The A-29 Super Tucano is a Brazilian-made turboprop light attack aircraft that’s widely known for its versatility and resilience even in the toughest environments around the world.
Here are five facts that you need to know about this ultimate rebel crusher plane:
1. It’s one of the fiercest planes of its class
It has a top speed of 590 km/h and features a wide range of weapons from air-to-air missiles to .50-caliber machine guns to the GBU-58 Paveway II laser-guided bomb.
2. The Super Tucano stood out from its predecessor, the EMB-312 Tucano trainer aircraft
Agile and more powerful, it had a more robust 1,600 hp engine, a strengthened airframe, and reinforced landing gear made to endure higher G-loads and carry heavier loads.
3. Its menacing features included Kevlar armor protection and two 0.50 caliber machine guns mounted on its wings
The aircraft can also carry different ordnance on five weapon hardpoints, equipped with a night vision Google-compatible “glass cockpit” with user-friendly HOTAS controls. Even its canopy was designed with a sturdy windshield capable of withstanding bird strikes at high speeds.
4. It proved its reliability and performance through rigorous testing and continuous upgrades
The plane can swiftly cover distances of up to 300 nautical miles, making it perfect for urban attacks and close combat situations.
For its speed, it can reach up to 367 miles per hour with an impressive range of up to 720 nautical miles.
5. Its true brilliance showed in counterinsurgency operations
It provided invaluable close air support for ground troops. With pinpoint accuracy, it protected soldiers swooping in like a guardian angel because of its real-time intelligence data from overhead assets that serve as intelligence nodes.