The leading aviation companies of the world are still focusing on developing the glamorous
but expensive 5th and 6th-generation fighters. However, more and more countries have preferred
the Brazilian Embraer's turboprop light attack aircraft, the EMB-314 Super Tucano. For many
air forces, this exotic bird of South America is more useful than the sexy jets. As the
Weapon Detective, we are investigating the EMB-314 and the background of its success.
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The EMB-314 Super Tucano, also known as A-29, is easy-to-operate, low-cost, versatile, and
effective. These features make it the most preferred turboprop light attack aircraft
today. Simplicity is the key to this success. The EMB-314 is the further development of
the highly successful trainer of Embraer, the EMB-312 Tucano. Many users of the EMB-312,
introduced in 1983, were frequently tasking this aircraft for border patrol, counter-insurgency
and close air support duties. So, in 1991, Embraer began to work on a new
version of the Tucano, which would be more suitable for these types of missions. In the
beginning, Brazil did not show interest in this programme as expected.
But, after a while, the Brazilian Air Force began to seek a new training and light attack
aircraft to replace its AT-26 Xavante fleet. So, in 1995, it gave support for the development
of the new version of the Tucano, under the ALX Programme.
Initially, Embraer modified two EMB-312Hs as prototypes. These aircraft made their first
flights in 1996 and 1997, respectively. The production model of the aircraft, now
called the EMB-314 Super Tucano, made its maiden flight on June 2, 1999. It became operational
in the Brazilian Air force in 2003. Even though it shares very similar lines with
the previous EMB-312, the Super Tucano is different aircraft in detail.
The EMB-314 has a more powerful engine. Its airframe is made of strengthened 2024
aluminium alloy, which provides higher g loads and increases fatigue life in operational
environments. Its flap tracks are steel.
The reinforced landing gears can handle greater take-off weights.
Different from the Tucano trainer, the EMB-314 light attack aircraft has internal machine
guns inside the wing. Also, it can carry various ordnance, including
air-to-air missiles and guided bombs. Some critical parts are reinforced with Kevlar.
The EMB-314 has a night-vision goggle-compatible glass cockpit with colour multifunction displays.
Plus, the Super Tucano is fitted with a head-up display and hands-on-throttle-and-stick controls.
The EMB-314 has a two-axis autopilot with embedded mission planning capacity. The aircraft
can be fitted with missile and radar warning systems and chaff-flares if demanded.
Some users, such as Colombia, Mauritania and Nigeria, have preferred a Super Tucano variant
with a forward-looking infrared sensor. The A-29A variant is single-seat, while the
A-29B is twin-seat. The twin-seat Super Tucanos rear seat is elevated
25 centimetres. This variant is also an excellent trainer
aircraft. Afghanistan, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Colombia,
the Dominican Republic, Ghana, Indonesia, Lebanon, Mali, Mauritania, Nigeria, the Philippines,
Turkmenistan, and the USA are the users of the EMB-314 light attack aircraft.
Other than these countries, Angola is tasking its Super Tucanos for border patrol missions,
while the Chilean and Ecuador aircraft are operated for only training duties.
The EMB-314 has a length of 11.38 meters, a wingspan of 11.14 metres, and a height of
3.97 meters. Its wing area is 19.4 square meters. The empty weight of the aircraft is
about 3,200 kilograms, while its maximum take-off weight is 5,400 kilograms. One 1,196 kiloWatt
Pratt & Whitney PT-6A-68A turboprop engine provides a maximum speed of 557 kilometres
per hour. It can climb an altitude of 10,688 metres, in other words, 35,000 feet. The aircraft
can reach a range of 1,330 kilometres. The Super Tucano's combat radius is 550 kilometres.
The EMB-314 has five hardpoints with a total capacity of 1,550 kilograms. Besides two wing-mounted
internal 12.7mm machine guns, the aircraft can carry the AIM-9L Sidewinder, MAA-1 Piranha,
Python 3 and Python 4 air-to-air missiles, AGM-65 Maverick air-to-surface missile, as
well as guided and unguided bombs, rockets and gun pods.
The Super Tucano has quite impressive real combat experiences. It has gained a well-deserved
reputation in especially for low-intensity conflicts. Let's look at some of them.
Brazil, legislated for the downing of illegal flights in the region in 2004, is deploying
its EMB-314s for border control missions along the Amazon River as part of the Sistema de
Vigilância da Amazônia, shortly SIVAM, programme. On June 3, 2009, an E-99 early warning aircraft
of the Brazilian Air Force directed two Super Tucanos to intercept a Cessna U206G six engaged
in drug trafficking activities. After exhausting all procedures, the EMB-314s
fired a warning shot with internal 12.7mm machine guns and forced the plane to follow
them to Cacoal airport. On August 5, 2011, Brazil launched Operation
Ágata to counter drug trafficking, illegal mining and logging, and trafficking of wild
animals on its border with Colombia. During the operation, the Brazilian EMB-314s
destroyed several illicit airstrips by both day and night strikes. The aircraft used the
computer-guided Mk 82 bombs. On September 15, 2011, Brazil launched Operation
Ágata 2 on the borders of Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay. During this operation, the Brazilian
Super Tucanos, along with F-5s, intercepted 33 aircraft and destroyed three illicit airstrips.
But, before Brazilian operations, The Super Tucano had already gained its first combat
experience by hand of Colombia. On January 18, 2007, the Colombian EMB-314s
hit the Marxist-Leninist guerrilla group FARC's positions in the jungle with the Mk 82 bombs.
During the attack, the Super Tucano proved the efficiency of its constantly computed
impact point capability, which is a calculation provided by a weapon's sighting system.
One year later, Colombia launched Operation Phoenix. This time, the Colombian Air Force
stroke a FARC's camp located inside its neighbour Ecuador. During this operation, the EMB-314s
used the Griffin laser-guided bombs. During 2010 Operation Sodoma, 25 Colombian
EMB-314s left seven tons of bombs on an FARC's camp.
In the same year, Colombia also launched Operation Darién, and the Super Tucanos bombed another
FARC camp near the Panama border by using their infrared cameras.
Colombia successfully continued to use its EMB-314s against the rebel groups in the following
years. The aircraft played critical roles to eliminate top commanders of the FARC, including
the leader of the group, Alfonso Cano. According to the air force official statement,
since 2011, the Super Tucanos have successfully secured the Dominican airspace against drug
flights. The Afghan Air Force conducted nearly 2,000
airstrike sorties in 2017 with its EMB-314s. These Super Tucanos were used for more than
80 missions in a single week without a problem. Yet, in August 2021, the Taliban has gained
control all over the country. The glorious day of the EMB-314s was over.
Many Afghan pilots defected to nearby countries with their Super Tucanos. One of them crashed
in Uzbekistan. It is known that at least one EMB-314 was
captured by the Taliban. Before we begin our analysis, it is useful
to remember two famous quotes. The first quote is from the 1998 film Soldier.
In the movie, after facing an unknown but extremely deadly enemy, Colonel Mekum, played
by Jason Isaacs, gets into a panic, despite his technologically superior weapons.
Seeing the situation, the veteran Church, played by Gary Busey, says the following memorable
quote: "My daddy always said, when you want to insert
a nail into a piece of wood, don't do anything fancy or glamorous. Just take the damn hammer
and hit the son of a bitch until it's in." Like this quote, in today's asymmetric conflicts,
the simplest solution is usually the most effective solution. This type of warfare does
not require doing anything fancy or glamorous. Yes, the 4th+ or 5th-generation fighters can
change the course of a large-scale war. But, they are not more effective than a propeller
combat aircraft against small guerrilla groups. In some circumstances, a state-of-art jet
fighter may even be less effective. The French experiences in Afghanistan and
Mali show that the mighty Rafale, which cannot be equipped with rocket pods, did not have
a real effect on the small guerilla groups. The Italian-born professional soldier Raimondo
Montecuccoli, who served the Habsburg Monarchy during the 17th century, uttered our second
famous quote: "For war, you need three things: One, Money. Two, Money. Three, Money."
It costs 36,000 US dollars per hour to send a stealthy F-35 against a guerrilla group,
which does not have a real air defence capability. A Lightning II has a 50-year lifespan. When
this aircraft is used frequently for such a simple job, this time will decrease rapidly.
So, you would have to spend another 125 million US dollars to acquire a new F-35 in less than
50 years. The unit cost of an EMB-314 is 9 to 18 million
US dollars. Its operating cost is only 430 to 500 US dollars per hour.
So, it is not a surprise that the United States Special Operations Command chose the Super
Tucano. Using the propeller trainer or liaison aircraft
for this type of mission is not a new brilliant idea.
During the First Cold War, many countries had converted them for counter-insurgency
missions. For example, the armed T-6 Texans successfully
fought many low-intensity conflicts all around the world.
The USA used the military version of the Cessna 337 Super Skymaster liaison aircraft, the
O-2, for close air support and forward air control missions during the Vietnam War.
Also, during the Bush War, the Rhodesian O-2s made a name by their fearsome effects on the
guerilla groups. The EMB-314 is one of the most successful
latest examples of this tradition. The Super Tucano has advanced avionics and a more reliable
turboprop engine. It can use modern smart bombs and air-to-ground missiles. Thanks to
its air-to-air missiles, the EMB-314 can be effective against airborne smuggling too.
The Super Tucano is not a match for the fancy and glamorous F-35, Eurofighter, or Rafale.
Yet, it is a damn hammer for hitting the nail at a highly affordable price.
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