 |
| CASA C.101 Aviojet |
Militarymedia.net - On 16 September 1975, Spain's Ministerio del Aire signed a contract with CASA for the development of a new jet trainer capable of carrying a wide variety of weapons. Design was assisted by Northrop (USA) and MBB (West Germany), but after the completion of the flight development program, which began on 27 June 1977, all production was handled by CASA, except for items such as the US power plant and the Dowty Rotol nose landing gear.
Features include a low-powered turbofan with good fuel economy, a Martin-Beker zero / zero seat tandem step, manual controls other than the powered aileron, and a large belly bay that a variety of shop packages can mount.
CASA initially delivered 60 C.101EB-01 to the Spanish air force, earning the designation E.25 Mirlo. The second contract covers a further 28 aircraft and all engines that survived receiving a nav / attack system upgrade between 1990-1992.
Equipped with a 16.46-kN thrust TFE731-3 engine and fully equipped armament, the C.101BB is the original export model. Chile became the first export customer; it received 14 C.101BB-02s, four made in Spain and ten assembled by ENAER. Locally designated T-36 Halcon (hawk), this was intended for advanced training but was later modified with a long-range radar for use as the A-36BB tactical weapons trainer.
First flown on November 16, 1983, the special attack variant C.101CC introduced the TFE731-5-1J upgraded 20.91 kN thrust engine. Exports have been made to Chile (23 C.101CC-02), Honduras (four C.101BB-03) and Jordan (16 C.101CC-04).
The C.101DD is the most advanced Aviojet variant. First flown on 25 May 1985, has HOTAS control, HUD and compatibility with the AGM-65 Maverick ASM. Intended as a trainer enhanced with secondary light attack ability, he failed to gain command.
