Brazil's Embraer confirms Philippine order for 6 more A-29 Super Tucano light attack aircraft.

Embraer confirmed on February 3, 2026, at the Singapore Airshow that the Philippine Air Force is the customer behind a previously undisclosed order for six additional A-29 Super Tucano light attack aircraft, raising the PAF’s fleet from six to twelve units.

On February 3, 2026, the Brazilian company Embraer confirmed at the Singapore Airshow that the Philippine Air Force (PAF) is the customer behind a previously undisclosed follow-on order for six A-29 Super Tucano light attack aircraft. With this additional batch, the Philippine Air Force’s Super Tucano inventory will rise from six to twelve aircraft, consolidating the A-29 as a core asset within its light attack and support aviation component.
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The A-29 Super Tucano can employ missiles, general-purpose bombs, cluster munitions, incendiary weapons, and a wide range of precision-guided bombs, alongside FLIR sensors, drop tanks, and chaff and flare countermeasures. (Picture source: French MoD)

The Philippine Air Force (PAF)’s acquisition of the A-29 Super Tucano originates in the Horizon 1 phase of the Armed Forces of the Philippines Modernization Program. In 2014, the Department of National Defense launched a Close Air Support Aircraft project to replace aging OV-10 Bronco aircraft operated by the 15th Strike Wing. The requirement specified a turboprop aircraft capable of close air support, strike coordination, and armed reconnaissance. Cost ceilings, endurance requirements, and short-field performance ruled out jet-powered solutions, and the A-29 was selected to meet these parameters while fitting Horizon 1 budget allocations. The contract for the initial six aircraft was signed in late 2017, establishing the A-29 Super Tucano as the Philippine Air Force’s future light attack aircraft.

The first six A-29B Super Tucano aircraft were delivered to the Philippine Air Force and formally inducted into service on October 13, 2020. They were assigned to the 16th Attack Squadron of the 15th Strike Wing at Edwin Andrews Air Base, marking the first introduction of a modern turboprop strike aircraft into Philippine Air Force service. The aircraft assumed missions previously carried out by the OV-10 Bronco fleet, but, with only six aircraft available, sortie generation and pilot conversion were limited by fleet size. Aircraft had to be rotated tightly between operations, training, and scheduled maintenance, and these constraints were repeatedly highlighted in operational planning.

Operationally, the A-29 has been employed by the Philippine Air Force for strike and surveillance missions in support of internal security operations. The aircraft conducted combat sorties, including airstrikes against militant encampments, notably during operations in Mindanao. Its role expanded as, on December 31, 2024, the Philippine Air Force formally retired its remaining OV-10 Bronco aircraft and AH-1 Cobra helicopters. This retirement eliminated the last legacy fixed-wing and rotary-wing attack platforms in the inventory. The additional six A-29 aircraft were contracted days earlier to prevent a capability gap. The resulting twelve-aircraft fleet will therefore improve sustained operations, training throughput, and maintenance depth.

The A-29 Super Tucano, designated EMB-314, was developed by Embraer as a combat-capable evolution of the EMB-312 Tucano trainer. Development began in the early 1990s in response to Brazilian Air Force requirements for a light attack aircraft suited to border surveillance and counterinsurgency. The airframe was strengthened to support higher g-loads and a fatigue life of up to 12,000 flight hours in combat use. Cockpit and engine areas incorporate ballistic protection suitable for low-altitude operations. The aircraft was designed for day and night missions, including operations in high heat and humidity. Short takeoff and landing performance allows use from semi-prepared airstrips. Mission avionics were integrated to support navigation, weapons delivery, and situational awareness. These design choices align with persistent light attack and armed reconnaissance roles.

The A-29 Super Tucano has a crew of two: a pilot and a navigator or student, all seated on Martin-Baker Mk 10 LCX zero-zero ejection seats. The airframe has a length of 11.38 meters, a wingspan of 11.14 meters, and an overall height of 3.97 meters, with a wing area of 19.4 square meters. The A29's empty weight is listed at 3,200 kg, while the maximum takeoff weight reaches 5,400 kg. Power is provided by a Pratt and Whitney Canada PT6A-68C turboprop engine rated at 1,196 kW or 1,604 hp, transmitted through a five-bladed Hartzell constant-speed propeller with reversible pitch and full feathering capability, measuring 2.39 meters in diameter.

With load limits of +7 G and −3.5 G, the A-29 reaches a maximum speed of 590 km/h, a cruise speed of 520 km/h, and a stall speed of 148 km/h. The aircraft has a standard range of about 1,330 km, while its combat radius is approximately 550 km in a Hi-Lo-Hi mission profile carrying 1,500 kg of external stores. Ferry range extends to 2,855 km when fitted with drop tanks, the maximum endurance could reach 8 hours and 24 minutes, the service ceiling is 10,668 meters, and the rate of climb is 16.4 meters per second. Takeoff and landing performance support operations from relatively short runways, consistent with austere airfield requirements.

The A-29’s armament is centered on two internally mounted 12.7 mm FN Herstal or U.S. Ordnance M3P machine guns, one in each wing, each supplied with 200 rounds and a combined firing rate of 1,100 rounds per minute. External stores are carried on five hardpoints with a total payload capacity of 1,550 kg, including a centerline station under the fuselage. Gun pods can include a 20 mm M20A1 cannon pod or additional 12.7 mm machine gun pods, with developmental provision for Dillon Aero M134 Minigun pods. Rocket armament includes 70 mm systems such as LM-70/19 and LAU-68 pods, while missile options cover AIM-9L, MAA-1A and MAA-1B Piranha, Python 3 and Python 4 for air-to-air roles, and AGM-65 Maverick or Roketsan Cirit for air-to-ground missions.

Written by Jérôme Brahy

Jérôme Brahy is a defense analyst and documentalist at Army Recognition. He specializes in naval modernization, aviation, drones, armored vehicles, and artillery, with a focus on strategic developments in the United States, China, Ukraine, Russia, Türkiye, and Belgium. His analyses go beyond the facts, providing context, identifying key actors, and explaining why defense news matters on a global scale.