Panama has ordered four Embraer A-29 Super Tucano light attack and advanced training aircraft, adding a combat air platform to its National Aeronaval Service for the first time, the Brazilian manufacturer said here on April 2.
The order raises Embraer’s operators of the single-turboprop aircraft to 21, including eight in Latin American countries, the company said.
Panama’s defense forces now operate a variety of utility helicopters and small fixed-wing transports.
The weaponized Super Tucano adds an armed platform to Panama’s fleet with sensors aboard to perform air reconnaissance and patrol missions.
In early March, the Panamanian government approved a $187 million project to acquire up to six new aircraft, including four A-29s and two Airbus C-295 transports.
In announcing the project’s approval on March 12, Panama’s Ministry of National Security emphasized that the A-29s are intended to perform a peaceful role.