As the IA-63 was envisioned with a secondary light strike combat role, a 30mm DEFA-GIAT 554 series cannon was supported by its design. Five total hardpoints (four underwing) allowed for up to 1,430lb of external stores to be carried. The fuselage centerline position was restricted to 550lb of that total as were the two outboard underwing positions.
Initial service models were the IA-63 and aircraft were realized as soon as 1984 but the Argentine economical situation at the time meant that viable strength was not reached until 1988. Two production batches were signed with the first delivering eighteen airframes and the second and additional six airframes. These aircraft were later upgraded to the AT-63 Pampa standard by Lockheed Martin and featured a more advanced/modern avionics kit, broader weapons support for existing Argentine Air Force munitions, and a new engine fitting. Lockheed had absorbed FMA of Argentina by this time.
The Vought "Pampa 2000" was a short-lived upgrade endeavor of the 1990s lead by LTV (Vought) with the project goal to provide the United States Air Force (USAF) / United States Navy (USN) with a new "joint service" universal trainer. The services instead selected the Beechcraft T-6 "Texan II" as the winner of the competition in 1995.
The Argentine Air Force remains the sole operator of the IA-63 Pampa.
FMA is now known as Fabrica Argentina de Aviones (FAdeA).
The Pampa has been put through a modernization program that includes new-generation avionics (Elbit glass cockpit, helmet-mounted sighting system). Known as "Pampa III", forty systems are earmarked for the Argentine Air Force with 20 set to be configured for the light attack role. First-flight of an aircraft fitting this standard was on March 29th, 2016. The Pampa III was offered to India to replace its outgoing Kiran jet trainer line.
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