Aerospace and national security firm Sierra Nevada Corp. is purchasing one A-29 Super Tucano aircraft from Brazilian manufacturer Embraer under a sales agreement with a foreign partner awaiting approval for a pending U.S. foreign military sale.
SNC said the agreement, signed on Tuesday at the Air & Space Forces Association’s Air, Space & Cyber Conference, aims to capitalize on the anticipated demand for light attack aircraft suitable for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance.
It added that the Super Tucano deal will allow the unnamed foreign partner seeking the foreign military sale to begin pilot training promptly and potentially reduce the initial operational capability timeline by up to a year.
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Embraer will manufacture the A-29 at its defense production facility in Jacksonville, Florida. Over the past 10 years, the company has collaborated with SNC at the site to deliver approximately 50 multi-mission Super Tucanos to air forces worldwide.
In a statement, Ray Fitzgerald, SNC’s senior vice president of strategy and technology, emphasized the company’s commitment to early investment in programs that enhance warfighting performance.
“We’ve long known the benefits of the A-29 Super Tucano and with increasing FMS demand worldwide, we’re proud to continue offering this outstanding aircraft to the U.S. and its allies and we look forward to continuing our longstanding relationship with Embraer,” Fitzgerald said.
Separately, he told Breaking Defense at the conference that SNC and Embraer are exploring a new mission capability for the A-29, considering it an option in the expanding market for counter-unmanned aerial systems.