Military Procurement International Vol. 19, No. 7, April 1, 2009
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ECUADOR
Purchase of 24 Super Tucanos confirmed
On March 23, Brazil’s Embraer confirmed that it had finally signed a contract, of undisclosed value and that had been finalised in 2008, for the sale of 24 EMB-314 Super Tucanos to the Ecuadorian Air Force (FAE).
Deliveries will begin late 2009 and, in service, the Super Tucano turboprops will replace the FAE’s ageing fleet of 20 Cessna AT-37B attack / trainers and help to re-assert control over the country’s borders. In March 2008, Ecuador strongly objected to Colombian Air Force raids on FARC compounds on Ecuadorian soil.
The contract with the FAE includes an extensive Integrated Logistic Support (ILS) package and an advanced Training and Operation Support System (TOSS), covering not only the aircraft, but also ground support stations and a flight simulator.
Ecuador becomes the fifth Latin American country to buy the two-seat attack / trainer, after Brazil, Chile, Colombia and the Dominican Republic.