Brazilian aerospace firm Embraer has delivered four A-29 Super Tucano light attack aircraft to the Paraguayan Air Force under a contract signed in 2024.
Asunción received the planes during a ceremony at Silvio Pettirossi International Airport in Luque. The event was attended by senior government officials, representatives from national defense agencies, and military authorities.
Each aircraft is equipped with avionics and systems for armed missions, including close air support, air patrol, interdiction and escort, border surveillance, reconnaissance, and advanced pilot training.
The 2024 deal covers six A-29s in total, along with mission equipment, logistics services, and a flight simulator.
The military sale is backed by an approximately $100-million loan from Brazil’s state-owned financial institution, reinforcing a “strategic partnership” between the two South American nations.
Embraer is expected to deliver the remaining two aircraft in the coming months.
Air General Júlio Fullaondo, commander of the Paraguayan Air Force, said the arrival of the new systems marks a “firm step” toward modernizing the country’s national defense capabilities.
“This addition to our aircraft fleet represents the most important defense acquisition in the last 38 years; the A-29s delivered to Paraguay are the most modern of their kind in the world,” Fullaondo remarked.
“It should be emphasized that these actions should not be considered an expense, but an investment to guarantee security, national sovereignty, and sustainable development.”
The A-29 Super Tucano System
Embraer’s A-29 features a fuselage and wingspan both measuring 11 meters (36 feet). For combat, it can be equipped with machine guns, cannons, precision-guided bombs, and multi-domain missiles.
The aircraft is outfitted with computerized attack systems, advanced communications, modern navigation tools, night vision capabilities, and high-resolution imaging, supporting both operational missions and aircrew training.
Powered by a Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A turboprop engine producing approximately 1,600 horsepower, the A-29 uses a five-bladed Hartzell propeller.
It has a range of 720 nautical miles (1,333 kilometers/829 miles), a service ceiling of 10,668 meters (35,000 feet), and a top speed of 320 knots (593 kilometers/368 miles per hour).
