▁as ▁well ▁as ▁the ▁Lock he ed ▁R F - 1 0 4 G ▁Star fig h ter ▁also ▁being ▁used ▁in ▁the ▁reconna issance ▁role . ▁R ather ▁than ▁compet ing ▁for ▁the ▁contract , ▁Aer ital ia ▁( now ▁Al enia ▁Aer onaut ica ) ▁and ▁A erm ac chi ▁agreed ▁to ▁produce ▁a ▁joint ▁proposal ▁for ▁the ▁requirement , ▁as ▁both ▁fir ms ▁had ▁been ▁considering ▁the ▁development ▁of ▁a ▁similar ▁class ▁of ▁aircraft ▁for ▁some ▁years . ▁During ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 9 7 0 s , ▁A erm ac chi ▁had ▁been ▁conducted ▁work ▁on ▁a ▁design ▁study ▁for ▁such ▁a ▁light ▁ground ▁attack ▁aircraft ▁under ▁the ▁design ation ▁of ▁MB - 3 4 0 . ▁In ▁April ▁ 1 9 7 8 , ▁development ▁work ▁on ▁the ▁joint ▁vent ure ▁formally ▁comm enced . ▁ ▁During ▁ 1 9 8 0 , ▁the ▁Brazil ian ▁government ▁announced ▁that ▁they ▁intended ▁to ▁particip ate ▁in ▁the ▁program ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁provide ▁a ▁replacement ▁for ▁the ▁A erm ac chi ▁MB - 3 2 6 . ▁In ▁July ▁ 1 9 8 1 , ▁the ▁Italian ▁and ▁Brazil ian ▁govern ments ▁agreed ▁on ▁joint ▁requirements ▁for ▁the ▁aircraft , ▁and ▁Em bra er ▁was ▁invited ▁to ▁join ▁the ▁industrial ▁partners hip . ▁An ▁agreement ▁was ▁also ▁struck ▁to ▁divide ▁AM X ▁manufact uring ▁between ▁the ▁partners ; ▁for ▁each ▁production ▁aircraft , ▁Aer ital ia ▁manufact ured ▁ 4 6 . 5 ▁per ▁cent ▁of ▁the ▁components ▁( central