F-5A Freedom Fighter - FAP - 5501
The PoAF (FAP) that was supposed to be and wasn't

After the end of the Overseas War, Portugal needed to renew all its combat aviation, which was outdated for the European theater of operations. An ally of the USA, Portugal essentially counted on North American support to modernize its air combat force. The Air Force's preferred fighter was the Northrop F-5 Tiger II, but for financial reasons, the choice fell on the Vought A-7 Corsair II.
In 1975, a report from an American delegation to NATO states that Portugal intends to replace the old Saber with an aircraft such as the F-4E Phantom or alternatively the F-5E Tiger II, but also states that the A-7D Corsair or the A-4N Skyhawk would be more advisable for maritime attack functions to which Portugal was obliged within the scope of its NATO functions. In the European context at the time, Portugal was a rearguard country and, in the event of a conflict with Eastern countries, it would have to receive American reinforcements, both by sea and by air. In this role, its main mission would be to ensure open supply lines across the Atlantic by acting against surface ships, with the Air Force being an important vector in this role. In this sense, Portugal would need more of an aircraft with maritime attack capabilities, with the Corsair or Skyhawk being the best choices, in the American opinion.