But Special Operations Command May Acquire Up To 75 Of The Aircraft

The U.S. Air Force will not purchase as many as 300 Light Attack aircraft. The service has been evaluating both the Textron T-6 Wolverine and the A-29 Super Tucano airplanes developed by Sierra Nevada Corp and Embraer for a counter-terrorism mission. But in a statement, Air Force spokeswoman Ann Stefanek told Defense News that the program had been shelved.

The Air Force had used FY18 and FY19 funding to purchase a small number of each of the aircraft, with a larger buy coming in FY22. The service will still buy two of each, according to Stefanek, but the scope of future operations has been limited.

According to the statement, the AT-6 "will be used for continued experimentation on exportable network/data link capabilities for allies and partners," using prior year funds.

The A-29s will be used to conduct training at Hurlburt Field in Florida by U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command pilots. Those pilots will go on to act as instructor pilots and advisors to partner nations that purchase the aircraft, Stefanek said.

Additionally, the U.S. Special Operations Command included $106 million in its FY 2021 budget and is planning to acquire as many as 75 light attack aircraft, according to a solicitation released February 3.

(Images from file)

FMI: Source report