La Fuerza Aérea de Indonesia ha decidido la compra de ocho Embraer EMB-314 Super Tucano de entrenamiento y ataque ligero, aunque la decisión está pendiente de aprobación por el ministerio de defensa.
Otros modelos fueron considerados, como el Korea Aerospace Industries KT-1, 12 de los cuales sirven ya en la fuerza aérea como entrenadores. Si la compra se aprueba, el pedido inicial será por ocho aviones, con la posibilidad de adquir unidades adicionales en el futuro. Representaría la primera venta del Super Tucano en el mercado asiático.
El Super Tucano o el modelo elegido finalmente reemplazaría a los OV-10 Bronco en la misión de ataque ligero. El OV-10 Bronco se encuentra al límite de su edad, y tan solo dos se encuentran operativos.
Al ser utilizados para misiones de ataque, ha eliminado de la competición al Pilatus, ya que el fabricante suizo tiene la política de no vender aviones militares a países en desarrollo, siguiendo la tradicional política de neutralidad de Suiza.
Indonesia utilizó al Bronco entre los 70 y 90 para combatir a la guerrilla independentista de Timor-Leste, que consiguió su independencia de Indonesia en 2002, por lo que Indonesia no tiene mayores conflictos de insurgencia. Sin embargo, grupos tribales de Papúa Este, llevan décadas de conflictos reclamando independencia.
(www.flightglobal.com)
________________________________________
The Indonesian air force has decided to order eight Embraer EMB-314 Super Tucano trainer and light-attack aircraft, but the nation's defence ministry has yet to approve the deal.
Other types were also considered for the requirement, such as the Korea Aerospace Industries KT-1, 12 of which are already in air force use as trainers. If approved, the initial order will be for eight aircraft, with the possibility of further orders later. It would represent Embraer's first Super Tucano sale into the Asian market.
Despite the air force's decision, a deal still requires the approval of the defence ministry, which is conducting its own technical evaluation of the candidate aircraft.
Indonesia's air force plans to use the Super Tucano for some light-attack tasks, with the type to replace its 1960s-era Rockwell OV-10 Broncos. The ageing type has become costly to maintain. There are only two operational.
The requirement that the aircraft potentially be used for attack duties effectively ruled out Embraer's biggest competitor in the trainer market, Pilatus. The manufacturer has a policy of not selling attack aircraft to developing nations, in line with Switzerland's general stance as a neutral country.
Indonesia used its Broncos between the 1970s and 1990s to put down Timor-Leste's left-leaning Fretilin independence movement.
Timor-Leste gained independence from Jakarta in 2002 and presently Indonesia has no major insurgencies. But the tribes in its West Papua province have a decades-old struggle for independence that sometimes erupts into fighting.
(www.flightglobal.com)
No comments:
Post a Comment