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November 18, 2000
   
Brazil has conducted its first fixed-wing combat aircraft carrier landings. The carrier Minas Gerais conducted the tests, using the first five of 20 A-4s bought from Kuwait that have been refurbished. The five aircraft made 97 touch-and-go landings during the exercises. The first landing was made by a US Navy pilot, the second by an Argentine pilot; the other three aircraft were piloted by Brazilian pilots who had recently qualified on that aircraft. Brazil formerly operated only anti-submarine planes from this carrier, but it has bought the old French carrier Foch and plans to operate its A-4 fighters from that ship.--Stephen V Cole