The Uruguayan Air Force (FAU) has acquired five A-29 Super Tucano aircraft from Brazilian firm Embraer.
The deal includes mission equipment, integrated logistics services, and a flight simulator.
“We are ready to offer the best multimission aircraft to the FAU as well as our full support to increase their operational readiness and to enhance their capabilities to accomplish strategic missions such as border surveillance,” said Bosco da Costa Junior, President and CEO of Embraer.
The contract is part of a fleet renewal program to expand the FAU’s operational capacity.
“This incorporation projects us technologically, and upon completion of the A-29 acquisition process, it allows us to face, together with Embraer, the new regional security paradigms,” said FAU Commander in Chief General Luis H. De León.
Embraer Super Tucano
Uruguay’s order makes it the sixth country in Latin America to operate the Super Tucano, and Portugal’s recent acquisition of the aircraft brought the total number of A-29 orders worldwide to over 290.
The A-29 Super Tucano is equipped with state-of-the-art electrical-optical sensors, enabling high-precision target identification and information gathering.
Moreover, it features a built-in machine gun, allowing the aircraft to conduct reconnaissance missions and maintain readiness for defense or attack.
The aircraft has a wingspan of 11 meters (36 feet) and weighs 3,200 kilograms (7,055 pounds).
It reaches a maximum speed of 590 kilometers (367 miles) per hour, with a service ceiling of 10,600 meters (34,776 feet).