Embraer, Brazil: Embraer delivered the 50th A-29, designation given to the Super Tucano by the Brazilian Air Force (FAB), in a ceremony held, yesterday, at the Company’s Gavião Peixoto plant, in Brazil. The event was attended by civilian and military dignitaries and Embraer executives.
“With the delivery of the 50th A-29, we are moving ahead with one more phase of an historic and successful partnership between the FAB and Embraer,” said Luiz Carlos Aguiar, Embraer Executive Vice President, Defense and Government Market. “By developing the concept of basic commonality of systems, equipment, symbology and state-of-the-art interfaces between the A-29, and the fighters F-5M and A-1 (as the AMX is designated by the FAB) that are in the process of being modernized, the FAB stands out on the world scene. As a part of these efforts, designing and developing the means for bringing the concept to life, Embraer is challenged to invest, more and more, in the Company’s technical and industrial development, so as to contribute to the evolution of our Air Force.”
The Super Tucano, together with the Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft EMB 145 AEW&C (Airborne Early Warning & Control) and the EMB 145 RS/AGS (Remote Sensoring, Air-to-Ground Surveillance), which are called R-99A and R-99B, respectively, by the FAB, forms the aerial segment of the Amazon Integrated Surveillance System (Sistema de Vigilância da Amazônia – SIVAM), and also is a part of the basic and advanced training programs for FAB pilots.
“Putting the A-29 into service with the FAB represents a technological leap that brought us into the fourth generation of military aviation,” said Aeronautics Commander, FAB General Juniti Saito. “The delivery of the 50th aircraft represents the consolidation of one more profitable partnership between the Brazilian Air Force and Embraer.”
Besides the 50 Super Tucano aircraft in action with the FAB, another ten Super Tucano planes serve with the Colombian Air Force. The operational experience obtained by the Super Tucano makes it the only turboprop aircraft manufactured in the world capable of handling surveillance and anti-insurgent combat missions, and still be used for training.
About the Super Tucano
The Super Tucano is an evolution of the world-renowned Tucano basic trainer, of which around 650 are in service with 15 air forces, worldwide.
The aircraft was designed to operate in the most complex combat scenarios, including night vision, smart weaponry, and state-of-the-art data-link systems. Besides a reinforced structure for operations on rough landing fields, the Super Tucano has advanced and highly precise navigation and weapon aiming systems that assure the reliable performance of its missions, even under extreme conditions and with no logistic support.
The aircraft is in full production on a very active and flexible assembly line, demonstrating Embraer’s ability to accommodate customer needs and deliver aircraft in shorter time spans.
With respect to logistical support, which is a very important item for the operational life cycle of the aircraft, Embraer has a broad-based, efficient and reliable distribution system throughout the world, and its aircraft are flying on six continents. In the Defense market, the system supports 650 Tucanos, 250 Bandeirantes, and many other aircraft in over 20 of the world’s air forces. In terms of commercial aviation, Embraer supports nearly 1,000 ERJ 145 family jets, as well as more than 250 E-Jets worldwide.
Embraer (Empresa Brasileira de Aeronáutica S.A.) is the world’s largest manufacturer of Commercial jets up to 120 seats, and one of Brazil's leading exporters. Embraer's headquarters are located in São José dos Campos, São Paulo, and it has offices, industrial operations and customer service facilities in Brazil, the United States, France, Portugal, China and Singapore. Founded in 1969, the Company designs, develops, manufactures and sells aircraft for the Commercial Aviation, Executive Aviation, and Defense and Government segments. The Company also provides after sales support and services to customers worldwide. On June 30, 2007, Embraer had a workforce of 23,637 employees and a firm order backlog of US$ 15.6 billion.
