United States The Skyhawk proved to be a relatively common USN aircraft export. Due to its small size, it could be operated from older, smaller World War II-era aircraft carriers still used by smaller navies during the 1960s. These older ships often were unable to accommodate newer Navy fighters such as the
F-4 Phantom II and
F-8 Crusader, which were faster and more capable than the A-4, but significantly larger and heavier. The USN operated the A-4 in both Regular Navy and
Naval Reserve light-attack squadrons (VA). Although the A-4's use as a training and adversary aircraft continued well into the 1990s, the USN began removing the aircraft from its frontline attack squadrons in 1967, with the last ones (Super Foxes of VA-55/212/164) being retired in 1976. The Marine Corps would not take the USN's replacement, the
LTV A-7 Corsair II, instead keeping Skyhawks in service with both Regular Marine Corps and
Marine Corps Reserve attack squadrons (VMA) and ordering the new A-4M model. The last USMC Skyhawk was delivered in 1979, and they were used until the mid-1980s before they were replaced by the equally small, but more versatile and expensive
STOVL AV-8 Harrier II.
VMA-131, Marine Aircraft Group 49 (the Diamondbacks) retired its last four OA-4Ms on 22 June 1994. VMA-124, Marine Air Group 42 also retired the last of their A-4s in mid 1994. Trainer versions of the Skyhawk remained in USN service, however, finding a new lease on life with the advent of "adversary training", where the nimble A-4 was used as a stand-in for the
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17 in
dissimilar air combat training (DACT). It served in that role at
TOPGUN until 1999. The A-4's nimble performance also made it suitable to replace the McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II when the Navy downsized its aircraft for the
Blue Angels demonstration team, until
McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornets were available in the 1980s. The last USN Skyhawks, TA-4J models belonging to the composite squadron VC-8, remained in military use for target towing and as adversary aircraft for combat training at
Naval Station Roosevelt Roads. These aircraft were officially retired on 3 May 2003. Skyhawks were well loved by their crews for being tough and agile. These attributes, along with their low purchase and operating cost, as well as easy maintenance, have contributed to the popularity of the A-4 with American and international armed forces. Besides the U.S., at least four other nations have used Skyhawks in combat (Argentina, Indonesia, Israel, and Kuwait).
Vietnam War era Skyhawks were the USN's primary light-attack aircraft used over North Vietnam during the early years of the
Vietnam War, later supplanted by the
A-7 Corsair II in the light-attack role. Skyhawks carried out some of the
first air strikes by the U.S. during the conflict, and a Marine Skyhawk is believed to have dropped the last American bombs on the country. Notable naval aviators who flew the Skyhawk included
Lieutenant Commanders
Everett Alvarez, Jr. and
John McCain, and
Commander James Stockdale. On 1 May 1967, an A-4C Skyhawk piloted by Lieutenant Commander Theodore R. Swartz of
VA-76 aboard the carrier , shot down a North Vietnamese Air Force MiG-17 with an unguided
Zuni rocket, serving as the Skyhawk's only air-to-air victory of the Vietnam War. From 1956 onwards, Navy Skyhawks were the first aircraft to be deployed outside of the U.S. armed with the AIM-9 Sidewinder. On strike missions, the Skyhawk's normal role, air-to-air armaments were used for self-defense. In the early to mid-1960s, standard USN A-4B Skyhawk squadrons were assigned to provide fighter protection for
antisubmarine warfare (ASW) aircraft operating from some
Essex-class ASW carriers; these aircraft retained their ground- and sea-attack capabilities. The A-4B lacked an air-to-air radar, and it required visual identification of targets and guidance from either ships or an airborne
Grumman E-1 Tracer AEW aircraft. Lightweight and safer to land on smaller decks, Skyhawks later also played a similar role flying from Australian, Argentinean, and Brazilian upgraded World War II-surplus light ASW carriers, which were unable to operate most large, modern fighters. Primary air-to-air missile (AAM) armament consisted of the internal 20 mm (.79 in) Colt cannons and ability to carry an
AIM-9 Sidewinder missile on both underwing hardpoints, later additions of two more underwing hardpoints on some aircraft made for a total capacity of four AAMs. The first combat loss of an A-4 occurred on 5 August 1964, when
Lieutenant junior grade Everett Alvarez, of
VA-144 aboard , was shot down while attacking enemy torpedo boats in North Vietnam. Alvarez safely ejected after being hit by antiaircraft artillery (AAA) fire and became the first USN prisoner of war (POW) . He was released as a POW on 12 February 1973. The last A-4 loss in the Vietnam War occurred on 26 September 1972, when USMC pilot
Captain James P. Walsh, of
VMA-211, flying close air support from
Bien Hoa Air Base, South Vietnam, was hit by ground fire during the
Battle of An Lộc. Captain Walsh ejected safely and was the last U.S. Marine to be taken prisoner during the war. He was released as a POW on 12 February 1973. Although the first A-4Es were flown in Vietnam in early 1965, the A-4Cs continued to be used until late 1970. On 1 June 1965, the
Chu Lai Short Airfield for Tactical Support was officially opened with the arrival of eight Skyhawks from
Cubi Point, Philippine Islands. The group landed with the aid of arresting cables, refueled, and took off with the aid of
JATO, with fuel and bombs to support Marine combat units. The Skyhawks were from Marine Attack Squadron
VMA-225 and
VMA-311.
Lieutenant Commander Michael J. Estocin of
Attack Squadron 192 was posthumously awarded the
Medal of Honor for his actions while flying
surface-to-air missile (SAM) suppression during coordinated strikes against targets in
Haiphong, North Vietnam, on 20 April and 26 April 1967. On 29 July 1967, aircraft carrier was conducting combat operations in the
Gulf of Tonkin during the
Vietnam War. A
Zuni rocket misfired, striking an external tank on an A-4. Fuel from the leaking tank caught fire, creating a massive
conflagration that
burned for hours, killing 134 sailors and injuring 161. During the conflict, 362 A-4/TA-4F Skyhawks were lost due to all causes. The USN lost 271 A-4s, and the USMC lost 81 A-4s and 10 TA-4Fs. In total, 32 A-4s were lost to SAMs, and one A-4 was lost in aerial combat to a MiG-17 on 25 April 1967.
Training and adversary role The Skyhawk, in the two-seat TA-4J configuration, was introduced to a training role replacing the
TF-9J Cougar. The TA-4J served as the advanced jet trainer in white and orange markings for decades until being replaced by the
T-45 Goshawk. Additional TA-4Js were assigned to Instrument Training
RAGs at all the Navy master jet bases under RCVW-12 and RCVW-4. The Instrument RAGs initially provided jet transition training for naval aviators during the time when naval aviation still had a great number of propeller-driven aircraft and also provided annual instrument training and check rides for
naval aviators. The assigned TA-4J models were installed with collapsible hoods so the aviator under training had to demonstrate instrument flying skills without any outside reference. These units were
VF-126 at
NAS Miramar, California;
VA-127 (later VFA-127; NAS FALLON, NV) at NAS Lemoore, California;
VF-43 at
NAS Oceana, Virginia; and
VA-45 (later VF-45) at
NAS Cecil Field, Florida, until its later move to
NAS Key West, Florida. Additional single-seat Skyhawks were also assigned to composite squadrons (VC) worldwide to provide training and other services to deployed units. These included VC-1 at
NAS Barbers Point, Hawaii; VC-7 at
NAS Miramar, California; VC-5 at
NAS Cubi Point, the Philippines; VC-8 at
NS Roosevelt Roads, Puerto Rico; VC-10 at
NAVBASE Guantánamo Bay,
Cuba, and Naval Reserve squadrons VC-12 (later VFC-12) at
NAS Oceana, Virginia, and VC-13 (later VFC-13) at NAS Miramar, California, until its later move to
NAS Fallon, Nevada. With renewed emphasis on air combat maneuvering (ACM) training brought on with the establishment of the
Navy Fighter Weapons School (
TOPGUN) in 1969, the availability of Skyhawks in both the Instrument RAGs and composite squadrons at the master jet bases presented a ready resource of the nimble Skyhawks that had become the TOPGUN preferred surrogate for the MiG-17. At the time, the F-4 Phantom was just beginning to be exploited to its full potential as a fighter and had not performed as well as expected against the smaller North Vietnamese MiG-17 and
MiG-21 opponents. TOPGUN introduced the notion of
dissimilar air combat training (DACT) using modified A-4E/Fs. Modified aircraft, called "Mongoose", lost the dorsal hump, the 20 mm cannon with their ammo systems, and the external stores, although sometimes the centerline station was kept. The slats were fixed. The small size of the Skyhawk and superb low-speed handling in the hands of a well-trained aviator made it ideal to teach fleet aviators the finer points of DACT. The squadrons eventually began to display vivid threat-type paint schemes signifying their transition into the primary role of adversary training. To better perform the adversary role, single-seat A-4E and F models were introduced to the role, but the ultimate adversary Skyhawk was the Super Fox, which was equipped with the uprated J52-P-408 engine. This variant had entered service in 1974 with VA-55/VA-164/VA-212 on the final USS
Hancock cruise and had been the variant that the Blue Angels had selected in 1973. The surplus of former USMC Skyhawks resulted in A-4M versions being used by both VF-126 and TOPGUN. Though the A-4 was augmented by the
F-5E,
F-21 (Kfir),
F-16, and F/A-18 in the adversary role, the A-4 remained a viable threat surrogate until it was retired by VF-43 in 1993 and shortly thereafter by VFC-12. The last A-4 fleet operators were VC-8, which retired its Skyhawks in 2003. The A-4M was also operated by the Operations Maintenance Detachment in an adversary role based at
NAS Dallas, Texas, for the Naval Air Reserve. Many of the aviators that flew the four jets were attached to NAS Dallas, including the Commanding Officer of the air station. The aircraft were instrumental in training and development of ACM for Naval Air Reserve fighter squadrons VF-201 and VF-202 flying the F-4 Phantom II and later the
Grumman F-14 Tomcat. The unit also completed several missions involving target towing to NAS Key West, Florida;
NAS Kingsville, Texas, and deployments to NAS Miramar, California and NAS Fallon, Nevada for adversary support. The detachment was under the operational command of the Commander Fleet Logistics Support Wing (CFLSW), also based at NAS Dallas.
Israel Israel was the largest export customer for the Skyhawk. The first Israeli request for the type was issued in 1964; the U.S. had not agreed to supply Skyhawks until February 1966, under certain conditions. The U.S. gradually provided numerous conventional munitions with which to arm the aircraft, but was initially limited, refusing to supply
cluster bombs or
napalm. The Skyhawk became the first U.S. warplane to be offered to the
Israeli Air Force (IAF), marking the point where the U.S took over France as Israel's chief military supplier. Deliveries began after the Six-Day War, and A-4s soon formed the backbone of the IAF's ground-attack force. In IAF service, the Skyhawk was named as the
Ayit ( for
Eagle). The aircraft had a relatively low cost, a quarter of what a Phantom II cost, while carrying half of its payload. Israel purchased 217 A-4s, plus another 46 that were transferred from U.S. units in
Operation Nickel Grass to compensate for large losses during the Yom Kippur War. The first deliveries took place in December 1967. Skyhawks promptly began to replace
Dassault Ouragan and
Dassault Mystère IV in IAF service, providing greater speed, range, and lift capacity in comparison to these older types. The first combat mission took place on 15 February 1968, attacking artillery and military bases along the border with
Jordan. In the late 1960s and 1970s, IAF Skyhawks were the primary ground-attack aircraft in the
War of Attrition and the
Yom Kippur War. During July 1969, in response to Egyptian shelling of Israeli positions in the
Sinai Peninsula, air strikes were conducted against Egyptian missile sites. On 6 February 1970, Skyhawks attacked the Egyptian port of
Gardaka, sinking a
minelayer as a result. Furthermore, skirmishes between IAF Skyhawks and Arab aircraft of various sorts frequently occurred. In May 1970, an IAF Skyhawk piloted by Col.
Ezra Dotan shot down two MiG-17s over south Lebanon (one with unguided rockets, the other with 30 mm cannon fire) even though the Skyhawk's head-up display had no "air-to-air mode". However, up to three Skyhawks were downed by Egyptian MiG-21s, plus two were downed by Soviet-piloted MiG-21s during the War of Attrition. During the Yom Kippur War, IAF Skyhawks carried out numerous bombing missions, flying a considerable proportion of the tactical sorties made throughout the conflict. The vast majority of losses incurred were from
surface to air missiles (SAMs); as many of thirty IAF aircraft were lost in a single day while resisting Egyptian and Syrian advances. To counter the radar-guided SAM threat, the Skyhawk's
air brakes were used as improvised
chaff dispensers. Improvements in tactics, such as the adoption of toss-bombing attacks, were also adopted in the latter part of the conflict. ACIG.org claims that at least nine Skyhawks were downed by MiG-21 and MiG-17 fighters during the Yom Kippur War. Formal Israeli sources claim only five IAF aircraft of any type were shot down in air-to-air duels. A special version of the A-4 was developed for the IAF, the A-4H. This variant, an evolution of the A-4E, featured improved avionics and a new
J52-P-8A engine. In place of the Colt Mk.12 20 mm cannons, it was integrally armed with twin
DEFA 30 mm cannons manufactured in Israel. Later modifications included an avionics hump and an extended tailpipe, the latter which gave greater protection against heat-seeking surface-to-air missiles. A total of 90 A-4Hs were delivered. Integration of a multifunction and Head-up Display produced an advanced Lead in fighter trainer for the IAF's future fighter pilots. According to acig.org, Syria claimed that two Israeli Skyhawks were downed by Syrian
MiG-23s over northern Lebanon on 26 April 1981. However, official IAF statistics do not list any downing of Israeli warplanes since the Yom Kippur War, and no loss of aircraft was reported on that date. During the
1982 Lebanon War, an IAF A-4 piloted by Aharon Achiaz was shot down over Lebanon by a SA-7 on 6 June 1982. Israel reported this was one of its only two fixed-wing aircraft shot down over the
Beqaa Valley during air battles spanning from 6 June 1982 to 11 June 1982, when 150 aircraft took part, including the battle on 9 June 1982 known as
Operation Mole Cricket 19. Some of Israel's A-4s were later exported to
Indonesia. The Skyhawks have been replaced by F-16s in combat roles, but are still used for pilot training. All the remaining A-4s were to be fully phased out beginning by 2014, as the IAF accepts delivery of
Alenia Aermacchi M-346 Master jets. Skyhawks were last used in combat operations in the Israeli air force in 2012, when they dropped
leaflets over Gaza. In July 2013, Israel began a program called
Teuza (boldness) for the purpose of turning some military bases into sales lots for obsolete IDF equipment. Older models that are not suited for Israel's modern, high-tech forces were to be sold off or sold for scrap if no buyers are found. Skyhawks were among those offerings.
Argentina Argentina was the first foreign user of the Skyhawk and had nearly 130 A-4s delivered since 1965. The first combat use of Argentina's Skyhawks took place amid a military revolt during December 1975, performing a single strike against rebels in
Buenos Aires. Ejection seats did not work and they had many other mechanical faults. In spite of this, A-4s were still active during the 1982
Falklands War.
Falklands War During the 1982 Falklands War, Argentina deployed 48 Skyhawks (26 A-4B, 12 A-4C, and 10 A-4Q aircraft). Armed with
unguided bombs and lacking any electronic or missile self-defense, the Skyhawk could not effectively
dogfight with
Fleet Air Arm (FAA)
British Aerospace Sea Harriers. Despite this,
Argentine Air Force Skyhawks conducted numerous bombing missions against
Royal Navy vessels, sinking the
Type 42 destroyer and inflicted a variety of damage on several others:
Type 21 frigate (subsequently sunk during attempted disposal of unexploded bombs),
RFA Sir Galahad (subsequently scuttled as a war grave), Type 42 , ,
Type 22 frigate , and
RFA Sir Tristram.
Argentine Navy A-4Qs, flying from
Río Grande, Tierra del Fuego, naval air station, also played a role in the bombing attacks against British ships, destroying the Type 21 . In all, 22 Skyhawks (10 A-4Bs, nine A-4Cs, and three A-4Qs) were lost to all causes in the six-week-long war. These losses included eight to FAA Sea Harriers, seven to ship-launched surface-to-air missiles, four to ground-launched surface-to-air missiles and anti-aircraft fire (including one to "
friendly fire"), and three to crashes. According to aviation author Jim Winchester, the Skyhawk was the most effective Argentine aircraft of the conflict. In 1983, the United States vetoed the delivery by
Israel of 24 A-4Hs for the Argentine Navy as the A-4Q replacement. The A-4Qs were finally retired in 1988.
Kuwait During November 1974, the Kuwaiti government announced its intention to purchase 36 new-build Skyhawks, along with AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles, support apparatus, and spares in exchange for $250 million. Most of aircraft were supplied as single-seat A-4KUs while a handful of twin-seat TA-4KUs were also procured. By the end of 1978, all aircraft had been delivered and entered service with the
Kuwaiti Air Force. During 1984, Kuwait reportedly put its Skyhawk fleet up for sale, but none were actually sold around this time. In 1991, Kuwaiti Skyhawks participated in
Operation Desert Storm. When Iraq invaded Kuwait, all available Skyhawks conducted attack missions against the advancing Iraqi forces, being operated from deserted roads after their bases were overrun; numerous Iraqi assault helicopters were destroyed by the Skyhawks prior to their withdrawal. As many as five aircraft were captured on the ground by Iraqi forces. Twenty-three A-4s survived the conflict and the Iraqi invasion, with only one A-4KU (KAF-828, BuNo. 160207) shot down by Iraqi radar-guided SAM on 17 January 1991. The pilot, Mohammed Mubarak, ejected and was taken prisoner. During the early 1990s, as Kuwait awaited delivery of more capable
McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet, protracted efforts were made to sell its remaining Skyhawks. prior to its decommissioning in February 2017.
Australia Twenty A-4G Skyhawks were purchased by the
Royal Australian Navy for operation from . The aircraft were acquired in two batches of 10, in 1967 and 1971, and were primarily used to provide air defence for the fleet. Ten of the A-4Gs were destroyed in accidents, and all the survivors were sold to the
Royal New Zealand Air Force in 1984.
New Zealand During the 1960s, New Zealand considered various aircraft types, such as the
Northrop F-5 Freedom Fighter and the F-4 Phantom II, before choosing to order 14 Skyhawks for the
Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) under a $23 million deal for the aircraft, spare parts, support, and initial training. In 1970, 10 single-seat A-4Ks and four TA-4Ks were delivered to the RNZAF, joining
No. 75 Squadron. Various early modifications were made, including the adoption of a cranked aerial refueling probe in place of the straight counterpart initially used. Various overseas deployments, often for
ANZUS exercises, were conducted by the Skyhawk fleet throughout the 1970s and 1980s, often being escorted by up to three C-130 Hercules transport planes (carrying spares, support equipment, and ground crew) and a P-3 Orion to assist in navigation and communication. In 1983, additional Skyhawks were acquired in the form of eight A-4Gs and two TA-4Gs from the
Royal Australian Navy in 1984, which allowed a second Skyhawk-equipped squadron,
No. 2 Squadron, to be formed. During 1986,
Project Kahu was launched to upgrade the RNZAF's Skyhawks with new avionics, including an
AN/APG-66 NZ radar based on that used by the
F-16, and weapons, as a lower-cost alternative to buying new replacements. In addition to its primary duties, the type became heavily involved in training not just for the RNZAF but also RAN, the latter financially contributing to their operating costs through the 1990s as a result. During 2001, the three Air Combat Force squadrons (Nos. 2, 14, and 75) were disbanded and the Skyhawks were put into storage awaiting sale. They were maintained, with occasional servicing flights, and then moved to
RNZAF Base Woodbourne, where they were preserved in protective latex.
Draken International signed an agreement with the New Zealand government in 2012 to purchase eight A-4Ks and associated equipment for its adversary training services. Six were former RAN A-4G airframes which as carrier aircraft had logged significantly fewer flying hours. These were subsequently relocated to the U.S. at Draken's
Lakeland Linder International Airport facility in
Lakeland, Florida. The other A-4K aircraft were given to museums in New Zealand and Australia.
Indonesia Due to the declining relationship between Indonesia and the Soviet Union after the events of
30 September Movement in mid 1960s, there was a lack of
spare parts for military hardware supplied by the
Communist Bloc. As a consequence, many of the
Indonesian Air Force's modern combat aircraft, such as its
MiGs and
bomber fleet consisting of
Il-28 Beagles and
Tu-16 Badgers, were effectively inoperable by the early 1970s, and were subsequently grounded. During May 1978, U.S. Vice President
Walter Mondale offered 16 Skyhawks to Indonesia; during the following year, Indonesia proceeded to acquire Skyhawks via a covert, joint operation with Israel, dubbed
Operation Alpha. The operation was done confidentially because the
two countries had no official diplomatic relations. These A-4s were chosen because the IDF were planning to retire its A-4 squadrons. Some of the Israeli-built
avionics were stripped from the aircraft prior to being transferred. During 1982, an additional 15 Skyhawks were purchased directly from U.S. stocks, undergoing refurbishment prior to delivery under a $27 million deal. Two squadrons operated the A-4 Skyhawks, the 11th Air Squadron at
Iswahjudi Air Force Base in East Java and 12th Air Squadron at
Roesmin Nurjadin Air Force Base in Riau. A flight of four A-4 Skyhawks was deployed to
East Timor for
counter-insurgency operations in a six-month combat tour in 1985–1986. During the deployment, they were based at
Baucau Airport. The Skyhawks were mostly armed with 500 lb (230 kg)
Mark 82 bombs. On 2 November 1987, the Indonesian Air Force launched a long-range strike mission against targets in East Timor using the Skyhawks. A flight of five A-4s, each armed with six 500 lbs Mark 82 bombs, two
LAU-68 rocket pods, and two external fuel tanks, departed
Iswahjudi Air Force Base in East Java for two-and-a-half-hour flight to East Timor. The flight was supported by a
KC-130B Hercules for aerial refueling. The five A-4s attacked 30 designated targets in the Eastern Sector near
Baucau, and then landed at Baucau Airport. By 1999, only 19 aircraft were left operational, partially due to a lack of spare parts. The arrival of
Sukhoi Su-27s during 2003 quickly led to the withdrawal of the Indonesian Air Force's remaining Skyhawks. On 5 August 2004, three A-4 Skyhawks with tail numbers TT-0431, TT-0440, and TL-0416 from 11th Air Squadron, based at
Sultan Hasanuddin Air Force Base in
Makassar, flew in the skies of Indonesia for the last time with the destination of
Adisutjipto Air Force Base,
Yogyakarta. Today, a sizeable number of the A-4s are preserved as museum pieces, monuments, or
gate guardians; for example one is displayed in
Satria Mandala Military Museum, and the other in the
Dirgantara Mandala Air Force Museum.
Malaysia In 1982, Malaysia purchased 80 refurbished A-4Cs and A-4Ls under a modernization program called PERISTA. Forty of the airframes were upgraded with the Hughes AN/ASB-19 angle rate bombing system, air refueling capability, and increased payload, while the rest were kept in the U.S. as a reserve and as a source of spare parts. This modified version was redesignated as A-4PTM and was unique to Malaysia. Deliveries took place between 1984 and 1985. The Skyhawks were operated by the
Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF), serving in the No.6 and No.9 RMAF Squadrons, based at
Kuantan air base. In 1995, the Skyhawk fleet was retired and remaining examples were stored outside, while the RMAF replaced the type with the
BAE Systems Hawk. Malaysia reportedly expressed interest in acquiring Skyhawks from New Zealand during the 2000s.
Brazil As of 2014, Brazil was the latest Skyhawk customer. In 1997, Brazil negotiated a $70 million (~$ in ) contract for purchase of 20 A-4KUs and three TA-4KU Skyhawks from Kuwait. Kuwait's Skyhawks, modified A-4Ms and TA-4Js delivered in 1977, were among the last of those models built by Douglas. The aircraft were selected by Brazil because of their low flight time, excellent physical condition, and a favorable price. The
Brazilian Navy re-designated AF-1 and AF-1A Falcões (Hawks), the Kuwaiti Skyhawks arrived in
Arraial do Cabo on 5 September 1998. On 18 January 2001, an AF-1 trapped aboard the Brazilian aircraft carrier was later successfully catapulted, making Brazil's fixed-wing carrier force operational again after nearly two decades. To replace the aging
Minas Gerais, Brazil purchased the surplus on 15 November 2001. Renamed , the "new" carrier received extensive refitting before becoming operational during 2003.
Minas Gerais was decommissioned that same year and later put up for sale. The first of the 12 modified Skyhawks was delivered on 27 May 2015. Embraer stated the modifications will allow the aircraft to remain operational until 2025. In 2017, the Brazilian Navy indicated that it was reconsidering the total number of aircraft to be modernized to AF-1B/C standard due to budget constraints and the decommissioning of the
São Paulo. Two AF-1Bs were delivered in 2015 and a further two of undisclosed type were to be delivered in 2017. Despite the loss of its only carrier, the Navy is thought to have wanted to retain the experience of carrier-based operations, thus would not rescind the contract outright. As of 2022, three A-4s were in service, with three used for training and the other aircraft on display.
Others Top Aces, formerly Discovery Air Defense Services, a private Canadian company contracted by the
Canadian Armed Forces,
Australian Defence Force, and
Bundeswehr to provide air combat and fighter training, imported and registered 10 A-4N and TA-4J aircraft. Discovery upgraded and modified the jets to be capable of
electronic warfare training. Top Aces also operates A-4Ns under contract for training of the German Armed Forces (Bundeswehr). Another major civil user of A-4s for training support to military forces is US-based
Draken International, which operates ex-New Zealand A-4Ks as part of a diverse fleet of jets. A-4s have previously been operated in the target support role in Germany by
Tracor Flight Systems. ==Variants==