Uruguay in negotiations to acquire A-29 Super Tucanos from Brazil

Acquiring the A-29 Super Tucano would provide increased capabilities to the Fuerza Aérea Uruguaya (FAU) as it looks to replace its Cessna A-37B Dragonfly light attack aircraft and Pilatus PC-7U Turbo Trainers. (Embraer)

Uruguay is in active talks to buy 12 Embraer A-29 Super Tucanos from Brazil in a nearly USD40 million deal, sources in Brazil told Janes.

The specific aircraft had previously been offered to Portugal and Ukraine and have had their frames and engines overhauled to zero hours, according to the sources. The sale would also include training and spare parts.

Uruguayan Minister of Defence Javier Garcia told reporters on 7 May that Uruguay is negotiating with Brazil to buy the aircraft. The talks are part of negotiations that started when Garcia met with his Brazilian counterpart, General Walter Braga Neto, in 2021.

Uruguay wants to replace its fleet of Cessna A-37B Dragonfly light attack aircraft and Pilatus PC-7U Turbo Trainers. The 2017 deactivation of the Fadea IA-58A Pucara counter-insurgency (COIN) fleet left Uruguay without any assets to provide close air support or to intercept low-speed/low-altitude illegal flights. The PC-7U, armed with machine guns and unguided rocket launchers, has been used as a stop gap.