The Minister of Defense of Uruguay, Armando Castaingdebat, announced that the government is finalizing the details for the purchase of six A-29 Super Tucano attack aircraft from the Brazilian company Embraer. The announcement, made before the Defense Commission, confirmed that the negotiations are very advanced.
According to the information reported by the portal “El País”, the government of Uruguay is still working on some details of the negotiation. If a purchase agreement is reached, the arrival of the Super Tucanos to the Uruguayan Air Force would require an investment of approximately USD 100 million, which could be financed over a period of 10 to 15 years.
At the close of yesterday, the head of the Uruguayan defense department stated to local media that the purchase of the six A-29 Super Tucano would be “…a before and after for the Uruguayan Air Force, in a policy of trying to secure the Uruguayan border as much as possible. This will be accompanied by a technological package, with different radar proposals being considered…”
The acquisition of the Embraer Super Tucano is part of a plan set out by the current Uruguayan government for the renewal of the different Forces, an initiative that has seen the acquisition of ocean patrol vessels and the purchase of an EMB-120 Brasilia aircraft to be adapted for medical transfers, detailed Minister Castaingdebat.
Over the years, the Uruguayan Air Force (FAU) has seen its fleet of combat aircraft diminish without being able to materialize a replacement despite the offers and evaluations made. With the A-37B Dragonfly providing its last hours of flight, the FAU would achieve a significant step forward with the arrival of the Super Tucanos.
At the moment, no further official details have been released regarding the scope of the purchase, whether it includes a logistics package, armament, training, etc. If the purchase of the Super Tucanos is finalized, the Uruguayan Air Force would become the sixth Latin American user, alongside Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, and the Dominican Republic.
Illustrative cover image. Credits: Embraer
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