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	Dassault/ Dornier Alpha Jet Light Attack & Trainer

DESCRIPTION: The Alpha Jet resulted when France and West Germany decided to consolidate their requirements for an advanced trainer and a light attack aircraft. The German Alpha Jet A is equipped with an advanced nav/attack system, Doppler radar, and an inertial navigation system for its primary role as a close-support attack plane. The Alpha Jet has also found several foreign customers attracted by its low cost. Data below for Alpha Jet E Last modified 03 June 2006
HISTORY:
First Flight	26 October 1973
Service Entry	1978
CREW:	two: pilot and instructor or weapons officer
ESTIMATED COST:	unknown
AIRFOIL SECTIONS:
Wing Root	unknown (10.2%)
Wing Tip	unknown (8.6%)
DIMENSIONS:
Length	38.54 ft (11.75 m)
Wingspan	29.90 ft (9.11 m)
Height	13.75 ft (4.19 m)
Wing Area	188.4 ft2 (17.5 m2)
Canard Area	not applicable
WEIGHTS:
Empty	7,374 lb (3,345 kg)
Typical Load	11,023 lb (5,000 kg)
Max Takeoff	16,535 lb (7,500 kg)
Fuel Capacity	internal: unknown external: unknown
Max Payload	5,511 lb (2,500 kg)
PROPULSION:
Powerplant	two SNECMA/ Turbomeca Larzac 04-C6 turbofans
Thrust	5,952 lb (26.48 kN)
PERFORMANCE:
Max Level Speed	at altitude: 570 mph (920 km/h) at 32,810 ft (10,000 m), Mach 0.85 at sea level: 620 mph (1,000 km/h)
Initial Climb Rate	12,008 ft (3,660 m) / min
Service Ceiling	48,000 ft (14,630 m)
Range	typical: unknown ferry: 1,590 nm (2,940 km)
g-Limits	unknown
ARMAMENT:
Gun	one 27-mm Mauser cannon (125 rds) or one 30-mm DEFA cannon (125 rds)
Stations	5 external hardpoints
Air-to-Air Missile	Matra 550 Magic, Stinger (air version)
Air-to-Surface Missile	AGM-65 Maverick, Wasp
Bomb	SAMP 400 kg laser-guided, Beluga cluster dispenser, BL.755 cluster, Matra 200/250 kg GP, Mk 82 Snakeye, BL.18 fragmentation, Mk 82 GP, BM 400, Durandal
Other	ECM pods, rocket pods, recon camera pods
KNOWN VARIANTS:
Alpha Jet A	German attack model, entered production in 1978
Alpha Jet E	French trainer, entered production in 1977
Alpha Jet MS1	Egyptian trainers; 30 built under license
Alpha Jet MS2	Egyptian light attack model
Alpha Jet 3	Improved trainer
KNOWN COMBAT RECORD:	none
KNOWN OPERATORS:	Belgium, Belgishe Luchtmacht/Force Aérienne Belge (Belgian Air Force) Cameroon, l'Armee de l'Air du Cameroun (Cameroon Air Force) Egypt, Al Quwwat al Jawwiya il Misriya (Egyptian Air Force) France, Armée de l'Air (French Air Force) Germany, Deutsche Luftwaffe (German Air Force) Côte d'Ivoire, Force Aérienne de la Cote d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast Air Force) Morocco, Al Quwwat al Jawiyya al Malakiya Marakishiya (Royal Moroccan Air Force) Nigeria (Nigerian Air Force) Portugal, Força Aérea Portuguesa (Portuguese Air Force) Qatar (Qatar Emiri Air Force) Thailand, Kongtap Agard Thai (Royal Thai Air Force) Togo, Force Aérienne Togolaise (Togolese Air Force)
3-VIEW SCHEMATIC:
SOURCES: Donald, David, ed. The Complete Encyclopedia of World Aircraft. NY: Barnes & Noble, 1997, p. 310, Dassault-Breguet/Dornier Alpha Jet. Donald, David and Lake, Jon, ed. The Encyclopedia of World Military Aircraft. NY: Barnes & Noble, 2000, p. 142-143, Dassault/Dornier Alpha Jet. FAS Alpha Jet site Global Security Alpha Jet site Gunston, Bill, ed. The Encyclopedia of Modern Warplanes. NY: Barnes & Noble, 1995, p. 107, Dassault/Dornier Alpha Jet Close Support Version. Gunston, Bill and Spick, Mike. Modern Air Combat: The Aircraft, Tactics and Weapons Employed in Aerial Combat Today. NY: Crescent Books, 1983, p. 92-93. Munro, Bob and Chant, Christopher. Jane's Combat Aircraft. Glasgow: Harper Collins Publishers, 1995, p. 100-101, Dassault-Dornier Alpha Jet. Paul Nann's Military Aviation Photo Gallery Rendall, David. Jane's Aircraft Recognition Guide, 2nd ed. London: Harper Collins Publishers, 1999, p. 45, Dassault/Dornier Alpha Jet. Taylor, Michael. Brassey's World Aircraft & Systems Directory 1996/1997. London: Brassey's, 1996, p. 157-158, Dassault/Daimler-Benz Alpha Jet. Taylor, Michael J. H. Brassey's World Aircraft & Systems Directory 1999/2000. London: Brassey's, 1999, p. 137, Dassault/Daimler-Benz Alpha Jet.