The Cessna A-37 Dragonfly, or "Super Tweet", is an American light attack aircraft designed and produced by the American aircraft manufacturer Cessna. It was developed during the Vietnam War in response to military interest in new counter-insurgency (COIN) aircraft to replace aging types such as the Douglas A-1 Skyraider. A formal United States Air Force (USAF) evaluation of the T-37 Tweet basic trainer for the COIN mission was conducted in late 1962, after which it was concluded that it could be modified to effectively perform the role. The attack-orientated A-37 was directly derived from the T-37, roughly doubling in both all-up weight and engine thrust as to permit considerable quantities of munitions to be carried along with extended flight endurance and additional mission avionics. The prototype YAT-37D performed its maiden flight during October 1964. Role: Light ground-attack aircraft National origin: United States Manufacturer: Cessna First flight: October 1964 Status: Limited service in Central American and South American air forces Primary users: United States Air Force (historical), Republic of Vietnam Air Force (historical), Chilean Air Force (historical), Peruvian Air Force Produced: 1963–1975 Number built: 577 Developed from: Cessna T-37 Tweet
