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EMB 314 / A-29 Super Tucano
Type	Counter-insurgency
Manufacturer	Embraer
Maiden flight	2 June 1999
Introduction	2000
Status	In service
Primary users	Brazilian Air Force Colombian Air Force
Number built	124
Developed from	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 use by the air forces of Brazil, Colombia, and Dominican Republic. 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 in the Amazon region.

Contents 1 Development 2 Variants 3 Operators 4 Specifications 5 References 6 External links 7 Related content

The request for a light attack aircraft was part of the Brazilian government's SIVAM (Amazon Monitoring System) Project. This aircraft would fly along 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 or Super Tucano (named in reference of the older Embraer EMB 312 Tucano, although it was a completely distinct aircraft) 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 prototype occurred on 2 June 1999. The first flight of the two-seat version occurred on 22 October 1999.

On 11 January 2006 Embraer had a potential sale of 36 units to Venezuela fall through when the United States of America vetoed the sale.^{[citation needed]} The US government has a say in the sale of any weapons system that utilises US technology. In this case, the Super Tucano uses a Pratt & Whitney Canada engine, and Pratt & Whitney Canada belongs to Hartford, Connecticut based United Technologies. Many other components are also of US origin.

Twenty-five Super Tucano (variant AT-29) were purchased by the Colombian Air Force in a 234 million USD deal, purchased directly from the Brazilian company Embraer. The first 3 planes arrived in the morning of December 14, 2006 to the military airfield of CATAM in Bogotá. 2 more planes where delivered on the week of December 16, 2006, 10 more in the first semester of 2007 and the rest in June 2008. ^[1]

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).

•  Brazil: 99 units
•  Colombia: 25 units
•  Dominican Republic: 10 units (ordered in June, 2007)
•  Indonesia: plan to buy both single-seater and twin-seater variants of EMB 314 Super Tucano to replace their OV-10F Bronco^{[citation needed]}
•  United States
  • Blackwater USA: 1 twin-seater variant for pilot training, possible further orders COIN aircraft.^[2][3]

General characteristics

• Crew: One pilot on single seat version, one pilot plus one navigator/student on double seat version
• Length: 11.33 m (37.17 ft)
• Wingspan: 11.14 m (36.55 ft)
• Height: 3.97 m (13.02 ft)
• Wing area: 19.4 m² (208.82 sq ft)
• Empty weight: 3,020 kg (6,658 lb)
• Loaded weight: 4,520 kg (9,965 lb)
• Max takeoff weight: 5,200 kg (11,464 lb)
• Powerplant: 1× Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-68C , 1,600 hp (1,193 kW)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 593 km/h (368 mph)
• Range: 4,820 km (2,995 mi)
• Service ceiling: 10,670 m (35,008 ft)
• Rate of climb: 24 m/s (79 ft/s)

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 and intelligent bombs
• 2x AIM-9 Sidewinder or MAA-1 Piranha or Python 3/4 air-to-air missiles
• External stores on 5 hardpoints

• Embraer Super Tucano page in English
• Brazilian Air Force
• SIPAM
• SIVAM
• EMB-314 shoot-down video. Video of Peruvian Tucano shooting down light airplane over Peruvian jungle.

Related development

• Embraer EMB 312 Tucano
• Short Tucano

Comparable aircraft

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

See also

v • d • e Embraer aircraft
Agricultural: EMB 202 Ipanema Civil: EMB 110 Bandeirante · EMB 120 Brasilia · EMB 121 Xingu · ERJ 145 family (Legacy 600) · E-Jets (Lineage 1000) Military: EMB 312 Tucano · EMB 314 Super Tucano · AMX · R-99 Built under licence: EMB 326GB Xavante · EMB 712 Tupi · EMB 810D Seneca · EMB 820C Navajo In development/proposed: Phenom 100 · Phenom 300 · C-390 · MLJ · MSJ Not developed: CBA 123 Vector

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