Mexican BMX Bandits

[comrade harps]

BMX International BMX BICEP 3 a/c 10 and BMX-2CA BICEP 3 a/c 42
9 Squadron, Ahmed al Jaber, Kuwait, 21 April 2011



The BMX grew out of a 1972 UN program called the Common Light Attack Aircraft - X (CLAAX). A previous UN attempt at producing a common light attack aircraft (the LightWeight Tactical Strike Fighter  - LWTSF - program), had resulted in the production of the EMBRAER EMB.91, but there were few takers. EMBRAER, already working on a design to replace the EMB.91, publicised its willingness to partner with foreign interests on a CLAAX submission. HAL of India, IPTN of Indonesia and Argentina's FMA were all interested, but none could guarantee funding. Although not UN members, Iran, Iraq and Pakistan received briefings, but none followed up.




Only Mexico, through Mexican Aero Industries (MAI) - part owned by the Mexican government and Northrop - was sufficiently interested to invest in a partnership. MAI saw participation in the CLAAX program as an opportunity to enter into a co-production relationship with EMBRAER that would go on to include the company's growing range of commercial aircraft. Critics pointed out that the Mexican Air Force (MAF) didn't need the CLAAX, as they already had MAI-built MF-5A/B Freedom Fighters and had committed to the new F-5E/F Tiger II. As the F-5 series was a fighter-bomber, critics argued that the CLAAX was unnecessary. However, the Mexican government structured requirements so that the CLAAX and the F-5 weren't in competition. The Tiger II was needed to serve the MAF's Regional Air Superiority Fighter - X (RASFX) program. This provided UN-mandated air defence to Mexico and several Caribbean and Central American nations too small to field the required capabilities on their own. The CLAAX, meanwhile, would satisfy the demands of a new Tactical Attack and Reconnaissance - X (TARX) requirement. After agreeing that EMBRAER's EMB.340 design would serve as the basis for a production CLAAX, MAI and EMBRAER formed BMX (Brazil Mexico X) International in 1977 to bring the project into reality. By then the UN had selected the in-production Jaguar International as its CLAAX platform and MAI was looking forward to Northrop's new F-20 evolution of the F-5 series.




Whilst EMBRAER was clearly responsible for the overall design of the BMX airframe based on its EMB.340 proposal, MAF and MAI interests dominated many of the development decisions. As Northrop's next-generation F-5 evolved into the F-20A/B Tigershark, the BMX came to be seen as a subsonic companion to the new supersonic fighter. Seeking the logistical savings that would come from commonality, the BMX and the F-20 would go on to share a large number of systems. The F-20's F404 powerplant replaced EMBRAER's choice of the Rolls Royce Canada Hudson, GE producing a common version with and without afterburning for use in the Tigershark and the BMX respectively. Major BMX features including the avionics, cockpit design, fly-by-wire (FBW) and hydraulics were based on those of the F-20. Both the BMX and the F-20A first flew in 1982. These similarities enabled the two-seat BMX2 series to be marketed as a multirole combat capable trainer and as a Lead In Fighter Trainer (LIFT) for pilots transitioning to the MAI-built MF-20A/B. Promoted under the Dream Team slogan, the MF-20A/B and BMX/BMX2 were presented as "the total fighter, attack and training solution." BMX2 versions included the BMX-LIFT, BMX-2CA (2-seat Combat Aircraft) and the proposed BMX-EW (Electronic Warfare) and BMX-MA (Maritime Attack) versions.




Brazilian and Mexican BMXs served during the Colombian Crisis of 1990, conducting reconnaissance and interdiction missions. However, the type's limited capabilities compared to the Jaguars they served beside were clearly apparent. Having been delivered to an austere standard to meet budget restraints, a "spiral upgrade" plan was initiated. Both nations upgraded their BMX fleets to BICEP 1 standard from 1994 as part of the BMX International Continuous Enhancement Program (BICEP). This addressed engineering sustainment issues, added GPS navigation, Link 16 and integrated several precision guided along with the Honey Pie Atlis II targeting pod. BICEP 2 added New Generation IFF and upgraded the FBW to accommodate asymmetric stores carriage. BICEP maintained the BMX's high degree of compatibility with the MF-20A/B by paralleling the systems and capabilities installed through the Tigershark Honouring Operational Requirements (THOR) program.




From 1996 the BrAF and MAF sent BICEP BMXs to Kuwait on alternating one year deployments. The Brazillians called this commitment Operation Bacana and Mexico named their contribution Operation Chido*, but they were collectively and colloquially known as The BMX Bandits. BICEP 2 improvements were fielded in 2003 and Mexico's 2011 deployment was the first for BICEP 3 jets. This standard featured a full glass cockpit  integrated the the Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System (JHMCS), RecceLite ISR pod (replacing Blue Orpheus reconnaissance pods) and the Litening III targeting pod, with ROVER IV (Remotely Operated Video Enhanced Receiver) capability for close cooperation with ground troops. The analogue RAPPORT III ECM system was replaced by the software driven RAPPORT IV, which included an Emitter Location System (ELS) to cue AGM-88C HARMs or ALARM 2s.  Both BrAF and MAF selected the Brazilian made MAA-1B Piranha IR guided air-to-air missiles for self defence.






The 2 MAF BMX Bandits modeled here, BMX-2CA BICEP 3 #42 and BMX BICEP 3 #10, have been identified as the BMX-2CA Cantil 01 and BMX Cantil 03, as mentioned in the book JTAC: Axeman, by retired US Army Ranger and CIA operative Matt Turner. Embedded with Syrian rebels during the Battle of Adra, Turner worked with Cantil 01 to 04 during the morning of 21 April, 2011. Using the Axeman callsign, Turner had worked through the night calling in USAF F-15E Strike Eagles against Syrian Arab Army threats. As dawn emerged, it was the turn of Cantil Flight to provide CAS for the defenders of Adra. Operating within the degraded but still active Damascus Super Missile Engagement Zone, the Mexican flyers were supported throughout by USMC F/A-18G Growlers and UAE F-16Ks providing SEAD/DEAD. From Turner's account and from MAF media releases, it can be ascertained that Cantil 01 was BMX-2CA #42, equipped with a ROVER enabled Litening III pod, an AGM-65G Maverick and a SMKB-82 laser/GPS/INS bomb. Cantil 02 and 04 were each armed with 4 AGM-114M Hellfires and 4 GBU-39 Small Diameter Bombs. BMX Cantil 03 also carried a Litening III with ROVER, plus 2 SMKB-82s. As Turner put it in his book, he had at his disposal "four planes with 20 kinetic effectors (not counting their four 20mm Vulcan cannons, which l was planning on not having to resort to)." As the Mexicans rotated between Adra and Saudi tankers safely orbiting in Jordanian airspace, they worked over Syrian Arab Army targets until their kinetic effectors were exhausted (leaving only their 20mm magazines unused). Turner wrote that targets included tanks, APCs, mortar and gun emplacements, plus other frontline enemy positions, all taken out with "pinpoint accuracy." He seemed particularly impressed when a machine gun was "silenced by a Hellfire flying through an open window." The AGM-65G was used in an "impressive" attack on a M60A1 tank hiding in a built up area. The Battle of Adra would continue for another 3 days, after which government forces gave up on their attempts at encirclement, leaving a stalemate.




*The MAF alternated its year long Operation Chido deployments with Operation Órale, which sent F-16Cs into action over Central Command's area of responsibility.  See https://www.whatifmodellers.com/index.php?topic=33896.msg534204;topicseen#msg534204

[zenrat]

I'm loving the subtle camo.  I initially thought they were just grey.  But no.  Camo!

  

[comrade harps]

I'm loving the subtle camo.  I initially thought they were just grey.  But no.  Camo!

  

Subtle and only on the top, rear half of the aircraft. Something a bit different and only noticeable in the pictures from the 2nd half of the post. Thought l'd be circuitous.

I enjoyed the challenge of making 2 paint jobs based on the same scheme, close but distinctively individual.

[NARSES2]

Very attractive aircraft   

[chrisonord]

Nice 

[DogfighterZen]

And here i was thinking i was gonna see some sort of bmx diorama...
Great work on both, Chris!

P.S.: Never got to see the movie... now i'll have to watch it...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N0-N0VgJNk8

[comrade harps]

And here i was thinking i was gonna see some sort of bmx diorama...
Great work on both, Chris!

P.S.: Never got to see the movie... now i'll have to watch it...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N0-N0VgJNk8

Who's Chris?

[DogfighterZen]

Oops...    sorry, comrade...  this is what happens when i'm looking at stuff during my lunch break and don't read things properly.

[su27rules]