Aermacchi SF . 260 The Aermacchi SF . 260 is a light aircraft marketed as an aerobatics and military trainer . It was designed by Stelio Frati , originally for Aviamilano , which flew the first prototype of it ( then designated F . 260 ) on July 15 , 1964 . Actual production was undertaken when SIAI Marchetti purchased the design soon thereafter and continued with this firm until the company was bought by Aermacchi in 1997 . The military versions are popular with smaller air force s , which can also arm it for use in the close - support role . The manufacturer ' s website notes , " The SF - 260 is the world ’ s most widespread screener and primary trainer . Known for its pure lines and excellent flying characteristics , it is available in both piston - engine and turboprop variants , respectively powered by a 260 hp Lycoming AEIO - 540 ( SF - 260E ) or a 350 shp Rolls - Royce Model 250 B - 17D turboprop ( SF - 260TP ) . The SF - 260 has been used by various civilian aerobatic teams and by several flight schools of airlines . Some 27 different military customers have already bought more than 900 SF - 260 in all variants . " Design and development . The design employs a low - mounted cantilever wing and retractable tricycle undercarriage , and is often praised for its sleek lines and sporty appearance . The pilot and up to two passengers ( or pilot and one student in trainer versions ) are accommodated under a broad , extensively glazed canopy . The structure is approved for acrobatics . The SF . 260 holds the airspeed records for aircraft in its class over the and closed circuits . The aircraft was marketed in the United States in the late 1960s as the Waco Meteor , although it was in no way connected with the Waco aircraft company . Thirty SF . 260EA – the most recent version – were delivered to the Italian Air Force in 2005 for a total price of €33 million ( $ 40 million ) . Operational history . Sri Lanka . Six SF . 260TPs were delivered in 1985 , to be used in the pilot training role , although they were later brought into the government ' s effort to subdue the Tamil Tigers . Two former factory demonstration aircraft were delivered in 1986 to replace lost aircraft , added by three new built aircraft in 1988 . All SF . 260 aircraft are based with No . 1 Flying Training Wing on the airbase SLAF Anuradhapura . The SF . 260TP fleet was expanded in 1990 - 91 with the delivery of twelve former Myanmar SF . 260Ws . The SF . 260W fleet was withdrawn from use in 2001 , being replaced by Chinese Nanchang PT - 6 aircraft . The SF . 260TP fleet was also retired a few years later . 2 aircraft were lost in combat : Chad . Chad informed the United Nations that , during the conflict with Libya , it had destroyed eight Libyan Air Force SF . 260WL ' s and captured nine others , besides destroying and capturing other equipment . As many as six former Libyan SF . 260WLs may have been pressed into service with Chad ' s Air Force . By 1988 four SF . 260W ' s were identified as being in service , two of them were overhauled one year later in France . In November 2006 Libya supplied Chad with four SF . 260W aircraft , including crew , due to tensions between Chad and Sudan over the Dafur area . One newly supplied SF . 260W was shot down on 28 November - its first mission in Chad - by rebel forces , killing the crew . Libya . Libya was a major customer of the SIAI Marchetti SF . 260 with an order of 240 Warriors , partially to be assembled in a new plant near Tripoli . How many SF . 260W ' s were actually delivered is unknown . Deliveries started in 1977 or 1978 , but problems arose from a US embargo on avionics . Reportedly , the US - made avionics were replaced by French - made , which caused delays in delivery . In the late 1970s large numbers of SF . 260 ' s were parked on Vergiate awaiting delivery . The SF . 260WL was intended for use by the Air Force Academy for pilot training , but was also used for ground support of army troops during the border war with Chad . Little is known about the service life of the aircraft . The Libyan government supported friendly countries with arms , and several SF . 260Ws were handed over to air forces such as Burkina Faso , Burundi , Nicaragua , Uganda and possibly others . In 1987 Chad reported to the United Nations the destruction of eight F . 260s and the capture of nine others during its border war with Libya ; some of these secondhand Libyan aircraft may even have found their way onto the US market . Alenia Aermacchi refurbished twelve SF . 260 primary trainers for the Libyan Air Force ; the work was performed jointly by Alenia Aermacchi and Tripoli - based Libyan - Italian Advanced Technology . The work included overhaul of the airframes and systems , including propellers and engines . Work began in late 2007 and ran through 2008 . During the civil war , on May 7 , 2011 , this aircraft ( along with a formation of pro - Gaddaffi planes ) was probably involved in a successful air raid over the rebel - held fuel depots at Misrata , setting them on fire . NATO failed to intercept the flight , despite the introduction of a no - fly zone over Libya in March . At the beginning of the uprising , one aircraft was crushed under a tank during a rebel attack on Misrata air base . As of 2013 , at least six airframes are still in service with the new Libyan Air Force and are involved in patrols and possibly airstrikes against smugglers in the porous and remote borders . Nicaragua . Between four to six SF . 260W ' s were received by the Fuerza Aérea Sandinista as support from Libya . They may have been used in the COIN role against the Contras and in the pilot training role . No further details are known . Three SF . 260s surfaced in the USA on the secondhand market , a fourth is slowly being rebuilt in Guatemala . No longer in service . Rhodesia . Despite an arms embargo , two batches of SF . 260 aircraft were delivered in 1977 . Because of the embargo several buying teams were travelling the world looking for suitable equipment . Through various routes 17 SF . 260C and 14 SF . 260W aircraft arrived . The former to be used in the training role , while the warriors were being used for light attack duties and escort of convoys . In 1984 - 85 reportedly eight SF . 260Ws were converted to SF . 260TP standard by replacing the piston engine with a turboprop engine . Zimbabwe . It was announced at the 1997 Paris Salon that the Air Force of Zimbabwe had ordered six F . 260F aircraft , thus becoming the first operator of this new model . In June 1998 three F . 260Fs were seen test flying at the Aermacchi homebase of Venegono . All six should have been delivered in 1998 . Little is known yet about their serials and construction numbers . Burkina Faso . This small air force operated six Warriors with marks BF - 8421 ( c / n 049 ) , BF - 8424 ( c / n 254 ) , BF - 8431 ( c / n 116 ) , BF - 8451 ( c / n 206 ) , BF - 8477 ( c / n 134 ) and BF - 8479 ( c / n 136 ) ; these Warriors were sold from Philippines via Belgium in 1986 , and were complemented by other four new Warriors coming directly from Italy , and employed during the Agacher Strip War with Mali in 1986 . These aircraft were in service with Eskadrille de Chasse ( EdC - Fighting Squadron ) in Force Aérienne de Bourkina Faso ( FABF - Burkina Faso Air Force ) . Philippines . In the early 1970s an order was placed for 48 SF . 260s ( 32 SF . 260M ; 16 SF . 260W ) . The first six were delivered in May 1973 , replacing the Beech T - 34A Mentor with 100th Training Wing at Fernando Air Base . The 15th Strike Wing on airbase Sangley Point received the SF . 260W Warrior as an addition to the North American T - 28 Trojans . They were possibly used in combat against rebel forces in the south of the Philippines . But little is known about its service life . In the early 1980s , the surviving Warriors were disarmed and transferred to the training role with 100th Training Wing . The Philippines Air Force signed with Agusta a contract for the delivery of 18 SF . 260TP turboprops on 31 December 1991 , replacing the SF . 260M / W in the training role . The first SF . 260TP was noted in country on 1 July 1993 . Under " Project Layang " the Philippines Air Force plans to upgrade 18 SF . 260M / W aircraft to the SF . 260TP standard , by replacing the Lycoming piston engine with the Allison 250 - B17D turbopropengine and newer avionics . The first upgraded SF . 260 was delivered in 1996 , no further details are available . The Philippines has finalized a deal with Alenia Aermacchi for 18 new - build SF . 260F primary / basic trainers . All 18 were delivered by Aermacchi Italy which was locally assembled by Aerotech Industries Philippines by April 2011 . Six Warriors were sold to Bourkina - Faso via Belgium in 1986 . Operators . Civil Operators . Out of some 860 SF - 260s produced , around 180 have been sold to civil users . Most of these are in private hands , although at least three airlines , Alitalia , Sabena and British Midland Airways purchased the aircraft as a trainer for airliner pilots . Air Combat USA operates 9 SF - 260s .