What engine and weapons did the Australian Sabre Mk 30…

What engine and weapons did the Australian Sabre Mk 30 carry?

Short answer

The CAC Sabre Mk 30 carried the Avon 20 engine and two 30 mm ADEN cannon, which replaced the F-86F's six machine guns. It was the first production batch built by CAC, fitted with leading-edge slats, and 22 examples were completed. The F-86F licence was secured in 1951.

Published: November 4, 2026 · Updated: November 4, 2026 · Edited by Above Ten Thousand · Editorial policy

What engine and weapons did the Australian Sabre Mk 30 carry?

F-86Fs 51FIW over Korea 1953

From the 1951 licence to the Mk 30

In 1951, CAC secured a licence agreement to build the F-86F Sabre, in response to the cancellation of the CAC CA-23 project. The first batch of aircraft was powered by the Avon 20 engine and was designated Sabre Mk 30. That production version was fitted with leading-edge slats and a total of 22 examples were completed.

30 mm cannon instead of machine guns

The armament overhaul replaced the F-86F's six machine guns with two 30 mm ADEN cannon. Each of the CAC Sabre's two 30 mm ADEN cannon carried 162 rounds.

From the Mk 31 to the Mk 32

Between 1957 and 1958, that first batch had the wing slats removed and was redesignated Sabre Mk 31. The Mk 31 was similar to the Mk 30 but with an extended leading edge; 20 aircraft were built and the surviving Mk 30s were converted to that standard. The final production batch was the Sabre Mk 32, fitted with the Avon 26 engine and underwing pylons, of which 69 units were completed by 1961.