PPVRA From Brazil, joined Nov 2004, 8492 posts, RR: 43 Posted (7 years 5 months 2 weeks 4 days 23 hours ago) and read 13326 times:
SAO JOSE DOS CAMPOS, Brazil, Dec. 8 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ - Embraer (NYSE: ERJ - News) today announced a contract with the Government of Colombia for the sale of 25 Super Tucano aircraft. The value of the contract is US$ 235 million and marks the first ever Super Tucano export deal. The aircraft acquired by Colombia will be operated by the country's Air Force for internal security and border patrol missions. The contract was signed yesterday in Bogota.
This is the first export of the modernized Tucano trainer. It's predecessor is in operation with many airforces, including the Brazilian airforce, the RAF, and the French Air force.
DL021 From United States of America, joined May 2004, 11433 posts, RR: 81 Reply 1, posted (7 years 5 months 2 weeks 4 days 19 hours ago) and read 13316 times:
Colombia will be able to retire some of it's elderly and well worn Broncos and Tweets with these things.
This airplane is capable and fast, as well as having good legs.
I think this is the best investment they have made in airplanes in a while, as they will be immediately useful in the COIN role.
Pyrex From Portugal, joined Aug 2005, 3538 posts, RR: 28 Reply 3, posted (7 years 5 months 1 week 6 days 12 hours ago) and read 13236 times:
Finally they made up their minds. The Tucano is a great aircraft for the role and I am sure they will put them to good use.
The Brazilian Air Force currently flies them from makeshift strips in the middle of the jungle. Does anyone know if Colombia intends to do the same or just operate them from regular air bases?
P.S. - I still have a dream of seeing a mock dogfight between a Super Tucano / PC-21 and an "advanced" propeller aircraft from WW2 (later versions of the FW-190, P-51, Spitfire, etc.) to see who would win.
Read this very carefully, I shall write this only once!
DL021 From United States of America, joined May 2004, 11433 posts, RR: 81 Reply 4, posted (7 years 5 months 1 week 6 days 6 hours ago) and read 13222 times:
Quoting Pyrex (Reply 3): I still have a dream of seeing a mock dogfight between a Super Tucano / PC-21 and an "advanced" propeller aircraft from WW2 (later versions of the FW-190, P-51, Spitfire, etc.) to see who would win.
I'll bet that could be arranged with some private owners who are willing to yank and bank their restored beauts.
I'd say the WWII fighters would have an actual advantage due to the combination of speed, armoring and weapons. The Super Tucano has excellent avionics but it doesn't have any real advantages except for the potential of the Piranha IR missile. That might make it a bit dangerous....
PPVRA From Brazil, joined Nov 2004, 8492 posts, RR: 43 Reply 6, posted (7 years 5 months 1 week 6 days 2 hours ago) and read 13202 times:
Quoting Pyrex (Reply 3): The Brazilian Air Force currently flies them from makeshift strips in the middle of the jungle.
Correction: They use them to bomb makeshift airstrips used by drug smugglers to get accross the amazon to cities in Northern South America for shipment to the USA and Europe. I don't think the FAB has any true "makeshift" airstrips in the region, from what I've seen from pictures they have a minimum infrastructure (paved runways, basic installations, etc.). The Tucanos are used alongside the EMB-145 AEW&C and as trainers in the Airforce Academy.
Quoting Luisde8cd (Reply 2): Which is the main difference between the older Tucano and this Super Tucano?
Fly higher, further, faster (Pratt & Whitnney PT6A-68/3, 1,600 shp), with modern avionics and armament systems, Night Vision Goggles (NVG) and Forward Looking Infrared (FLIR). I'm sure there is more to it, but that's all I know.
Quoting Luisde8cd (Reply 2): By the way, when are the ATX supposed to start arriving to Venezuela? I think ATX is the name of the jet-trainer plane Embraer has, am I right?
AMX or AMX-T. But that's a good question, I don't know when delivery is expected. It's strange because that order has been around for a long time. I think they had orders for 12+12.
Quoting DL021 (Reply 4): except for the potential of the Piranha IR missile. That might make it a bit dangerous....
I remember reading somewhere that it also has potential for Python 4 missiles.
Cheers
"If goods do not cross borders, soldiers will" - Frederic Bastiat
Pyrex From Portugal, joined Aug 2005, 3538 posts, RR: 28 Reply 8, posted (7 years 5 months 1 week 5 days 12 hours ago) and read 13170 times:
Quoting PPVRA (Reply 6): Correction: They use them to bomb makeshift airstrips used by drug smugglers to get accross the amazon to cities in Northern South America for shipment to the USA and Europe.
Thanks for the information, I actually thought FAB had airstrips in the middle of the jungle. I did know they use them in anti-drug smuggling roles.
Nevertheless it is impressive in an aircraft of that kind.
Does FAB use the Super Tucano also for training or only for combat operations? If I am not mistaken there are single-seat variants.
Read this very carefully, I shall write this only once!
PPVRA From Brazil, joined Nov 2004, 8492 posts, RR: 43 Reply 9, posted (7 years 5 months 1 week 5 days 3 hours ago) and read 13151 times:
Quoting Pyrex (Reply 8): Does FAB use the Super Tucano also for training or only for combat operations? If I am not mistaken there are single-seat variants.
I don't think so. The Air Force Academy does use the older version but, AFAIK, not the "Super" variant. The Airshow team also uses the Tucano.
757MDE From Colombia, joined Sep 2004, 1753 posts, RR: 7 Reply 10, posted (7 years 5 months 1 week 2 days 8 hours ago) and read 13112 times:
I'm glad my beloved FAC made that decision, I don't know why they went through the whole licitation process which ended in lots of trouble because most manufacturers weren't willing/couldn't bring their Airplanes to Colombia (one of the conditions was to prove one Airplane in Colombia), specially baring in mind we already have have "normal" Tucanos both for COIN and training, and they have proved to be up to what we need.
I had the oportunity to hop in one Super Tucano at F-AIR 2004 (held at SKRG/MDE) and also see the Fuma�a squad, nice show!, I even got my fuma�a magazine all autographed hehehe.
This is just phase one, phase two sees new jet fighters, maybe some F-16s to replace ol' good Mirage M5s and maybe some Kfirs, Kfirs are good Airplanes but are sorta expensive to operate, but that's gotta take some time, the priority here is COIN, and the Super Tucano was just the choice to make IMHO.
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