A-29 Super Tucano: A Powerhouse Alternative to the A-10 Warthog?

Summary and Key Points: The A-29 Super Tucano is considered a possible replacement for the A-10 Warthog due to its low cost and weapon versatility.

But the A-29, intended as a trainer and for counterinsurgency operations, lacked the distinguishing features of the A-10, its large Gatling gun and tough exterior.

-A-10 highly regarded in close air support tasks is unlikely to be completely replaced by A-29.

A-29 Super Tucano: A Viable Replacement for the A-10 Warthog?

Due to its low cost and ability to carry multiple weapons, the A-29 Super Tucano has been suggested as a possible replacement for the A-10 Warthog.

Although the turboprop aircraft was designed as a trainer, the A-29 is currently in use by several air forces. It is not a natural alternative to the A-10, the largest close air support aircraft ever built.

Big Shoes to Fill

In the US military, the famed A-10 Warthog is especially prized by Army soldiers who send the aircraft to hotspots where its straight wings allow it to hover for hours at a time, destroying enemy targets with power and precision. The A-10’s defining feature is the huge Gatling cannon that runs slightly down the center along the fuselage. With the ability to fire about 70 depleted uranium rounds, about the size of soda, the A-10 is capable of destroying tanks and defense positions per second.

A-10 pilots also hold the aircraft in high regard. The captain is largely protected from the hazards of flying the aircraft at such low altitudes thanks to a titanium bathtub-shaped protective shell surrounding the cockpit. The airframe itself was designed to be incredibly durable and strong. Due to its straightforward construction and many non-essentials, the A-10 could continue to fly despite sustaining significant damage. The engines are located above the wings.

Given the respect the A-10 received, it is unlikely that ground troops or pilots would be especially open to receiving a replacement aircraft, especially one that was intended as a trainer and used by low-level air forces such as Chile and the like. of Brazil.

Squaring the Circle

A-10 and A-29 are not directly interchangeable. First of all, the A-29’s massive Gatling gun does not protrude from the nose of the fuselage. It is also not designed with close air support in mind. Rather, the A-29 was intended for counterinsurgency, border patrol and training purposes.

The A-29 and A-10 have many advantages, which is why the turboprop has contracts with more than 15 air forces globally.

According to Air Force Technology, “The Super Tucano aircraft is a robust and adaptable aircraft with a powerful turboprop system.” “The aircraft guarantees low maintenance and operating costs. The ability to fly day and night from remote bases and dirt runways with little ground support.

As Air Force Technology notes, the A-29 has the same superior survivability as the A-10, but mainly for different reasons. “The aircraft’s flying envelope is 7g and -3.5g. The aircraft’s high speed, agility, compact size and low radar and visual signature all contribute to its exceptional survivability. Redundancy in critical systems and armor protection are two other survivability factors.

Despite its lower cost and better survivability, the A-29 could not convince soldiers that it was a better option than the tried and true A-10.

Russia Freaked Out: Why the U.S. Navy ‘Unretired’ the Iowa-Class Battleships

About the Author: Defense Expert Harrison Kass 

Author of more than 1,000 articles on international politics, Harrison Kass specializes in writing on military and national security. Harrison is a pilot, lawyer, guitarist, and former minor league hockey player. He enlisted in the US Air Force as a Pilot Trainee but was later medically released. Harrison has an MA from New York University, a JD from the University of Oregon, and a BA from Lake Forest College.

READ | Reasons why the stealth A-10 Warthog is a colossal waste of time