In early 1978, in Brazil, Embraer began designing an aircraft that would later become known as the EMB-312 Tucano. As conceived by the developers, the main purpose of the "Tucano" was to be the training of pilots, as well as the use as a light attack aircraft and patrol aircraft in "counter-guerrilla" operations in the absence of opposition from fighters and modern air defense systems. Initially, at the design stage, the task was to minimize costs during the operation and maintenance of the aircraft. Subsequently, "Tucano" became the hallmark of the Brazilian aviation industry. As one of the most successful and commercially successful modern combat training aircraft, it has received well-deserved recognition both in Brazil and abroad. It was this aircraft that in many ways became a kind of benchmark for the creators of other trainers and light multipurpose combat aircraft with a turboprop engine.
"Tucano" is built on a normal aerodynamic configuration with a low-lying straight wing and looks like piston fighters of the Second World War. Its "heart" is the Pratt-Whitney Canada PT6A-25C turboprop engine with a capacity of 750 hp. with. with a three-bladed reversible propeller of an automatically variable pitch. Fuel tanks with an internal anti-knock coating with a total capacity of 694 liters are located in the wing. The armament was placed on four underwing pylons (up to 250 kg per pylon). It can be four overhead containers with 7, 62-mm machine guns (ammunition - 500 rounds per barrel), bombs, blocks of 70-mm NAR.
The rational layout predetermined the success of the Tucano, the aircraft turned out to be quite light - its dry weight does not exceed 1870 kg. Normal takeoff weight is 2550 kg, maximum - 3195 kg. The aircraft without external suspensions developed a maximum speed of 448 km / h and a cruising speed of 411 km / h. Practical flight range 1840 km. The service life of the airframe of the EMB-312F modification is 10,000 hours.
Embraer EMB-312 Tucano
The first flight of "Tucano" took place in August 1980, and in September 1983, production aircraft began to enter the combat units of the Brazilian Air Force. Initially, the Brazilian Air Force ordered 133 aircraft. The Middle East countries - Egypt and Iraq - have shown interest in the turboprop TCB. According to the signed contracts, 54 aircraft were delivered to Egypt, and 80 aircraft to Iraq. The assembly of the Tucano for buyers from the Middle East was carried out in Egypt at the AOI firm. Following Egypt and Iraq, EMB-312 for their Air Force were purchased by: Argentina (30 aircraft), Venezuela (31), Honduras (12), Iran (25), Colombia (14), Paraguay (6), Peru (30). In 1993, the French Air Force purchased 50 EMB-312F aircraft. The TCB for the French Air Force has a glider with a fatigue life increased to 10,000 hours, a French avionics, as well as a modified fueling system, an anti-icing system for the propeller and a canopy.
In the second half of the 1980s, the British company Short acquired the license to assemble the Tucano, which was a major success for the Brazilian company Embraer. The modification for the RAF has a more powerful Allied Signal TPE331 engine (1 x 1100 hp). Since July 1987, Short has built 130 Tucanos, designated S312 in the UK.
Some buyers, such as Venezuela, purchased the aircraft in two versions: the T-27 trainer and the AT-27 light two-seat attack aircraft. Unlike training vehicles, the assault modification was sent to combat squadrons and had more advanced sights and light armor protection of the cockpit.
In total, more than 600 aircraft were built by 1996. In a number of countries, in addition to training pilots and training flights, "Tucano" took an active part in hostilities. The aircraft was involved in bombing and assault strikes in local interstate conflicts, fought against irregular rebel formations, made patrol and reconnaissance flights and suppressed drug traffic. The Tucano turned out to be quite good in the role of an interceptor fighter in the fight against the delivery of cocaine, on its account there is more than one forcibly landed and shot down a light aircraft with a cargo of drugs. During the Iranian-Iraqi war, the Tucano operating at low altitudes carried out bombing and assault strikes and were used as reconnaissance spotters. Quite effective actions of these light turboprop attack aircraft were noted during the border conflict between Peru and Ecuador in 1995 on the Senepa River. Precise strikes NAR "Tucano" supported the advancement of the Peruvian commandos in the jungle. Using phosphoric ammunition, which produces white smoke clearly visible from the air, they "marked" targets for other, faster and heavier combat aircraft. Thanks to air superiority in this war, Peru was able to take over Ecuador.
Most of the "Tucano" in the battle lost the Venezuelan Air Force. During the anti-government military uprising in November 1992, the AT-27 rebels bombed and fired unguided rockets on the troops remaining loyal to the president. At the same time, several light attack aircraft were shot down over Caracas by anti-aircraft fire 12, 7-mm machine guns and F-16A fighters.
In 2003, serial construction of the EMB-314 Super Tucano began. The aircraft received a Pratt-Whitney Canada PT6A-68C 1600 hp engine. and a reinforced glider. The weight of the empty aircraft increased to 2420 kg, and its length increased by almost one and a half meters. The normal takeoff weight is 2890 kg, and the maximum is 3210 kg. The maximum speed has increased to 557 km / h. The service life of the airframe is 18,000 hours.
The aircraft is designed to operate in high temperature and humidity conditions, has good takeoff and landing characteristics, which allows it to be based on unpaved runways of limited length. The cockpit is covered with Kevlar armor, which provides protection against armor-piercing rifle bullets from a distance of 300 meters.
EMB-314 Super Tucano
The armament of the "Super Tucano" has become more powerful, in the root of the wings there are built-in 12, 7-mm machine guns with an ammunition capacity of 200 rounds per barrel. The combat load with a total weight of up to 1550 kg is located on five suspension nodes, cannon and machine-gun containers, unguided and guided missile and bomb armament can be placed on them. For the use of guided weapons, a data display system was installed on the pilot's helmet, integrated into the equipment for controlling the means of destruction of the aircraft. The system is based on the MIL-STD-553B digital bus and operates according to the HOTAS (Hand On Throttle and Stick) standard.
12, 7-mm machine gun "Super Tucano"
During patrol flights of the first versions of the "Tucano" over the Amazon jungle, the need arose for special infrared reconnaissance and surveillance equipment capable of identifying the bases and camps of rebels and drug lords and fixing their coordinates. For "Super Tucano" there are several options for reconnaissance containers of American and French production, including a compact side-looking radar. In total, the Brazilian Air Force ordered 99 aircraft. In the two-seat modification of the A-29B, 66 aircraft were ordered, the remaining 33 aircraft are single-seat A-29A.
Light single-seat attack aircraft A-29A Super Tucano
In addition to the combat training two-seater, a purely shock single-seater version was created, which received the designation A-29A. In place of the co-pilot, an additional 400-liter sealed fuel tank was installed, which significantly increased the time spent in the air. According to the information provided by the company "Embraer", the single-seat "Super Tucano" with a search suspension container, which fixes thermal radiation, due to the increased flight range, has perfectly proven itself as a night fighter when intercepting light smuggler aircraft. Tests have shown that it can also effectively fight helicopter gunships.
On June 3, 2009, there was a widely publicized case of a forced landing of a plane carrying drugs. Two Brazilian Super Tucanoes intercepted a Cessna U206G carrying drugs from Bolivia. The smugglers' Cessna was intercepted in the Maury d'Oeste area, but its pilot did not comply with the requirement to follow the Brazilian Air Force planes. It was only after the warning bursts on the course of the intruder aircraft of 12.7 mm machine guns that Cessna landed at the Cacoal airport. 176 kg of cocaine were found on board.
The two-seat modification of the A-29B is equipped with various avionics and overhead containers necessary for monitoring the battlefield and using guided weapons. The two-seater light attack aircraft, due to the presence of a second crew member performing the duties of a weapons operator and an observer pilot, turned out to be optimal for use in operations where patrolling is required, passing into the shock phase. As a weapon carrier "Super Tucano" is used as part of the Amazon control system SIVAM (Sistema para Vigilancia de Amazonas), paired with EMB-145 reconnaissance aircraft.
As of 2014, more than 150 EMB-314 Super Tucano attack aircraft have flown more than 130,000 hours, including 18,000 hours in combat missions. According to the Embraer company, thanks to their high maneuverability, low thermal signature and good survivability, the aircraft proved to be excellent during combat missions, and not a single A-29 was lost from anti-aircraft fire. However, in the combat zone "Super Tucano" does not always perform strike functions, they are often used as reconnaissance and surveillance aircraft.
On August 5, 2011, the Brazilian armed forces launched Operation Agata on the border with Colombia. It was attended by over 3,000 military personnel and police officers, as well as 35 aircraft and helicopters. The purpose of the operation was to suppress illegal timber extraction, trade in wild animals, mining and drug trafficking. During Operation Super Tucano, several illegal runways were bombed with 500-pound bombs, rendering them unusable.
On September 15, 2011, Operation Agata-2 began in Brazil on the border with Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay. During her "Super Tucano" destroyed three airfields in the jungle and, together with F-5Tiger II fighters, intercepted 33 aircraft carrying drugs. Brazilian security forces seized 62 tons of drugs, made 3,000 arrests and seized more than 650 tons of weapons and explosives.
On November 2, 2011, Operation Agata-3 was launched. Its goal was to restore order on the border with Bolivia, Peru and Paraguay. 6,500 servicemen and police officers, 10 boats, 200 cars and 70 aircraft took part in the special operation. Agata-3 became the largest Brazilian special operation involving the army, navy and air force to combat illegal human trafficking and organized crime in the border zone. In addition to the "Super Tucano", combat aircraft AMX, F-5 Tiger II, AWACS and UAVs took part in the operation from the Air Force. On December 7, 2011, a spokesman for the Brazilian Ministry of Defense reported that drug seizures in the past six months increased by 1319% compared to the previous period.
A-29В Colombian Air Force
The two-seater light attack aircraft A-29B were very actively used in Colombia. In January 2007, Colombian Air Force planes launched a missile and bomb attack on a rebel camp of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia. In 2011, operating in reconnaissance and combat pairs on the strongholds of the leftist rebels, the Super Tucano for the first time used laser-guided high-precision Griffin ammunition. Thanks to the advanced reconnaissance and strike systems supplied by the United States, the effectiveness of combat missions against insurgents and drug trafficking has increased significantly. As a result of airstrikes using high-precision aviation ammunition, a number of rebel commanders were eliminated. In this regard, the activity of armed detachments operating in the jungle has significantly decreased. Observers note that the number of heavy weapons (mortars, machine guns and RPGs) decreased in the Colombian illegal formations, as well as the number.
The Dominican Republic also uses its Super Tucano to combat drug trafficking. After the country received the first turboprop aircraft at the end of 2009 and successfully intercepted several light aircraft carrying drugs, smugglers began to avoid flying into the airspace of the Dominican Republic. Dominican A-29Bs were also reported to be patrolling over Haiti.
The US Special Operations Command expressed interest in acquiring the A-29B Super Tucano. In February 2013, the United States and Brazilian Embraer entered into an agreement under which the Super Tucano, in a slightly modified form, will be built in the United States at the Embraer plant in Jacksonville, Florida. The task of these machines, equipped with advanced electronic equipment, will be air support for special units, reconnaissance and surveillance during anti-terrorist operations. Some of the aircraft built in the United States are intended as military assistance to Iraq and Afghanistan. In January 2016, the first four A-29Bs arrived in Afghanistan. Prior to this, Afghan pilots were trained in the United States at Moody Air Force Base in Georgia.
In 1978, five years earlier than the Brazilian Tucano, serial production of the Swiss Pilatus PC-7 began. In the same year, the first deliveries to Bolivia and Burma began. The two-seat training monoplane with a low wing and retractable tricycle landing gear was a success among the flight and technical personnel, in total, more than 600 aircraft were built. The design of the Pilatus PC-7 has much in common with the piston Pilatus PC-3. It is symbolic that a very successful turboprop engine of the same model Pratt Whitney Canada PT6A-25C with a capacity of 750 hp was used on the Tucano and Pilatus.
Pilatus PC-7
The RS-7 initially had a purely civilian purpose. Swiss law has serious restrictions on the supply of weapons abroad. Therefore, "Pilatus", received by foreign customers, were finalized on the spot in accordance with their own preferences and capabilities. The armed RS-7 can carry up to a ton of combat load on 6 external sling nodes. These can be machine gun containers, NAR, bombs and incendiary tanks. Before the emergence of the EMB-312 Tucano, the Pilatus PC-7 had virtually no competitors and enjoyed tremendous success in the global arms market. Everyone was happy, the Swiss sold it as a purely peaceful TCB, and the customers, after a little refinement, received an effective and inexpensive anti-guerrilla attack aircraft. Unlike the Brazilian company Embraer, which advertises its aircraft as light anti-guerrilla attack aircraft, the Swiss Pilatus Aircraft sells its aircraft as training aircraft and avoids mention of their participation in the hostilities. For this reason, despite the fact that the career of the "Pilatus" is full of combat episodes, there is little information in open sources about it. The most large-scale armed conflict where they fought was the Iran-Iraq war. The Iraqi Air Force turboprop Pilatus provided close air support to small units and corrected artillery fire. It is known that mustard gas was sprayed from several vehicles in areas of compact settlement of Kurds. The use of chemical weapons with the PC-7 became the reason for the tightening of control by the Swiss government over the export of TCB, which in many ways opened the way for the Brazilian Tucano.
Since 1982, Guatemalan Air Force PC-7s have been targeting rebel camps in the jungle. One plane was shot down by return fire from the ground, and at least one more, which received serious damage, had to be written off. Guatemalan "Pilatus" were actively used in combat missions until the end of the conflict in 1996.
RS-7 Angolan Air Force played almost a key role in the elimination of the Angolan opposition movement UNITA. Armed with light phosphorus bombs and NAR, turboprop attack aircraft were piloted by mercenary pilots of the South African company Executive Outcoms, invited by the Angolan government. Pilatus pilots, flying over the jungle at low altitudes, opened objects, and UNITA's forward positions fired at them with NAR and marked with phosphorus ammunition. After that, the MiG-23 and the An-26 and An-12 "bombers" took over. This tactic has greatly increased the accuracy and effectiveness of the bombing.
In 1994, the Mexican Air Force RS-7 launched missile attacks on the camps of the Zapatista National Liberation Army (SANO). Human rights organizations have cited evidence that many civilians were injured, which ultimately became the reason for the ban imposed by the Swiss government on the sale of training aircraft to Mexico.
In the second half of the 90s, Executive Outcomes, a private military company, used several RS-7s to provide close air support in hostilities in Sierra Leone.
The Pilatus PC-9 and Pilatus PC-21 trainers became the evolutionary variants of the Pilatus RS-7 development. Serial production of the PC-9 began in 1985, the first customer was the Saudi Arabian Air Force. The PC-9 TCB differed from the RS-7 with the Pratt-Whitney Canada RT6A-62 engine with a capacity of 1150 hp, a more durable airframe, improved aerodynamics and ejection seats. The combat load remained the same.
Pilatus PC-9
RS-9 was ordered mainly by countries that had experience in operating the RS-7. Due to restrictions on sales to countries involved in armed conflicts or having problems with separatists, as well as competition with Embraer EMB-312 Tucano, sales of Pilatus PC-9 did not exceed 250 units.
It is known that the PC-9 of the Chadian Air Force participated in hostilities on the border with Sudan, and the Myanmar Air Force used them to fight the insurgents. Aircraft of this type were also available in Angola, Oman and Saudi Arabia. These countries with a high degree of probability could use aircraft in hostilities as reconnaissance aircraft and light attack aircraft, but there are no reliable details.
The RS-9 is manufactured in the United States under license from the Beechcraft Corporation under the designation T-6A Texan II. The American version differs from the RS-9 in the shape of the cockpit canopy. The number of TCBs built in the USA has many times exceeded the Swiss original and exceeded 700 units.
Several combat variants have been created on the basis of the T-6A trainer. The T-6A Texan II NTA is designed for the use of unguided weapons - machine gun containers and NAR. The aircraft differs from the basic TCB in the presence of hardpoints and the simplest sight. On the modernized T-6B Texan II, with the same armament, a "glass cockpit" with LCD displays and more advanced sighting equipment is installed. The T-6C Texan II has additional weapons suspension units and is intended for export sales. T-6D Texan II, based on the T-6B and T-6C, is the latest modification of the multipurpose trainer for the US Air Force.
AT-6B
The AT-6B Wolverine, designed specifically to perform strike functions, is capable of carrying a wide range of guided aircraft weapons and various reconnaissance equipment on seven hardpoints. The AT-6B can be used for a variety of missions: close air support, forward air guidance, precision guided ammunition strikes, surveillance and reconnaissance with the ability to accurately record coordinates, stream video and data. Compared to earlier versions, the AT-6B has a reinforced airframe and a number of additional technical solutions to improve survivability. The aircraft is equipped with a missile attack warning system, an ALQ-213 electronic warfare system, and ARC-210 secure radio communications equipment. Engine power increased to 1600 hp.
Ground Handling AT-6B
It is reported that in the course of "testing" in a number of missions when providing direct support to the Special Forces, the AT-6B performed better than the A-10 attack aircraft.
T-6 turboprop aircraft of various modifications were delivered to Canada, Greece, Iraq, Israel, Mexico, Morocco, New Zealand and Great Britain. The widespread use of the T-6 as a light attack aircraft is hindered by its high price. So, without weapons, armor and reconnaissance and guidance equipment, the cost of the T-6 is about $ 500,000. The EMB-314 Super Tucano costs about the same, but armed. In addition, a number of sources mentioned that the Super Tucano is easier and cheaper to maintain. An indirect confirmation of this is that the US Special Operations Forces and the Afghan Air Force chose the Brazilian aircraft as a light attack aircraft.
Pilatus PC-21 has been supplied to customers since 2008. When creating a new trainer, the designers of "Pilatus" relied on the experience gained from the machines of the PC family. The leadership of the Swiss Pilatus Aircraft announced that the PC-21 was created in order to capture at least 50% of the world TCB market. In reality, just over 130 aircraft have been sold to date.
Pilatus PC-21
Best aerodynamic performance, Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-68B 1600 hp engine and the new wing give the PC-21 a higher roll and top speed than the PC-9. The aircraft is equipped with a very advanced avionics and has the ability to adapt flight data to specific requirements.
PC-21 cab
In addition to the Swiss Air Force, the PC-21 was delivered to Australia, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Singapore and the United Arab Emirates. As an option, the aircraft can accommodate five external sling units with a total payload of 1150 kg. However, in the current situation, the RS-21 cannot compete as a light "anti-guerrilla" attack aircraft to Brazilian and American vehicles.
Common to all aircraft mentioned in this publication is the use of very successful turboprop engines of various modifications of the Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A family. According to their weight and size characteristics, power and specific fuel consumption, these turbine engines are the best suited for training aircraft and light attack aircraft. Historically, turboprop TCBs were in great demand as "anti-insurgency" aircraft. Initially, they carried only unguided weapons: machine guns, NAR, free-fall bombs and incendiary tanks. However, the desire to improve the accuracy of air strikes, reduce vulnerability to fire from the ground and make light attack aircraft all day long led to the fact that these machines began to carry very sophisticated and sophisticated search and targeting systems and high-precision guided aircraft munitions. So, the cost of sighting and navigation equipment and weapons of the American AT-6B Wolverine is comparable to the cost of the aircraft itself. The experience of hostilities obtained in a number of local conflicts and anti-terrorist campaigns has shown that a modern "anti-partisan" aircraft must have the following characteristics:
1. The maximum speed is not more than 700 km / h, and the working speed is not more than 300-400 km / h. Otherwise, the pilot will experience a lack of time for aiming, which, in general, became clear back in the Second World War and was confirmed in Korea and Vietnam.
2. "Anti-partisan" aircraft must have armor protection of the cockpit and the most important parts from small arms and modern means of countering MANPADS.
3. Depending on the task at hand, the aircraft must be able to use a wide range of guided and unguided weapons, operate day and night, for which a set of optoelectronic and radar overhead and embedded systems is required. When performing "anti-terrorist" tasks and providing direct air support, a combat load weighing 1000-1500 kg is quite sufficient.
Comparing the Tucanoclass aircraft with the Su-25 and A-10 jet attack aircraft in service with the Air Force, it can be noted that at a "working" speed of 500-600 km / h there is often not enough time for visual target detection, taking into account the pilot's reaction. Able to carry a large "payload" jet attack aircraft, created to fight armored vehicles in a "big war", acting against all sorts of insurgents, often spend it irrationally.
Attack helicopters are better suited for performing "special tasks", their combat load is comparable to that that can be carried by turboprop attack aircraft. But it should be admitted that due to its design features, both at a lower speed and at a higher cost, the helicopter is an easier target for anti-aircraft fire than a "Tucanoclass" combat aircraft. In addition, the time spent by a turboprop attack aircraft in the target area, due to the significantly lower specific fuel consumption, can be several times longer than that of a helicopter. An important factor, especially for the third world countries, is that the cost of a flight hour of a turboprop "anti-insurgency" attack aircraft can be several times less than that of a combat helicopter or jet combat aircraft when performing the same mission.
UAVs have been widely used in various hot spots around the world over the past decade, creating a veritable unmanned boom. In a number of comments on Voennoye Obozreniye, a number of comments have repeatedly expressed the opinion that light attack aircraft, or as they were even called "underplanes", will be superseded by remotely piloted aircraft in the near future. But reality shows the opposite trend - interest in lightweight universal turboprop combat aircraft is only growing. For all its advantages, RPVs are more of a means of reconnaissance and surveillance and, in terms of their strike potential, cannot yet be compared with manned aircraft. The experience of using the American armed middle-class drones MQ-1 Predator and MQ-9 Reaper has demonstrated that these devices, which can hang in the air for hours, are excellent for one-time precision strikes, such as, for example, the elimination of militant leaders. But due to the limited carrying capacity, drones, as a rule, are not able to provide effective fire support during special operations or "press down" the attacking militants with fire.
The indisputable advantages of RPVs in comparison with manned aircraft are lower operating costs and the absence of the risk of death or capture of pilots in the event of equipment failure or being hit by anti-aircraft weapons of an aircraft or helicopter. However, in general, the situation with drones, due to their high accident rate, is not so good. According to data published in the US media, more than 70 RPVs were lost during the campaigns in Afghanistan and Iraq as of 2010. The cost of the crashed and downed drones was almost $ 300 million. As a result, the money saved on lower operating costs went to replenish the UAV fleet. It turned out that the communication and data transmission channels of the drones were vulnerable to interference and interception of the information broadcast by them. The extremely lightweight design and the inability of shock-reconnaissance UAVs to perform sharp anti-aircraft maneuvers, combined with a narrow field of view of the camera and a significant response time to commands, makes them very vulnerable even in the event of minor damage. In addition, modern drones and control rooms contain "critical technology" and software that Americans are extremely reluctant to share. In this regard, the United States offers its allies in the "anti-terrorist war" more flexible turboprop "anti-guerrilla" strike aircraft with a wide range of guided and unguided weapons.
To date, the "toucanoclass" aircraft have competitors in the face of light combat aircraft created on the basis of agricultural aviation machines (more details about "agricultural attack aircraft" can be found here: Combat agricultural aviation). This once again confirms the increased interest in light attack aircraft. But in terms of the complex of tasks performed and flight data, "agricultural attack aircraft" cannot compete with aircraft of the "toucan class".
