LTV A-7P Corsair II

The A-7P was the version of the Corsair II attack aircraft operated by the Portuguese Air Force from 1981 until 1999. Portugal chose the type in 1980 to replace its North American F-86 Sabre fighters, after earlier plans to buy French or American fighters had stalled for political and financial reasons. The A-7Ps were not new-build aircraft: they were reconstructed former United States Navy A-7A airframes taken from storage at AMARC, fitted with the Pratt & Whitney TF30-P-408 engine and with avionics of the A-7E and A-7D standard, and a twin-seat trainer version, the TA-7P, was converted in the same way. Two orders covered 50 A-7Ps and TA-7Ps in all, flown in anti-ship, air interdiction and air defense roles by 302 and 304 Squadrons. The fleet suffered accidents and a shortage of spares, was grounded in September 1995 and was retired from service on 9 July 1999.