Super Etendard

Etendard IV is a family of single-engine, single-seat, carrier-based fighter aircraft developed by Dassault in the late 1950s against a requirement form NATO for a turbojet-powered attack aircraft. The French Navy funded the Etendard IV development to serve as a carrier-based aircraft. All in, the French Navy procured 90 Etendard IVM/P/R in the early 1960s to perform attack (IVM) and reconnaissance (IVR/IVP) missions onboard Foch and Clemenceau aircraft carriers. In the early 1970s the cancellation of a nasalized version of Jaguar as a replacement for Etendard IV aircraft led to development of updated Super Etendard. Super Etendard is basically an enlarged variant of Etendard IVM powered by a more powerful non-afterburning Atar 8K-50 engine rated at 11,000 pounds of thrust. The aircraft's maneuverability at low and medium altitude was enhanced to improve its ground attack performance. The main operational difference compared with Etendard IVs is that Super Etendard is well suited for both attack and reconnaissance missions taking out the necessity for two mission-specific variants. Equipped with Anemone multi-mode radar Super Etendard is capable of delivering precision-guided munitions such as AS30L supersonic laser-guided missile, GBU-12 Paveway II bombs, Exocet anti-ship missiles and ASMP nuclear cruise missile. In addition, two Magic 2 air-to-air missiles provide offensive capability against other aircraft at close ranges. The French Navy procured 71 new built and three converted aircraft from existing Etendard IVMs. Argentina ordered 14 Super Etendards which saw combat in 1982 during the Falklands war sinking two British ships. The Falklands proved the Super-Etendard as a superb aircraft. In the 1990s the French Navy upgraded its surviving aircraft. Currently, Super-Etendards are deployed on the only French aircraft carrier, Charles de Gaulle. In 2004 the French Navy declared operational its first Rafale M multi-role aircraft thus staring the Super Etendard replacement which is expected to complete by 2008.

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