The US Air Force (USAF) has begun training Afghan pilots and maintainers on the Embraer A-29 Super Tucano light attack aircraft at Moody Air Force Base (AFB) in Georgia.
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| USAF Begins Afghan Super Tucano Training. |
With the first of 20 Embraer A-29 aircraft having been delivered to the USAF by Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) at the end of September 2014, the USAF's 81st Fighter Squadron (FS) has now begun instructing Afghan Air Force (AAF) personnel on the aircraft ahead of its introduction into service later in 2015.
The A-29 was chosen by the USAF as a replacement for the Mil Mi-35M 'Hind' assault helicopters currently in AAF service under the Light Air Support (LAS). There is an option for provision of a further 20 aircraft.
The Super Tucano features a single 1,600 SHP Pratt & Whitney PT6A-68/3 turboprop engine and can carry an array of weapons. The aircraft carries two 12.7 mm machine guns (200 rounds each) in the wings, and can be configured with additional underwing weaponry such as 20 mm cannon pods, additional 12.7 mm machine guns, rockets pods, precision-guided munitions, and/or 'dumb' bombs up to 1,500 kg. It has a seven-hour endurance, and can operate from semi-prepared air fields.
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