Santiago, Chile, March 28, 2012 – Embraer Defense and Security disclosed today that it has signed contracts with three African nations for the acquisition of the A-29 Super Tucano light attack and advanced training turboprop. The Burkina Faso Air Force, the first operator of this model in Africa, has already received three aircraft that are used on border patrol missions. The Angola Air Force recently acquired six of this aircraft for the same mission, and the first three will be delivered in 2012. Also, the Air Force of Mauritania chose the A-29 Super Tucano to carry out counter-insurgency missions. The total value of the contracts – including an extensive logistical, training, and replacement parts package – comes to more than USD 180 million.
“The Super Tucano is highly efficient and presents low operating costs. Its capability for surveillance and counter-insurgency missions makes it ideal for service on the continent of Africa,” said Luiz Carlos Aguiar, President, Embraer Defense and Security. “The proof is in the fact that several customers will soon be exercising their purchase rights, and the airplane has awakened the interest of several African nations.”
With these orders, nine air forces have now chosen the A-29 Super Tucano in Latin America, Africa and Southeast Asia, and the aircraft is already operating in six of them. The A-29 Super Tucano is capable of performing a broad range of missions that include light attack, aerial surveillance and interception, and counter-insurgency measures. With more than 130,000 flight hours and over 18,000 combat hours, the A-29 Super Tucano is equipped with the very latest avionics technology, including night vision, Electro-Optical/Infrared (EO/IR) system with laser aim, secure communications and data link package, as well as an unequalled weapons capacity, which makes it highly effective and gives the aircraft an excellent cost-benefit ratio.
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