Brazil's (almost) Eternal Fighter

Brazil has operated the F-5 for technically half a decade now, so why not dig deeper?

In total, the Brazilian Air Force (FAB) acquired 79 F-5 airframes, with the first airframes arriving in October of 1974; a deal worth around 115 million US dollars in total. Aside from the initial batch of 36 F-5E and 6 F-5B aircraft, the FAB also acquired 22 F-5E and 4 F-5F fighters second-hand from the United States, in which the latter originally used them to simulate enemy aircraft ("aggressors"). Curiously enough, 15 of the FAB's F-5s belonged to the first batch of aircraft originally manufactured by Northrop, making Brazil the operator of one of the oldest F-5's ever.

The FAB also acquired 8 F-5E and 3 F-5F fighters in a deal with Jordan in 2009. Starting in 2001, along with Elbit Systems, Brazil's F-5s were extensively modified to meet modern standards; Brazil's F-5's are expected to operate until 2030, and after that, the JAS-39 Gripen will take over the F-5's spot in the Brazilian Air Force, ending a looong love story between the brazilians and the F-5.