Embraer EMB 314 Super Tucano

EMB 314 / A-29 Super Tucano
A-29 Super Tucano of the Colombian Air Force
Role	Counter-insurgency and pilot training
Manufacturer	Embraer
First flight	June 2, 1999
Introduction	2003
Status	In service
Primary users	Brazilian Air Force Colombian Air Force Ecuadorian Air Force Chilean Air Force
Number built	88 (as of January 2009)
Developed from	Embraer EMB-312 Tucano

The Embraer EMB 314 Super Tucano, also named ALX or A-29 is a turboprop aircraft designed for light attack, counter insurgency (COIN) and pilot training missions, incorporating modern avionics and weapons systems. It is currently in service with the air forces of Brazil and Colombia, and has been ordered by the forces of Chile, Dominican Republic and Ecuador. Embraer has plans to sell it to other countries in Asia and the Middle East. Besides pilot training, it is heavily employed in monitoring operations within the Amazon basin.

Design and development

The request for a light attack aircraft was part of the Brazilian government's SIVAM (Amazon Monitoring System) Project. This aircraft would fly with the R-99A and R-99B aircraft currently in service and would be responsible for intercepting illegal aircraft flights and patrolling Brazil's borders.

The ALX Project was then created by the Brazilian Air Force, which was also in need of a military trainer to replace the Embraer EMB 326GB Xavante. The project of the new aircraft was suited to the Amazon region (high temperature, moisture, and precipitation; low threat). The ALX was then specified as a turboprop engine aircraft with a long range and autonomy, able to operate in night and day, in any meteorological conditions, and able to land on short airfields lacking infrastructure.

The first flight of a single-seat Super Tucano production aircraft occurred on 2 June 1999, while the first flight of the two-seat version took place on 22 October 1999.

Operational history

Twenty-four Super Tucano (variant AT-29B) were purchased by the Colombian Air Force in a 234 million USD deal, purchased directly from the Brazilian company Embraer. The first three planes arrived in the morning of 14 December, 2006 to the military airfield of CATAM in Bogotá. Two more planes were delivered on the week of December 16, 2006, ten more in the first semester of 2007 and the rest in June 2008.

In 2008, the Colombian Air Force used a Super Tucano armed with Griffin bombs inside Ecuadorian airspace during "Operation Phoenix", destroying a terrorist cell and killing the second-in-command chief of FARC, Raúl Reyes. This event would led to a diplomatic break between the two countries. In 2006, Embraer had a potential sale of 24 units to Venezuela fall through. Venezualan President Hugo Chavez claimed the U.S. was responsible for pressuring Brazil not to sign the contract.

One Super Tucano has also been purchased by a subsidiary of Blackwater Worldwide, an American private military contracting firm. The plane did not include the machine guns normally attached to the wings.

In 2008 the U.S. Navy began testing the Super Tucano at the behest of the U.S. Special Operations Command for its potential use to support special warfare operations.

As of April 2008, the Indonesian Air Force was considering an order of 16 Super Tucanos to replace aging and grounded Rockwell OV-10F Bronco.

Variants

A-29A

Single-seater for attack and armed reconnaissance (on interdiction tasks), attack and cover (on close air support tasks), able to intercept and destroy low performance aircraft.

A-29B

Twin-seater for the same tasks as the single seat version, also used in training and advanced aerial control (on monitoring tasks).

Operators

Brazil

• Brazilian Air Force - 99 ordered, about 70 in service
  • First Squadron of the Third Aviation Group (1º/3º GAv) "Esquadrão Escorpião"
  • Second Squadron of the Third Aviation Group (2º/3º GAv) "Esquadrão Grifo"
  • Third Squadron of the Third Aviation Group (3º/3º GAv) "Esquadrão Flecha"
  • Second Squadron of the Fifth Aviation Group (2º/5º GAv) "Esquadrão Joker"

Chile

12 ordered.

Colombia

• Colombian Air Force - 25 units to replace Rockwell OV-10 Bronco and Cessna A-37 Dragonfly. All 25 units delivered by 2008.

Dominican Republic

• Dominican Air Force - 8 units (ordered in January, 2009)

Ecuador

• Ecuadorian Air Force - 24 ordered; deliveries beginning in 2009

Guatemala

• Guatemalan Air Force - 10 units (ordered in May 2009)

Indonesia

• Indonesian Air Force - has ordered 16 Super Tucano to replace aging and grounded Rockwell OV-10F Bronco

United States

• US Navy - 100 units ordered (september 2009).
• Xe (private company) - 1 twin-seater variant for pilot training (delivered in February 2008), possible further orders for counter-insurgency role.

Specifications (EMB 314)

General characteristics

• Crew: One pilot on single seat version, one pilot plus one navigator/student on double seat version

Performance Armament

• 2x 12.7 mm FN Herstal M3P machine guns
• 1x 20 mm cannon pod below the fuselage
• 4x 70 mm rocket launcher pods
• Conventional ('Iron') and Guided ('Smart') bombs
• 2x AIM-9 Sidewinder or MAA-1 Piranha or Python 3/4 air-to-air missiles
• External stores on 5 hardpoints

See also

Related development

• Embraer EMB 312 Tucano
• Short Tucano

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

• KAI KT-1
• PA-48 Enforcer
• Pilatus PC-21
• PZL-130 Orlik
• T-6 Texan II

External links

• Embraer Super Tucano page in English
• Brazilian Air Force
• SIPAM
• SIVAM