Brazilian Embraer positions A-29 Super Tucano light attack aircraft for counter-drone missions
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Embraer announced on November 11 in São José dos Campos that the A-29 Super Tucano will be equipped to perform counter-UAS tasks using its existing sensor suite, datalinks, and weapons. The move offers current and future operators a near-term, lower-cost way to bolster counter-drone coverage without a new aircraft variant.
Embraer is formally pitching the A-29 Super Tucano as a counter-drone asset, framing the turboprop’s EO/IR turret, laser-guided 70 mm rockets, and twin internal .50-caliber guns as a short, sensor-to-shooter chain for low, slow UAS. The company says target cues can arrive over existing datalinks, which then hand off to the turret for tracking and laser designation before the pilot selects effects matched to the shot geometry. Embraer stresses this is an added role using qualified equipment, not a bespoke variant, a message aligned with recent industry outreach to operators.Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
In its new C-UAS configuration, the A-29 Super Tucano employs a proven sensor-to-effects chain to handle the threat (Picture source: Embraer)
In its new C-UAS configuration, the A-29 employs a proven sensor-to-effects chain to handle the threat. Initial target coordinates arrive via data links to the mission system, which cues the electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) turret for tracking and laser designation. Complementing this, the internal wing-mounted .50-caliber machine guns can engage slow, nearby targets when shot geometry or rules of engagement preclude rocket employment. Embraer’s aim is not to introduce a new variant, but to enable an additional role using qualified equipment, containing both cost and training burden for user forces.
The A-29 is powered by a Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-68C rated at 1,600 shp, supporting extended endurance profiles with a measured logistics footprint. Maximum operating speed reaches 320 KCAS, service ceiling 35,000 ft, and range up to 1,550 NM with three external tanks. Field performance includes approximately 900 m takeoff and 860 m landing to clear a 50 ft obstacle, with a climb rate of 3,240 ft/min. The wing integrates two FN Herstal .50-caliber guns while leaving five hardpoints free for more than 160 store configurations. The weapons set includes 70 mm laser-guided rockets such as the Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS), suited to small-class UAS with calibrated effects and reduced collateral risk. The EO/IR turret, compatible with night-vision goggles, remains effective from 15,000 ft for identification and designation. MSG-3-based maintenance supports controlled operating costs and high availability.
This C-UAS approach prioritizes a short sensor-shooter loop and stable low-speed handling rather than peak speed. The A-29 maintains custody with sensors and visually stabilizes the shot, and executes rapid laser designation to reduce the ime of flight. In operations, the aircraft can patrol a sector under Emission Control (EMCON), receive Recognized Maritime Picture/Common Operational Picture (RMP/COP) feeds from the ground, then cue the EO/IR before delivering the required effect. The same data links accept cues from ground C-UAS radars, a manned intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft, or a Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) UAV, improving interoperability and limiting risk around sensitive sites. In urban or constrained settings, the internal guns provide immediate response with controlled dispersion, while 70 mm guided rockets offer short standoff.
Embraer’s choice also reflects an availability calculus. The A-29 has accrued more than 600,000 flight hours and is in service with 22 countries, with the ability to operate from forward bases or austere runways. For European forces aligned with Alliance standards, adding a C-UAS module to a light platform increases coverage over industrial sites, airfields, logistics corridors, and borders, while preserving high-end fleets for alert duties. Close Air Support (CAS) and armed ISR remain core roles, but on-station time, connectivity, and graduated effects broaden the employment set without configuration breaks, supported by a familiar human-machine interface (HMI) and avionics.
The move addresses rising demand without waiting for large ground-based air defense or directed-energy programs to mature. For defense industrial bases (BITD) seeking near-term effects, the Super Tucano’s C-UAS fit provides affordable flight hours, integration with national RMP/COPs, and compatibility with targeted offset policies. In a European context marked by recurring misuse of civilian drones and improvised vectors near critical infrastructure, positioning a manned, enduring node alongside ground and airborne layers strengthens civil resilience and contributes to deterrence through presence. The decision positions the A-29 as a credible transitional tool for allies aiming to close an immediate capacity gap while heavier air-defense architectures and data-exchange standards continue to mature.
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Embraer announced on November 11 in São José dos Campos that the A-29 Super Tucano will be equipped to perform counter-UAS tasks using its existing sensor suite, datalinks, and weapons. The move offers current and future operators a near-term, lower-cost way to bolster counter-drone coverage without a new aircraft variant.
Embraer is formally pitching the A-29 Super Tucano as a counter-drone asset, framing the turboprop’s EO/IR turret, laser-guided 70 mm rockets, and twin internal .50-caliber guns as a short, sensor-to-shooter chain for low, slow UAS. The company says target cues can arrive over existing datalinks, which then hand off to the turret for tracking and laser designation before the pilot selects effects matched to the shot geometry. Embraer stresses this is an added role using qualified equipment, not a bespoke variant, a message aligned with recent industry outreach to operators.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
In its new C-UAS configuration, the A-29 Super Tucano employs a proven sensor-to-effects chain to handle the threat (Picture source: Embraer)
In its new C-UAS configuration, the A-29 employs a proven sensor-to-effects chain to handle the threat. Initial target coordinates arrive via data links to the mission system, which cues the electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) turret for tracking and laser designation. Complementing this, the internal wing-mounted .50-caliber machine guns can engage slow, nearby targets when shot geometry or rules of engagement preclude rocket employment. Embraer’s aim is not to introduce a new variant, but to enable an additional role using qualified equipment, containing both cost and training burden for user forces.
The A-29 is powered by a Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-68C rated at 1,600 shp, supporting extended endurance profiles with a measured logistics footprint. Maximum operating speed reaches 320 KCAS, service ceiling 35,000 ft, and range up to 1,550 NM with three external tanks. Field performance includes approximately 900 m takeoff and 860 m landing to clear a 50 ft obstacle, with a climb rate of 3,240 ft/min. The wing integrates two FN Herstal .50-caliber guns while leaving five hardpoints free for more than 160 store configurations. The weapons set includes 70 mm laser-guided rockets such as the Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS), suited to small-class UAS with calibrated effects and reduced collateral risk. The EO/IR turret, compatible with night-vision goggles, remains effective from 15,000 ft for identification and designation. MSG-3-based maintenance supports controlled operating costs and high availability.
This C-UAS approach prioritizes a short sensor-shooter loop and stable low-speed handling rather than peak speed. The A-29 maintains custody with sensors and visually stabilizes the shot, and executes rapid laser designation to reduce the ime of flight. In operations, the aircraft can patrol a sector under Emission Control (EMCON), receive Recognized Maritime Picture/Common Operational Picture (RMP/COP) feeds from the ground, then cue the EO/IR before delivering the required effect. The same data links accept cues from ground C-UAS radars, a manned intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft, or a Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) UAV, improving interoperability and limiting risk around sensitive sites. In urban or constrained settings, the internal guns provide immediate response with controlled dispersion, while 70 mm guided rockets offer short standoff.
Embraer’s choice also reflects an availability calculus. The A-29 has accrued more than 600,000 flight hours and is in service with 22 countries, with the ability to operate from forward bases or austere runways. For European forces aligned with Alliance standards, adding a C-UAS module to a light platform increases coverage over industrial sites, airfields, logistics corridors, and borders, while preserving high-end fleets for alert duties. Close Air Support (CAS) and armed ISR remain core roles, but on-station time, connectivity, and graduated effects broaden the employment set without configuration breaks, supported by a familiar human-machine interface (HMI) and avionics.
The move addresses rising demand without waiting for large ground-based air defense or directed-energy programs to mature. For defense industrial bases (BITD) seeking near-term effects, the Super Tucano’s C-UAS fit provides affordable flight hours, integration with national RMP/COPs, and compatibility with targeted offset policies. In a European context marked by recurring misuse of civilian drones and improvised vectors near critical infrastructure, positioning a manned, enduring node alongside ground and airborne layers strengthens civil resilience and contributes to deterrence through presence. The decision positions the A-29 as a credible transitional tool for allies aiming to close an immediate capacity gap while heavier air-defense architectures and data-exchange standards continue to mature.
