
Flying-wing glider, designed by Reimar Horten.
-----
1953
I.Ae. 43 Pulqui III
0
Project, swept-wing supersonic jet fighter
-----|
I.Ae. 36 "Cóndor"
0
Project unbuilt, civil transport
-----
1954
I.Ae. 37
1
Supersonic delta-wing interceptor, designed by Reimar Horten. Glider, unpowered prototype only.
-----
1960
I.Ae. 38 Naranjero
1
Flying-wing transport/cargo, designed by Reimar Horten.
-----
1953
I.Ae. 44 "DL" II
0
Advanced trainer (project, unbuilt)
-----
1959
I.Ae. 45 Querandí
2
Executive transport, prototypes only (NOTE: some sources mention "1957" and "1" built)
-----
1957
I.Ae. 46 Ranquel
101+116
2-seat utility aircraft. Second series, enhanced variant "Super Ranquel".
-----
1960
IA 35 Guaraní I
1
Approximate date, transport derived from the I.Ae. 35 "Huanquero"
-----
1963
FMA IA 50 Guaraní II
1+2+18+14
Transport aircraft, derived from the IA 35 Guaraní I
-----|
Beechcraft T-34 Mentor
75
Trainer, licence built
-----
1960
Morane-Saulnier MS-760 Paris
48
Trainer, licence built
-----
1975
FMA IA 58 Pucará
120
Counter-insurgency/light attack aircraft
-----
1990
Embraer/FMA CBA 123 Vector
2
Turboprop 19-passenger regional airliner, only protptypes built before being cancelled
-----|
FMA SAIA 90 |
Supersonic air superiority jet fighter project, unbuilt (mid-1980's)
-----
1984
FMA IA 63 Pampa
20+12
Advanced trainer. AT-63 currently under production
-----! colspan=4 style="text-align: center; background: #C4CCFC;"|Name changed to Lockheed Martin Aircraft Argentina SA
-----
1999
A-4AR Fightinghawk
18
other 18 by Lockheed Martin in Pasadena, CA.
-----
2003
T-34 Mentor|
Refurbished of Argentine and Bolivia Air Forces
-----
2006
C-130 Hercules|
Refurbished of Argentine and Colombian Air Forces
-----

External links

* [http://www.lockheedmartin.com/wms/findPage.do?dsp=fec&ci=11180&rsbci=147 Lockheedmartin.com]
* [http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/argentina/amc.htm FMA history]
*es icon [http://www.geocities.com/bacosistemas01/page2.html FMA History]
*es icon [http://www.hangardigital.com.ar/fma75.html FMA's 75 years]
*es icon [http://www.aeromilitaria.com.ar/ind/aviones/index.htm Aeromilitaria.com.ar]