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| Super Tucano A-29C - Sierra Nevada Corporation |
Sierra Nevada has delivered three of these aircraft to the U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC). Defense Blog has the story, such as it is. It's basically just a press release. They say the airplane is built in the USA, but who knows what that means. The aircraft comes from Embraer which is in Brazil, so 'built in the USA' might just mean that Sierra Nevada installs the Air Force specific communication gear.
2 comments:
They might actually be US-made. Can't prove anything, but I found this on YouTube:
US Defense Information
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A-29 Tucano (The Embraer EMB 314 Super Tucano) is a Brazilian turboprop light attack aircraft designed and built by Embraer as a development of the Embraer EMB 312 Tucano. The A-29 Super Tucano carries a wide variety of weapons, including precision-guided munitions, and was designed to be a low-cost system operated in low-threat environments.
In addition to its manufacture in Brazil, Embraer has set up a production line in the United States in conjunction with Sierra Nevada Corporation for the manufacture of A-29s to many export customers.
More info:
Wikipedia:
The first four aircraft arrived in Afghanistan in January 2016, with a further four due before the end of 2016. Combat-ready Afghan A-29 pilots graduated from training at Moody Air Force Base, Georgia, and returned to Afghanistan to represent the first of 30 pilots trained by the 81st Fighter Squadron at Moody AFB. A fleet of 20 A-29s will be in place by 2018, according to a senior U.S. defense official. The Pentagon purchased the Super Tucanos in a $427 million contract with Sierra Nevada Corp. and Embraer, with the aircraft produced at Embraer's facility on the grounds of Jacksonville International Airport in Jacksonville, Florida.[21]
Google maps: 2110 Cole Flyer Road, Jacksonville, FL 32218
From reference [21] mentioned above:
The Pentagon purchased the Super Tucanos in a $427 million contract with Sierra Nevada Corp. and Embraer, a Brazilian aerospace company. The aircraft are manufactured at Embraer's facility in Jacksonville, Florida.
http://www.militarytimes.com/story/military/pentagon/2015/12/21/afghan-air-force-awaits-arrival-first-fixed-wing-attack-aircraft/77688626/
Chris
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