On 30 June, Embraer delivered the first 4 A-29 SUPER TUCANO aircraft to the Paraguayan Air Force. The platforms were acquired under the contract signed last July on the sidelines of the 2024 Farnborough International Airshow between the Brazilian aerospace company and Paraguay’s Air Force.

There is no official update yet regarding the delivery of the remaining 2 aircraft included in the agreement, though it is reasonable to expect they will be handed over in the coming months.

The A-29 SUPER TUCANO is a versatile, multirole aircraft capable of performing a broad spectrum of missions: from intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR)—including armed ISR—to air patrol, escort duties, close air support (CAS), light attack, and advanced pilot training.

The platform continues to enjoy considerable success on the international market. To date, more than 290 aircraft have been ordered by 22 Air Forces worldwide, accumulating over 600,000 flight hours, including more than 60,000 in combat and operational environments.

In Central and South America, the A-29 is currently in service not only with Paraguay and—naturally—Brazil, but also with Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, and the Dominican Republic. Additional units have been ordered by Panama and Uruguay.

The aircraft is also operational across a number of countries in Africa, the Middle East, and Asia, including Angola, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Mali, Mauritania, Nigeria, Lebanon, Afghanistan, the Philippines, and Indonesia. In December 2024, Embraer announced the signing of two additional contracts: one for the supply of 4 aircraft to an undisclosed African customer, and a second for 6 units to another unnamed buyer.

Turning to Europe, in late 2024 the Portuguese Ministry of Defence signed a contract for the acquisition of 12 SUPER TUCANO aircraft for the Portuguese Air Force. Portugal has thereby become the launch customer for the NATO-standard variant of the platform, designated A-29N. This version is equipped with NATO-standard communication systems, upgraded avionics, and other undisclosed modifications developed by Embraer.

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