Brazil to soon deliver first A-29 Super Tucano light attack aircraft to Paraguay.

As reported by Pucará Defensa on April 15, 2025, the first two Embraer A-29 Super Tucano light attack aircraft ordered by the Paraguayan Air Force (Fuerza Aérea Paraguaya, FAP) were recently seen at the Embraer facility in Gavião Peixoto, São Paulo state, Brazil. These aircraft are part of a contract for six units signed on 19 November 2024, valued at R$600 million (approximately US$96.6 million), fully financed by Brazil’s National Bank for Economic and Social Development (BNDES). Embraer confirmed the sale during the 2024 Farnborough International Airshow in the United Kingdom. Deliveries are scheduled to begin in May 2025. The aircraft will replace the long-serving EMB-312 Tucano fleet of the FAP.
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Paraguay will become the eighth operator of the aircraft in the region after Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Dominican Republic, Panama, and Uruguay. (Picture source: Twitter/Antonio Luis Sapienza Fracchia)

The Super Tucano configuration acquired by Paraguay is the export variant equipped with digital cockpit systems, including two multifunction color LCD displays measuring 15.24 x 20.32 cm and one display measuring 13.76 x 17.52 cm. The aircraft also includes onboard synthetic training systems, chaff and flare dispensers, external armor, a laser rangefinder, laser-guided bomb capability, an MX-15 imaging system providing conventional and thermal imagery, and compatibility with night vision goggles. The armament package initially includes conventional weapons, specifically 12 LAU-32 rocket launchers with capacity for seven 70 mm rockets each, and general-purpose bombs.

The aircraft will be delivered with logistical support, including spare parts, scheduled maintenance, mission planning stations, briefing and debriefing stations, and pilot training conducted by Embraer. Paraguayan pilots are being trained for operational deployment. All six aircraft are expected to enter service in June 2025, bearing serials from FAP 1101 to FAP 1106. They will be based at Ñú Guasú Air Base in Luque, under the Air Brigade No. 1 Aerotactical Group. The FAP has not yet confirmed whether the aircraft will be assigned to the 1st Fighter Squadron “Guaraní” (with “Orion” and “Centauro” flights, previously operating the AT-26 Xavante) or the 2nd Fighter Squadron “Indios” (with “Taurus” and “Scorpio” flights, which operated the AT-33A). The aircraft are painted in a Southeast Asian-style camouflage with two tones of green and sand on the upper surfaces and medium grey on the underside.

The primary mission of the A-29 aircraft will be surveillance of Paraguayan airspace, particularly to detect and intercept unauthorized flights linked to drug trafficking, arms smuggling, or other illicit activities. Secondary missions include close air support, aerial attack, and reconnaissance. In support of these missions, Paraguay also recently acquired a radar system valued at US$45.7 million, with installation expected to be completed within 30 months. According to the Minister of Defense, Óscar González, the system will support national efforts against organized crime and contribute to a more favorable security environment.

Since the contract signing, a bilateral diplomatic dispute has emerged between Paraguay and Brazil. The Paraguayan government has opened an investigation into a suspected cyberattack against its government institutions, allegedly attributed to Brazil’s intelligence agency (ABIN). President Santiago Peña has raised the possibility of canceling the Super Tucano contract if espionage allegations are confirmed. One of the measures already implemented was the suspension of talks on the renewal of Anexo C of the Itaipu Treaty, which governs the binational hydroelectric project. According to sources, the alleged cyberattack may have aimed to obtain sensitive data related to Itaipu. Some Brazilian diplomatic officials have expressed concern that the dispute may be used by Paraguay as leverage in the treaty negotiations.

The primary mission of the A-29 Super Tucano light attack aircraft will be surveillance of Paraguayan airspace, particularly to detect and intercept unauthorized flights linked to drug trafficking, arms smuggling, or other illicit activities. (Picture source: Embraer)

In response to the risk of cancellation, Embraer has reportedly engaged with Brazil’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mauro Vieira, and Minister of Defense, José Mucio, seeking support to maintain the agreement. The potential cancellation would represent both a financial loss and a symbolic setback for the company. The Super Tucano contract was also part of Embraer’s strategy to expand its defense market share in Latin America. Following Paraguay's order, Uruguay announced its own purchase of Super Tucanos, making Paraguay the eighth operator of the aircraft in the region after Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Dominican Republic, Panama, and Uruguay.

The Embraer A-29 Super Tucano is a single-engine turboprop designed for light attack, counterinsurgency, and advanced training. It is developed from the EMB-312 Tucano and entered service in 2004 with the Brazilian Air Force. The aircraft is powered by a Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-68C engine producing 1,600 shp, has a maximum takeoff weight of 5,400 kg, and can carry up to 1,550 kg of external stores. It has a maximum speed of 590 km/h, a ferry range of up to 2,855 km with external tanks, and a service ceiling of 10,665 meters. The airframe is built to endure +7/-3.5 Gs and is capable of operating from unprepared runways in austere environments.

The Super Tucano is equipped with two FN Herstal M3P 12.7 mm machine guns embedded in the wings and five external hardpoints compatible with a variety of munitions, including unguided and precision-guided bombs, air-to-air and air-to-surface missiles, and rocket pods. It supports advanced avionics such as a head-up display (HUD), hands-on throttle-and-stick (HOTAS) controls, encrypted datalink communications, INS/GPS navigation, and optional systems including missile approach warning (MAWS), radar warning receivers (RWR), and helmet-mounted display (HMD).

Since its development, more than 260 units have been produced, with the type used by over a dozen air forces globally, including those of Brazil, Colombia, and Afghanistan. The aircraft has been used in operations such as Colombia’s air strikes on FARC positions and Brazil’s border surveillance under the Sivam/Sipam project. The Super Tucano has also been integrated into U.S. programs such as Light Air Support (LAS), with aircraft assembled in the United States by Embraer in cooperation with Sierra Nevada Corporation. A new variant compliant with NATO standards, the A-29N, is under development for potential European customers, incorporating single-pilot operation and updated datalink systems.