▁variant ▁of ▁the ▁Euro jet ▁E J 2 0 0 ▁was ▁proposed , ▁with ▁consider ably ▁more ▁thrust ▁than ▁the ▁existing ▁power plant . ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 5 , ▁the ▁Italian ▁Air ▁Force ▁launched ▁an ▁upgrade ▁programme ▁( AC OL ▁A gg ion amento ▁Cap ac ità ▁Oper ative ▁e ▁Log istiche ▁– ▁Oper ational ▁and ▁Log ist ical ▁Cap ability ▁Up grade ) ▁for ▁ 5 5 ▁of ▁its ▁AM X s , ▁adding ▁a ▁new ▁las er ▁IN S , ▁new ▁co ck pit ▁displays ▁and ▁allowing ▁the ▁aircraft ▁to ▁drop ▁J oint ▁Direct ▁Att ack ▁Mun ition ▁gu ided ▁bomb s . ▁In ▁August ▁ 2 0 0 7 , ▁Em bra er ▁began ▁a ▁major ▁mid life ▁upgrade ▁programme ▁and ▁modern isation ▁of ▁ 5 3 ▁Brazil ian ▁Air ▁Force ▁AM X ▁A - 1 s , ▁foc using ▁on ▁av ion ics ▁systems ▁and ▁new ▁arm ament ▁add itions ; ▁the ▁programme ▁is ▁estimated ▁to ▁have ▁extended ▁the ▁lif es pan ▁of ▁the ▁fleet ▁beyond ▁ 2 0 2 7 . ▁ ▁Starting ▁in ▁November ▁ 2 0 0 9 , ▁four ▁Italian ▁AM X s ▁were ▁deployed ▁over se as ▁for ▁operations ▁in ▁Afghan istan , ▁replacing ▁the ▁same ▁number ▁of ▁Italian ▁T orn ado ▁ID S ▁in ▁the ▁reconna issance ▁role . ▁Of ▁particular ▁note ▁is ▁the ▁aircraft ' s ▁ability ▁to ▁share ▁digital ▁electro - opt ical ▁and ▁inf ra red ▁sensor ▁information ▁with ▁ground ▁troops ▁in ▁real ▁time , ▁providing ▁valuable ▁reconna