Uruguay is negotiating with Brazil to purchase 12 Embraer Super Tucano aircraft for US$40 million

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Uruguayan Defense Minister Javier García confirmed to the local press that his ministry is continuing negotiations for the transfer of aircraft from Brazil, which began in 2021, with the aim of using them for airspace surveillance missions.

According to Infodefensa, the aircraft in question are 12 used Embraer A-29 Super Tucanos that are in the Brazilian Air Force’s reserves. These are the same aircraft previously offered to Portugal and Ukraine.

Sources connected with the Brazilian talks said each unit is worth US$3.5 million, with airframes and engines running at zero hours, including maintenance and training support. In this way, the deal could be worth about US$40 million.

These negotiations were part of the visit of Uruguayan Air Force (FAU) Commander-in-Chief General Luis H. de León to his Brazilian counterpart Carlos de Almeida Baptista Jr. in February this year, as well as the recent trip to Uruguay by Brazilian Vice President Hamilton Mourao, who met with his Uruguayan counterpart, Vice President Beatriz Argimon, on May 5.

IN SEARCH OF A REPLACEMENT FOR THE PUCARÁ

The purchase of the 12 units would allow Uruguay to restore and significantly expand the capabilities of its IA-58A Pucará FMAs, which were retired in 2017, and – likely – consolidate advanced training and light aircraft interception into a single aircraft by retiring the Pilatus PC-7U Turbo Trainer.

The alternative would be to maintain the latter aircraft to coexist with the A-29 Super Tucano, but a lack of maintenance funding will likely prevent the two systems from coexisting.

With the recent evaluation of the BAE Hawk Mk67 in the United States, which was offered along with extensive spares and training package for US$60 million, and the potential acquisition of 12 Super Tucano units, the UAF could be restructured and modernized in a unique way that it has not seen in at least the last five or six decades by obtaining fast, modern interceptor platforms and an excellent attack, surveillance, and training aircraft such as the A-29.

Given the availability of these aircraft and the presence of Uruguayan pilots capable of flying them, it would take only a few months to organize a schedule for delivery, training of flight and ground personnel, and adaptation of facilities in the unit that will receive and operate these aircraft.

With information from Infodefensa