Dassault / Breguet Dornier Alpha Jet Alpha Jet Origin: Jointly Dassau|t/Brequet. France, and Dornier GmbH, W © with assembly at each company Type: Two-seat trainer and light strike/reconnaissance aircraft Engines: Two 2.976lb (1350kg) thrust SNECMA/Turbaméca | two-shaft turbofans. Dimensions: Span 29{t 1lin (91 40ft 3¥in (12:29m), height 13ft Bin (4.2m) Weights: Empty 6,944ib (3150kg); loaded (clean) 9.920lb (4500kg) (maximum) 15.432Ib (7000kg) Performance: (clean) maximum speed 576mph (927km/h) at sea level 560mph (900km/h) (Mach 0°85) at altitude; climb to 39,370ft (12,000m), less than 10 minutes; service ceiling 45,930ft (14,000m); typical mission endurance 2hr 30min: ferry range with two external tanks 1,510 miles (2430km) Armament: Optional for weapon training or combat missions, detachable belly fairing hoi one 30mm DEFA or 27mm Mauser cannon, with 125 rounds, or two Q°60in Brownings, each with 250 rounds; same centreline hardpoint and either one or two under each wing (to maximum of five) can be provided with pylons for maximum external load of 4,850Ib (2200kg) made up of tanks, weapons, reconnaissance pod, ECM or other device: History: First flight 26 October 1973: first production delivery originally to be early 1976, actually late 1978 Users: Belgium, Cameroun, France, W Germany, Ivory Coast. Nigeria, Togo. rmany, zac 04 length (excluding any probe) Development: Realisation that the Jaguar was too capable and costly to be a standard basic trainer led to the Armée de I'Air issuing a requirement for a new trainer in 1967, The chosen design was to be capable of use in the light ground attack role. in which the Luftwaffe had a parallel need for an aircraft. On 22 July 1969 the two governments agreed to a commen specif)Above: Three-view of Alpha Jet prototype with armament. cation and to adopt a ci national industries. After £650 Eurotrainer, the Alpha Jet was selected on 24 July 1970. Ai the two partners are nearly identical. France makes the fuse section and Germany the rear fuselage, tail and outer wings. SABCA of Belgium makes minor portions, Engines, originally shared by two French npanies (see above), ng produced in partnership with MTU and KHD Germany. plus a small share by FN of Belgium. T) assembled at Toulouse (France) and attack versions at Oberpfaffenhofer (Germany). Decision to go ahead with production was rea d on 26 March 1975. It was exp d at that time that France and Germany would ach buy 200, and that Belgium would buy 33, but the programme has slipped by more than two years, resulting in increased costs. In 1979 full production was achieved mmon type of aircraft produced jointly by the two valuation against the Aérospatiale (Nord)/MBB craft for 2 and c f aircratt are Below: After prolonged delays the Alpha Jet finally got into full service in late 1978, with the specially equipped light attack version for the Luftwaffe following in late 1979. 29