Editing Dassault/Dornier Alpha Jet (section)

===Origins===
[[File:Fabrieksfoto van de Dassault-Breguet-Dornier Alpha Jet (2157 034078).jpg|thumb|An early Alpha Jet presented in a company marketing photo.]]

In the early 1960s, European air forces began to consider their requirements for the coming decades. One such area of consideration was the requirement for a new generation of jet-powered trainer aircraft to replace such aircraft as the US-built [[Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star]] and French-built [[Fouga Magister]]. Britain and France established a collaborative program to pursue development of what was initially intended to become a [[supersonic]] jet aircraft. This aircraft was to be produced in two distinct variants for different roles: trainer and [[light attack aircraft]]. The result of this collaboration, the [[SEPECAT Jaguar]], proved to be an excellent aircraft, but its definition had changed in the interim, and the type emerged as a full-sized, nuclear-capable [[strike fighter]], whose two-seat variants were used for operational conversion to the type. As such, the Jaguar was not well suited for the general training mission.<ref name="Alpha Jet">[http://www.dassault-aviation.com/en/passion/aircraft/military-dassault-aircraft/alpha-jet.html?L=1 "Alpha Jet."] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120515212126/http://www.dassault-aviation.com/en/passion/aircraft/military-dassault-aircraft/alpha-jet.html?L=1 |date=2012-05-15 }} ''Dassault.'' Retrieved: 30 December 2012.</ref>

This left the original requirement unfulfilled. As a result of this outcome, in 1967, France entered into a series of discussions with West Germany on the topic of a prospective collaboration effort to meet this demand.<ref name = "kocs 112">Kocs 1995, p. 112.</ref> West Germany was keen to participate in such talks, having long held an interest in conducting joint training operations with France along with a desire for strengthening positive political relations between the two nations.<ref>Kocs 1995, pp. 112-113.</ref> France also valued military cooperation with West Germany, wanting to break a perceived German ideological preference for American aircraft.<ref name = "kocs 113">Kocs 1995, p. 113.</ref> 

In 1968, a joint specification was produced out of these talks. One substantial change to the requirements was that the sought trainer was now specified to be subsonic, supersonic trainer aircraft having proven to be superfluous to practical requirements. In July 1969, a joint development and production agreement was signed between West Germany and France. Under the terms of this agreement, the two nations committed to purchasing 200 aircraft, these being domestically assembled in each of their own countries.<ref name="AIjun84 p270"/><ref name = "lamb 264"/>

At one point, both the German government and the German Air Force had been keen to relocate pilot training activities from the United States to France as part of the project. In 1971, this was abandoned over fears of a hostile US reaction and West Germany's offset obligations to the United States making such a move unpalatable.<ref>Kocs 1995, pp. 112-114.</ref> While the joint Franco-German training proposal was abandoned, the German government felt obligated to proceed with the aircraft program. At the time, Germany did not require a new trainer aircraft, but needed a replacement for its fleet of [[Fiat G.91]] attack aircraft.<ref>Kocs 1995, pp. 113-114.</ref> 

Germany proposed that the aircraft be built in two distinct versions, as an inexpensive trainer for the French requirement, and as a [[close air support]] platform for the German requirement. This position was accepted by France. An initial point of contention whether to use a French or American powerplant for the aircraft was settled, with France agreeing to solely finance the development of the French-built Larzac engine while Germany agreed to adopt the same powerplant.<ref name = "kocs 114"/><ref name = "lamb 264">Lambert 1974, p. 264.</ref>

Three groups of manufacturers produced proposals in response to the requirement. These were Dassault, Breguet and Dornier submitted the "TA501", which had been developed through a merger of the Breguet 126 and Dornier P.375 concepts. VFW-Fokker submitted their "VFT-291" aircraft, while SNIAS/MBB submitted the "E.650 Eurotrainer".<ref name="AIjun84 p270">Braybrook 1984, p. 270.</ref> Each of these proposals were to be powered by twin [[SNECMA Turbomeca Larzac]] [[turbofan]] engines.<ref name="AIjun84 p270"/> The German Air Force insisted that the trainer have two engines after having suffered from severe aircraft attrition rates due to the high accident rate of the single-engine [[Lockheed F-104 Starfighter]].