Dassault Super Etendard The Dassault Super Etendard is a French naval based fighter - bomber created in 1974 as a low - cost replacement of the Dassault Etendard IV . Description . The Super Etendard was developed by Dassault as a low - cost version of the naval fighter Dassault Etendard - IV M . Among the changes introduced was the engine change , because the Super - Etendard started using Atar 8K50 engine , which alone gave the new plane much higher capacities . Besides the engine , the Super Etendard received modified wings , with the leading edges inclined . Also now used a new radar , Thomson - CSF Agave , best suited for naval missions , along with a new navigation system optimized for attack missions . These characteristics have led to the Super Etendard aircraft was classified as protection of the fleet from attack by enemy ships , along with the role of ground attack . The aircraft would then attack the function of points on land , building on the French aircraft carrier Foch ( now A - 12 São Paulo ) and Clemenceau . However , he was not able to compete with supersonic aircraft at that time were already in operation . The protection function of the squadron , allowed the Super Etendard attack enemy ships , but the function of protecting and defending against aircraft were restricted to the F - 8 Crusader . The Super Etendard was not a sales success , especially because as an aircraft to operate from conventional aircraft carrier , the market was reduced . To complicate the things the Super Etendard was much more expensive than its main rival the fighter A - 4 Skyhawk . As the strike aircraft based on land , he also had several rivals cheaper and equally effective in the role as the BAE Hawk and Alpha Jet . Operational History . Argentina . The Argentine Navy purchased 14 Super Étendards in 1980 , after the United States denied the possibility of replacing its A - 4Q Skyhawks . There was an " Arms Embargo " due to violations of human rights because of the Cold War . The Argentine pilots had used the French aircraft in training between November 1980 and August 1981 in France , but the outbreak of the Falklands War , had received only 45 hours of flight in this aircraft type . Between August and November 1981 five and five Super Etendards Exocets were sent to Argentina . The five missiles were used during the conflict , a missile destroyed the HMS Sheffield and one in support ship Atlantic Conveyor employing two missiles in each of the attacks . The fifth missile was launched against the HMS Invincible . British sources report that was destroyed by friendly fire from HMS Avenger for a 114 mm cannon . Soon after the Falklands War , the Command of Naval Aviation ( COANA ) of Argentine Navy received the remaining units that did complete the 14 aircraft orders . After the reforms of the aircraft carrier ARA Veinticinco de Mayo ( V - 2 ) ( POMA ) , began operations , forming part of its GAE ( Grupo Aeronaval Embarcado , Naval Embedded Group in English ) on April 18 of 1983 , el Corvette Captain Augusto Bedacarratz , landed the first time in V - 2 . By mid - 1988 remain part of the EAG , along with the Grumman S - 2 Tracker and the McDonnell Douglas A - 4 Skyhawk at this date , 25 de Mayo came into reforms that were never completed and the ship was finally scrapped in the late 90 in Alang , India . Without being able to operate in an aircraft carrier itself , the pilots of the Super Etendards continued training on board the complex operation , the Commander Naval Air Spur is a part of its track modified to simulate landings hooked on an aircraft carrier . Also , each time a Battle Group of an aircraft carrier of U . S . Navy sails near the territorial waters of Argentina takes advantage to make PyAD that are landing and takeoff practice on the American ship . With the Brazilian Navy desenvolmeram ARAEX the exercises , in which aircraft were operating in the Argentine aircraft carrier NAeL Minas Gerais ( A - 11 ) , but the limitations of catapults in the same limited activities to practice " touch and go . " Between May 2 and May 5 of 2002 , held a historic fact , when the aircraft carrier NAe São Paulo of Brazilian Navy sailed into the Atlantic south to develop the exercise ARAEX VI and allowed an GAE mixed , composed of Brazilians and Argentines planes . On one occasion , three Super Étendards operated effectively ( with landings and catapultagens ) on the aircraft carrier in Brazil . Actively participate in the exercises ( called Stages of the Sea ) , with airplanes and helicopters Comando Naval Aviation ( COANA ) , along the Sea Fleet vessels ( COFN ) , Division of Maritime Patrol ( DVPM makes ) and the submarines of the Command of Submarine Force ( COFS ) . France . Since 1991 , the original Etendards IV Ms were removed from service in the French Navy , and the Super Étendards underwent continuous modernization in 90 years to be able to use them with weapons - art laser guided . These changes increased the plane and came to be called Super Etendards Modernisé ( SEM ) , which participated in the operations of NATO over Kosovo in 1999 as part of 400 combat missions . The SEM also participated in combat operations in Operation Enduring Freedom . It is expected that all Super Étendards are withdrawn from service in 2010 , which are being replaced since 2006 by Dassault Rafale . Iraq . Iraq made a deal with France in 1984 , which led to the lease of five Super Etendard aircraft to the regime of Saddam Hussein , when he was at war with Iran Apparently , the aircraft supplied to Iraq were part of the nine whose delivery had been canceled by France , when it passed an embargo on arms sales to Argentina . The nine planes would be turned over later . There are not many details on this use of the Super Etendard in Iraq , but it is known that the first operation took place in March 1984 , and that although several targets have been reached , there was no sinking of any ship . The Super Etendard were returned to France the following year , 1995 . According to available data , the five provided only three have been returned , having lost two , one killed by Iranians and other lost in an accident .