A-29 Super Tucano Will Be Evaluated As A Light Attack Platform

Embraer Defense & Security, together with its partner, Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC), has been invited to participate in the U.S. Air Force's (USAF) Capability Assessment of Non-Developmental Light Attack Platforms, known as OA-X. SNC and Embraer will take part in the experiment with the A-29 Super Tucano, which is the only light air support (LAS) aircraft in the world with a USAF Military Type Certificate. The OA-X assessment begins in July at New Mexico's Holloman Air Force Base.

"SNC is proud to participate in the USAF's effort to enhance warfighter support and bring greater value and affordability to the American taxpayer," said Taco Gilbert, senior vice president for SNC´s Intelligence Surveillance Reconnaissance (ISR) business area. "Partnering with Embraer, we're proud to present the U.S.-made, combat-proven A-29 as part of this experiment."

The OA-X experiment is part of the USAF's effort to explore the benefits of acquiring a new, low-cost, non-developmental light attack aircraft to provide close air support and other missions in permissive and semi-permissive environments, reduce fighter pilot training costs, and accelerate pilot seasoning. The OA-X will accomplish those objectives while preserving and extending the service lives of other jet fleets.

"The A-29 is uniquely suited for training and seasoning fighter pilots," said Jackson Schneider, president and CEO of Embraer Defense & Security. "This means more highly-trained pilots more quickly and less expensively, while allowing other platforms to do the work they do best."

(Source: Embraer news release. Image from file)

FMI: www.sncorp.com, www.embraer.com