Sixth African country signs for Super Tucano

Embraer has closed out the year with another order for its A-29 Super Tucano light attack and advanced trainer aircraft, this time to an undisclosed customer on the African continent.

The order is for four aircraft and the country joins five others in Africa. The value of the contract was not disclosed but unit price is likely to be US$13–$16 million per aircraft depending on ancillaries, supports and services included in the contract.

According to the company: “These aircraft will perform a wide spectrum of missions such as border surveillance, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), close air support, counterinsurgency and advanced flight training.”

There have been more than 290 A-29s ordered and according to the company these aircraft have completed more than 570,000 flight hours and 60,000 of those hours have been in combat.

In 2024, Embraer announced new sales of the Super Tucano to the Portuguese Air Force (A-29N), the Uruguayan Air Force and the Paraguayan Air Force.

In December 2024, Portugal announced that it would invest €200 million (US$209 million) to acquire 12 A-29Ns.

Announced via a statement from the Portuguese Council of Ministers on 12 December, the investment will also reportedly include a flight simulator and goods and logistics support, as well as full implementation and support of the aircraft.

The company previously announced the sale of six Super Tucanos to the Paraguayan Air Force in July 2024 at the Farnborough International Airshow. Deliveries are expected to begin in 2025 with the price tag estimated to be around US$100 million.

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