PAF’s Super Tucanos Now Expected to be Delivered Next Month

15 Juni 2020

PAF A-29 Super Tucano (photo : MaxDefense)

The ordered Embraer A-29B Super Tucano close air support aircraft for Philippine Air Force (PAF) are now expected to be delivered in July 2020, MaxDefense Philippines said in an update in its social networking page June 14.

Six Super Tucanos from Brazil were ordered under Horizon 1 of the current Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Modernization Program.

These aircraft are bound for PAF’s 15th Strike Wing which was recently made under the newly activated Air Combat Command (ACC) of the air force.

The Department of National Defense (DND) said in October 2019 that the delivery of 6 ordered Super Tucanos will start February 2020. Contract for the said acquisition was signed in 2017.

According to Embraer, the aircraft in PAF service will be deployed for close air support, light attack, surveillance, air-to-air interception, and counterinsurgency missions.

“We are honored to be selected by the Philippine Air Force, our second operator in the Asia-Pacific region, and with the confidence expressed by our customer”, said Jackson Schneider, president and CEO of Embraer Defense & Security in 2017. “The Super Tucano is the best light attack aircraft in the market and we are confident that it will accomplish with excellence the missions it was selected for”.

(Mintfo)