Embraer and Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) took an A-29 Super Tucano attack aircraft to Accra Air Base, in Ghana, on February 19 for a series of demonstrations to the African country’s air force.
The PT-ZTU registration aircraft was on static display and also performed in-flight demonstrations for guests and the general public. The event was attended by Mi-171 helicopters and Hongdu K-8 jets from the Ghana Air Force.
According to the local government, the Minister of Defense, Honorable Dominic Nitiwul, stated that the A-29 Super Tucano is a suitable aircraft to enhance the capabilities of the Ghana Air Force in counter-insurgency and counter-terrorism.
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The two partnerships have not released a statement on the visit while the Ghana Air Force has not revealed what its plans are regarding the aircraft.
‘White-tail’ planes
Ghana has shown intentions to order the Embraer turboprop since 2015, when it announced the signing of a contract for five aircraft but which was never implemented.
The visit to the African country comes days after the CEO of Embraer Defense and Security, Joao Bosco Costa Junior, revealed to Aviation Week that the company has between eight and nine Super Tucanos completed even without a customer for them, the so-called ‘white tail’.
Also according to the outlet, SNC would have four other A-29s manufactured in Florida and which would be used in the US government’s Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program.
“We didn’t deliver any units in 2023 due to some delays in the current sales campaigns that we have,” Bosco told Aviation Week.
The last delivery of Super Tucano turboprops took place in 2021, to Nigeria, within the FMS program. In 2023, the company launched the A-29N project, a version developed to serve NATO countries.
An order from Portugal was expected, but it has not yet occurred, despite the agreement for the aircraft to have part of the development and support carried out in Europe.
