First customer is Argentina, with orders for 12 for its air force plus 24 options, and eight more for Argentine Naval Aviation. Another 12 existing aircraft will be upgraded to the latest specifications.

The Honeywell-powered AT-63s will gain additional light ground-attack capabilities from new Elbit 1553B digital mission-system avionics, and five external stores pylons. A multi-function cockpit display, digital map, RLG INS/GPS, HUD, and HOTAS, were retrofitted into two IA-63s as AT-63 prototypes, and initial production of one aircraft per month is planned this year.

Costing an estimated $6.5-7 million fly-away, and with an 8,000-hour fatigue life, the AT-63 is being marketed by LMAASA as an affordable jet-trainer/light ground-attack aircraft, with possible co-production options. These could interest Israel, which needs to replace its elderly Fouga CM 170 Magisters (Tzukits), and has been offered outsourced leasing and AT-63 co-manufacturing by LMAASA.