The A-29 Super Tucano is a turboprop light attack/armed reconnaissance aircraft designed by Embraer in Brazil and built under license by Sierra Nevada Corp.
The A-29 was a contender for the Air Force’s Light Attack/Armed Reconnaissance (LAAR) as well as the 2017 Light Attack Experiment (OA-X) that evaluated off-the-shelf CAS/ISR platforms for low-cost counterinsurgency operations. The A-29 ultimately lost out to the OA-1K Skyraider II, which will replace the AFSOC-operated U-28A fleet. AETC also operated the A-29 to train Afghan and Nigerian Air Force pilots through 2021.
Three aircraft were delivered to AFSOC at Hurlburt in early 2021. The aircraft were then transferred to the Air Force Test Pilot School (AFTPS) at Edwards on Aug. 18, 2024, due to changing mission requirements.
The Super Tucanos were ferried from Davis-Monthan to Edwards last July and underwent comprehensive maintenance and evaluation prior to integration into AFTPS’ training syllabus. The type provides modern avionics, weapons, sensors, Link-16 networking and external stores capability while giving students a novel airframe for evaluation training.
A-29 Super Tucano Technical Data
Contractor: Sierra Nevada Corp.
First Flight: June 2, 1999.
Delivered: Feb. 23, 2021-March 31, 2021.
IOC: N/A.
Production: Three.
Inventory: Three.
Operator: AFMC.
Aircraft Location: Edwards AFB, Calif.
Active Variant: • A-29 Super Tucano. License-built version of the Embraer EMB-314 light attack aircraft.
Dimensions: Span 36.5 ft, length 37.3 ft, height 13 ft.
Weight: Max T-O 11,905 lb.
Power Plant: One Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-68C turboprop, 1,604 shp.
Performance: Speed 368 mph, range 1,900 miles (with wing-mounted external tanks).
Ceiling: 35,000 ft.
Armament: Two internal wing-mounted .50-caliber machine guns (200 rd each), up to 3,714 lb of external weapons on four wing and one centerline station.
Accommodation: Two aircrew on Martin Baker MK10 zero/zero ejection seats.