Alpha Jet
Dassault-Breguet / Dornier · France · first flew 1973 · fighter
The Alpha Jet is a Franco-German twin-engine advanced trainer and light attack aircraft, produced jointly by Dassault-Breguet and Dornier and widely exported across Africa, Asia, and the Middle East.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, swept |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 2 × turbofan, fuselage-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | High-mounted swept wing with twin turbofans in distinct pod-like nacelles on the upper fuselage sides |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- High-mounted swept wing with twin turbofans in distinct pod-like nacelles on the upper fuselage sides
- Tandem cockpit with a pronounced step; rear seat noticeably raised above the forward cockpit line
- Conventional tail with a tall fin and full-span slab tailplane, no T-tail
High wing with upper-fuselage engine nacelles is unique among jet trainers — immediately distinguishes it from low-wing types like the Hawk, MB-339, or L-39. The twin-engine nacelles flanking the spine are the single clearest field mark.
Specifications
- The Alpha Jet has a length of 13.23 m (43 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 9.11 m (30 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 1000 km/h (621 mph).
- Typical crew: 2.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
First flown in October 1973, the Alpha Jet entered service with the French Air Force and German Luftwaffe in 1978. France used it primarily as a trainer while Germany configured it for close air support. Over 500 were built across two main variants.
Variants
The Alpha Jet E (Ecole) is the trainer variant used by France; the Alpha Jet A (Appui) was the German ground-attack version with a nav-attack system. The Alpha Jet MS2 is an improved export version with a more capable avionics suite.
Where you'll see it
Equips the Patrouille de France aerobatic team and serves with the Belgian, Egyptian, Moroccan, Portuguese, and Nigerian air forces among others. The Luftwaffe retired its aircraft by 1997.
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