Brazil: Embraer delivered the first two Super Tucano aircraft, of a total of eight, last week, to the government of the Dominican Republic. The delivery ceremony was attended by the Dominican Secretary of Defense, Lieutenant General Pedro Rafael Peña Antonio; the Vice Minister of the Armed Forces, Vice Admiral Nicolás Cabrera Arias; the Ambassador of the Dominican Republic in Brazil, Hector Dionisio Perez; Brigadier General and Pilot Ricardo Cabral Vittini; Minister Alejandro Arias Zarzuela; and Defense Attaché, Air Force Colonel Manuel Abad Garcia Lithgow.
The airplanes will be operated by the Dominican Air Force on missions involving internal security, border patrol, and combating the drug traffic. This contract represents the fourth export of this successful turboprop, after being sold to the Air Forces of Colombia (FAC), Chile (FACH), and Ecuador (FAE).
“The use of the Super Tucano airplanes by the Dominican Air Force, beginning with these first two deliveries, will increase the readiness and solidity of the nation’s defense system, by performing patrol missions with the operational efficiency and precision that are already combat proven,” said Orlando José Ferreira Neto, Embraer Executive Vice President, Defense Market. “We are pleased to be able to serve another prestigious customer, the Dominican Air Force.”
The choice made by the Air Force of the Dominican Republic confirms that the association of high versatility, top performance, and low acquisition, operational and maintenance costs make the Super Tucano one of the best multimission airplanes available on the market.
“The acquisition of these Super Tucano aircraft, manufactured by one of the world’s most prestigious companies, is one more example of the Government’s unshakeable decision to deal with the nation’s vulnerable areas, in order to protect ourselves from the scourge of the drug traffic,” stated the Secretary of Defense of the Dominican Republic, Lieutenant General Pedro Rafael Peña Antonio. “This is also happy day, because it represents the achievement of a dream. A dream that became a project and soon was changed into action. It is another example of the genuine and undeniable concern of the Dominican people to pursue the solutions needed to make possible a more certain future for all of us.”
Eighty-three Super Tucanos have been delivered to the Brazilian Air Force (FAB) and 25 to the FAC, where they are successfully used for border patrol, combating the drug traffic, and other combat missions. In all, 172 of the aircraft have been sold to seven customers.
The fact that several air forces, with their specific technical needs and varied tactical and operational theaters, and using a diversity of selection processes, have decided on the Super Tucano, shows the robust and reliable nature of the project, the correctness of the FAB’s original requirements, and the flexibility of Embraer in meeting the needs of the most demanding customers.
The Super Tucano is an innovative evolution of the world-renowned basic training Tucano aircraft, of which around 650 are in service with 15 air forces, worldwide.
The Super Tucano was designed to operate in the most complex combat settings, including night-vision capability, smart weaponry, and data link technology. Besides a reinforced structure for operations on rustic landing fields, the airplane has an advanced navigation and weapon aiming system that ensures high mission precision and reliability, even under extreme conditions and with minimal logistical support.
The turboprop is in full production on a very active and flexible assembly line, in keeping with Embraer’s ability to meet its customers’ needs and deliver aircraft within short time spans.
Besides the airplane, Embraer also supplies an advanced training and support system for the operations of the Super Tucano. TOSS (Training and Operation Support System) consists of four systems: CBT (Computer-Based Training) that improves pilot learning; FS (Flight Simulator); MPS (Mission Planning Stations); and MDS (Mission Debriefing Station) to analyze mission data and results.
Embraer (Empresa Brasileira de Aeronáutica S.A.) is the world’s largest manufacturer of commercial jets up to 120 seats, and one of Brazil’s leading exporters. Embraer’s headquarters are located in São José dos Campos, São Paulo, and it has offices, industrial operations and customer service facilities in Brazil, China, France, Portugal, Singapore, and the United States. Founded in 1969, the Company designs, develops, manufactures and sells aircraft for the commercial aviation, executive aviation, and defense segments. The Company also provides after sales support and services to customers worldwide.
On September 30, 2009, Embraer had a workforce of 16,986 employees – not counting the employees of its partly owned subsidiaries – and its firm order backlog totaled US$ 18.6 billion.
