Aermacchi S-211

S.211/S-211
N852TC, a privately owned S.211 in flight
Role	Basic jet trainer / Light attack aircraft
National origin	Italy
Manufacturer	SIAI-Marchetti Aermacchi
First flight	10 April 1981
Introduction	1984
Status	Active service with the Philippine Air Force
Primary users	Republic of Singapore Air Force (historical) Philippine Air Force Haitian Air Force (historical)
Produced	1981-1994
Number built	~60
Unit cost	$1.2 million (in 1981 dollars)
Developed into	Alenia Aermacchi M-345

The SIAI-Marchetti S.211 (later Aermacchi S-211 is a turbofan-powered military trainer aircraft designed and originally marketed by SIAI-Marchetti. Some 60 aircraft have been sold to air forces around the world. Aermacchi bought the production rights in 1997. The redesigned M-311 (now M-345) is currently under development by Alenia Aermacchi.

SIAI-Marchetti began work on the aircraft in 1976 as a private venture basic trainer, hoping to offer it to the company's existing customer base of small air forces operating their piston-engined SF.260. Formally announced in Paris the following year, interest was strong enough to justify the construction of two prototypes, the first of which flew on 10 April 1981. The Singapore Air Force placed the first order for ten aircraft in 1983.

The S-211 is a small tandem two-seat shoulder-wing monoplane with a retractable tricycle landing gear and powered by a single Pratt & Whitney Canada JT15D-4C turbofan. Also, the aircraft was designed for a secondary close air support capability with four underwing hardpoints for the carriage of weapons and other external stores.

The S-211A was a slightly modified and updated variant of the S-211, was a losing contender in the USA's Joint Primary Aircraft Training System (JPTATS) aircraft selection. Among the seven to enter, the Raytheon/Pilatus entry won, which became the T-6 Texan II. The S-211 team was initially partnered with Grumman, and then Northrop Grumman after 1994.

Since the 1990s, the Philippine Air Force has been using the S-211 as a Trainer with secondary Attack Capability. These were redesignated as AS-211s and nicknamed as "Warriors". With the retirement of the F-5 fighters in 2005, the additional task of air defense was assigned to it as well. Because of this, the Philippine Air Force initiated some improvements to the AS-211s to improve its combat capability through a series of programs and innovations.