Aerfer Ariete
The Aerfer Ariete (Italian for Ram or Aries) was a prototype fighter aircraft built in Italy in 1958. It was a refined derivative of the Aerfer Sagittario 2, and was an attempt to bring that aircraft up to a standard where it could be mass-produced as a viable combat aircraft.
| Ariete | |
|---|---|
| Role | Prototype fighter |
| Manufacturer | Aerfer |
| Designer | Sergio Stefanutti |
| First flight | 27 March 1958 |
| Primary user | Italian Air Force |
| Number built | 2 |
| Developed from | Aerfer Sagittario 2 |
Retaining most of the Sagittario 2's layout with a nose intake and ventral exhaust for the main Derwent engine, the Ariete added a Rolls-Royce Soar RS.2 auxiliary turbojet engine to provide additional power for climbing and sprinting. This used a dorsal, retractable intake with its exhaust at the tail.
No production ensued; a proposed version with a de Havilland Spectre rocket engine instead of the auxiliary turbojet, the Aerfer Leone (Lion or Leo), was abandoned before a prototype could be built.