Panama has approved a plan to purchase four units of the A-29 Super Tucano manufactured by Embraer, for more than $ 78 million. Panama will also order two CASA C-295 transport aircraft manufactured by Airbus, worth $ 109 million.
The A-29 Super Tucano will be Panama’s first combat aircraft since the US invasion in 1989, when the already small combat aircraft were completely destroyed. In 1990, the armed forces were disbanded, and since 1994 their existence has been prohibited by the constitution. Since then, the protection of the country has been provided by the gendarmerie and the public police. And recently it became known that the Pentagon is working on a new plan to capture Panama.
Although the A-29 aircraft ordered by Panama are combat aircraft, the National Naval Aviation and Maritime Service (SENAN) assured that the aircraft will not perform combat missions. Instead, they will be engaged in air patrols, surveillance of the border, escort, emergency response to natural disasters and the fight against illegal activities. That is, they will probably not have weapons. And C-295 aircraft will be used for logistical support, rescue missions and firefighting from the air.
In total, the A-29 Super Tucanos have a top speed of 590 km/h, a combat radius of 550 km, a distillation range of 2855 km, a practical ceiling of 10668 meters, and a payload of more than 1,5 tons. From armament, it has two built-in 12.7 mm machine guns with a total ammunition capacity of 500 rounds.
Among the suspended armament, one 20-mm automatic cannon, four M134 Minigun 7.62 mm machine guns can be installed. AIM-9, Mectron MAA-1 Piranha, Python 3/4 air-to-air missiles. Among the air-to-ground missiles are the AGM-65 Maverick and the 70-mm Roketsan Cirit. It can also carry Mk 81 and Mk 82 unguided aerial bombs, and Paveway II guided aerial bombs and JDAM kit bombs.