The Ministry of Aeronautics wanted to replace the T-33A jet and was seeking military training aircraft options which could be assembled in Brazil for subsequent nationalization. After evaluating several alternatives, the Aermacchi MB-326G jet, manufactured by the Italian aviation company Aeronautica Macchi, was chosen. The aircraft had been designed back in the 1950s and had been in operation since 1962.

The license agreement allowing Embraer to manufacture it was put into effect in 1970, and the aircraft was named the EMB-326GB Xavante. The name was given in honor of the pre-Columbian native Brazilian warrior tribe. It would be the third model to go into production at Embraer, and the first jet to be manufactured in Brazil.

On May 29 of that year, the Ministry of Aeronautics closed a deal with an order for 112 units of the aircraft. Embraer sent engineers to take courses in the city of Varese, where Macchi was located, and other Italian experts came to Brazil. To meet the needs of the Brazilian Air Force (FAB), some changes were made to the original model. In addition to its use in training tasks, it would also need to meet the demands for technical support and military use.

On September 3, 1971, the Xavante took its first test flight, commanded by Major-Aviator Carlos Rubens Resende and Embraer test pilot Brasílico Freire Neto. The aircraft’s 90-minute test flight over the region of São José dos Campos and cities in southern Minas went smoothly and was met with great enthusiasm by the Brazilian media, who applauded “the first jet entirely manufactured in the country.”

On the 7th of that month, it took its first official flight, during the celebrations of Motherland Day (Independence Day). The following day, FAB took delivery of the first three Xavante airplanes, with the military designation AT-26. By December 1976, FAB had already acquired 119 Xavantes.

Embraer produced a total of 182 EMB-326 Xavante units—167 for FAB, 9 for Paraguay and 6 for Togo.

Product Name	Xavante
Embraer Code	EMB 326
Market niche	Defense Market
Start of the Project	1970
Maiden flight	September 3, 1971
Rollout	September 7, 1971
1st delivery	September 8, 1971 – FAB (Brazilian Air Force)
Other clients	Paraguay, Togo

DIMENSIONS
Length	10,65 m	41,92 ft
Height	3,72 m	14,64 ft
Span	10,84 m	42,7 ft
PERFORMANCE
Maximum cruise speed	870 km/h	470 kt
Take off distance (maximum weight, SL, ISA)	560 m	1,900 ft
Landing Field Length (SL, ISA)	715 m	2,350 ft
Powerplant	Rolls Royce Bristol VIPER 20F20, MK 540	Rolls Royce Bristol VIPER 20F20, MK 540