On the 18th, the first two Embraer A-29 Super Tucano aircraft, tail numbers FAU 250 and FAU 251, arrived in Uruguay to officially join the Fuerza Aérea Uruguaya (FAU). The aircraft, developed by the Brazilian company Embraer, were escorted by two Cessna A-37 Dragonfly attack aircraft, which symbolically welcomed them to the force. This incorporation represents a decisive step within the fleet renewal program and the expansion of the institution’s operational capabilities. With their arrival, the FAU consolidates a qualitative leap in its combat, training, and patrol capabilities, marking the beginning of a new stage for Uruguayan military aviation.
The acceptance process for the Super Tucano was completed days earlier at Embraer’s facilities in Gavião Peixoto (Brazil), where Uruguayan pilots and company technicians conducted performance tests and verified the final configuration of the systems. After signing the corresponding documentation, the aircraft began their ferry flight to national territory. According to the FAU, the official presentation of the new aircraft will take place on February 24 at the Base Aérea Tte. 2° Mario W. Parallada, home of Air Squadron No. 2 (Fighter).
The contract, signed at the end of 2024, provides for the delivery of six Embraer A-29 Super Tucano aircraft, along with a comprehensive logistics package that includes a flight simulator, mission equipment, and full technical support. For Embraer, this milestone reinforces a relationship of more than five decades with Uruguay, the first foreign country to acquire an aircraft from the company. In this regard, Bosco da Costa Júnior, President and CEO of Embraer Defense & Security, stated: “We are honored to deliver the first A-29 Super Tucano aircraft to the Uruguayan Air Force. This milestone strengthens a partnership that has been consolidated over more than 50 years.”
From the Uruguayan Air Force, Air General Fernando Colina, Commander-in-Chief of the institution, emphasized the significance of this acquisition. “The arrival of the Super Tucano marks an operational and technological transformation for our Air Force. With this acquisition, Uruguay positions itself in the region with an aircraft that operates in 22 air forces around the world, featuring advanced technology and suitable operating costs,” the senior officer highlighted, underscoring the impact these systems will have on national defense.
With their arrival, the Super Tucano will replace the retired FMA IA-58 Pucará and progressively the A-37B Dragonfly, substantially increasing the FAU’s response capability in advanced training, patrol, and airspace control missions. Versatile, reliable, and cost-effective to operate, these aircraft will allow Uruguay to restore and strengthen its air power, reaffirming its commitment to security, sovereignty, and the modernization of its national defense.
Image credits: Embraer.
You may also like: Brazil moves forward with the donation of Bell 412 and Jet Ranger helicopters to the Armed Forces of Paraguay and Uruguay
