Portugal receives its first A-29N Tremendous Tucanos, which is able to now bear NATO tools integration at OGMA earlier than getting into service with the Air Drive.
Portugal has obtained its first three Embraer A-29N Tremendous Tucano mild assault and superior coach plane, which landed at OGMA’s services in Alverca do Ribatejo on Aug. 31, 2025. The plane are the primary batch of a 12-aircraft order signed in December 2024, making Lisbon the launch buyer for the NATO-standard variant of the confirmed Tremendous Tucano.
A highlighted by Embraer, the switch flight from its Gavião Peixoto facility in Brazil to Portugal passed off simply eight months after the contract signature. The three plane arrived carrying long-range ferry tanks and with non permanent Brazilian registrations earlier than present process techniques integration work at OGMA, a subsidiary of Embraer in Portugal.
A NATO-Suitable Tremendous Tucano
The A-29N is the newest evolution of Embraer’s profitable turboprop, which has been in service because the early 2000s and is operated by 22 air forces worldwide. In contrast to earlier variations, the A-29N is particularly tailor-made to NATO requirements, that includes NATO-compatible avionics, communications techniques, navigation tools, and a tactical information hyperlink.
Portugal’s order, valued at round €200 million ($210 million), additionally features a flight simulator, logistics help, and a bundle of companies. This system falls below Portugal’s Shut Assist Plane initiative, certainly one of eight main procurement priorities established within the nation’s Army Programming Legislation, as reported by Breaking Protection.
The acquisition is especially important because it addresses a functionality hole left by the retirement of Portugal’s Dassault/Dornier Alpha Jets in 2018. With the arrival of the A-29N, the Portuguese Air Drive regains a contemporary superior coach and lightweight assault platform, appropriate for each home and NATO operations.
Position in Coaching and Operations
Lisbon intends to make use of the A-29Ns primarily in a coaching function, together with superior pilot coaching and help for Joint Terminal Assault Controller (JTAC) qualification. Nonetheless, the platform retains its combat-proven versatility, able to shut air help (CAS), reconnaissance, armed intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR), and lightweight assault missions with a variety of precision-guided munitions.
Main-Normal João Nogueira of the Portuguese Air Drive (Força Aérea Portuguesa, FAP) beforehand emphasised the worth of the A-29N configuration, describing it as “a particular platform, with a configuration idealized by the Portuguese Air Drive, that can show its functionality in superior coaching and operational utilization,” in line with Embraer’s press launch from time to time of the primary flight in July 2025.
The sturdy airframe, designed to function from unpaved or austere runways, together with low upkeep necessities and excessive availability, makes the kind particularly interesting for smaller air arms or NATO members on the lookout for cost-effective coaching and lightweight fight options.
OGMA’s Position and Industrial Participation
Upon arrival in Portugal, the primary three A-29Ns entered OGMA’s facility for integration of NATO-specific techniques earlier than the plane is lastly fielded by the FAP. Whereas Embraer has not disclosed all particulars, the modifications are anticipated to incorporate alliance-standard communications and navigation tools, as talked about earlier.
This work kinds a part of a broader push for Portuguese industrial involvement. In April 2024, Embraer signed a memorandum of understanding with native companies CEiiA, ETI, GMV, and OGMA to help growth and techniques integration work for this system, in line with Breaking Protection.
Lisbon has highlighted this facet as crucial for strengthening its protection technological and industrial base, positioning Portuguese corporations to play a bigger function in NATO-related tasks. An analogous path was adopted for the Portuguese KC-390s.
Strengthening Portugal–Brazil Protection Cooperation
The A-29N order is the second main Embraer program Portugal has dedicated to lately, following its acquisition of the KC-390 Millennium tactical transport plane. Portugal already operates three of a deliberate six KC-390s, with deliveries persevering with since 2023.
After preliminary plans for a five-aircraft fleet, in June 2025, Portugal introduced plans to amass a sixth KC-390 and to incorporate ten buy choices for potential government-to-government transfers to different NATO members, mentioned Embraer. The arrival of the A-29N additional deepens this strategic cooperation between Portugal and Brazil.
The acquisition of the A-29N Tremendous Tucano reinforces FAP’s confidence in Embraer merchandise,” said Bosco da Costa Junior, Embraer Protection & Safety’s CEO. “We’re certain that these plane will contribute much more to the modernization of the Portuguese fleet and to broader cooperation with the native trade”
A Fight-Confirmed Plane Finds a New Residence in Europe
Globally, the Tremendous Tucano has collected greater than 600,000 flight hours, together with over 60,000 in fight, says Embraer. In response to the corporate, this demonstrates its resilience and flexibility in operational theaters starting from South America to Africa and the Center East.
By choosing the A-29N, Portugal has not solely modernized its coaching fleet but additionally positioned itself as the primary European operator of the kind. As soon as absolutely operational, the Tremendous Tucanos are anticipated to reinforce each the FAP’s coaching pipeline and its interoperability with allied forces.
As the primary three plane bear NATO integration at OGMA, the remaining 9 A-29Ns will comply with in staged deliveries. The timeline for the long run deliveries has not been disclosed.
