The Uruguayan Air Force (FAU) and the Uruguayan Ministry of National Defense have converted options for five A-29 Super Tucano aircraft into firm orders.

The agreement is part of a commitment signed in August 2024, when the FAU announced a firm order for one aircraft plus the options which have now been converted. The agreement includes mission equipment, integrated logistics services and a flight simulator. The contract is part of a fleet renewal programme to expand FAU's operational capacity. 

“The relationship between Embraer and the Uruguayan Air Force has been growing and we are particularly pleased to announce this deal in the year in which we celebrate 50 years of Embraer's first export contract, to Uruguay,” said Bosco da Costa Junior, president and CEO of Embraer Defense & Security. “We are ready to offer the best mult-imission aircraft to the FAU as well as our full support to increase their operational readiness and to enhance their capabilities to accomplish strategic missions such as border surveillance”.

Uruguayan Minister of National Defense, Armando Castaingdebat, said the acquisition of the A-29 Super Tucano and the flight simulator will provide Uruguay with airspace defence capabilities and is part of a commitment by the government to renew the material and equipment of its armed forces to fulfil assigned missions.

“This incorporation projects us technologically, and upon completion of the A-29 acquisition process, it allows us to face, together with Embraer, the new regional security paradigms,” said Commander in Chief of the Uruguayan Air Force, General Luis H. De León.

With Uruguay and Portugal's recent acquisition of the first A-29 in NATO configuration (A-29N), the A-29 Super Tucano reaches 20 operators worldwide, boasting over 290 orders.

 The A-29 Super Tucano offers a wide range of missions such as close air support, air patrol, special operations, air interdiction, JTAC, forward air controller (FAC), air and tactical coordinator (TAC), armed ISR, border surveillance, reconnaissance, air escort, basic, operational and advanced training, transition to air superiority fighters, JTAC/LIFT and FAC training.