U.S. Eyes Super Tucano for SpecOps Work

[Silverbolt 104]

By Andrew Scutro

The U.S. Navy's new Irregular Warfare office has been looking at an agile Brazilian observation and ground-attack turboprop to provide an "organic" close air support aircraft for special operations forces.

 

THE IRREGULAR WARFARE office of the U.S. Navy has tested the Embraer EMB-314 Super Tucano, shown here in Bogota, Colombia, in December 2006, for use on special-operations missions. (MAURICIO DUENAS / AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE)

 

Under the classified "Imminent Fury" program, the Navy has already leased, tested and armed at least one Embraer EMB-314 Super Tucano, according to Capt. Mark Mullins, a naval special warfare officer serving as the deputy director of the Navy Irregular Warfare Office at the Pentagon.

 

"This is a close air support, manned aircraft with a pilot and sensor operator. The idea here is that SOF needs an organic capability that can stick with them while they're doing their mission," Mullins said. "We're not buying them; we're leasing them right now. That's an important point."

 

Speaking March 12 at an exposition on expeditionary warfare in Virginia Beach, Va., Mullins said the intent is to put four of the single-engine aircraft into the fight as quickly as possible.

 

"Now we're in an operational pause, trying to figure out how to get to Phase II. We need about $44 million," he said. "Back to the method of venture capitalism, we're working with the Air Force and Marine Corps, socializing it with those guys to see if we can get money invested and get to Phase II, where we're taking four aircraft into theater."

 

The EMB-314 is flown by the military forces of Brazil and Colombia, according to Christine Manna, communications director at Embraer's office for North America in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

 

As well, Manna said, Chile bought 12 planes and the Dominican Republic bought eight, but the planes have not been delivered yet.

 

The Super Tucano has a flight endurance of more than six hours, carries several sensors, can be armed with a heavy machine gun in each wing and has mounts for bombs, cannon and rocket pods, according to Jane's All the World's Aircraft 2008-9.

 

Calling it a "fascinating piece of kit," Mullins said "the proof of concept" is complete after a year of testing. But he described Imminent Fury as his new office's "most contentious project," mostly due to wariness from naval aviation.

 

"You can imagine the SOF guys and Marines really love this," he said. "The challenge here, and why it's so contentious, is it falls into the seam where it's really not clear whose bailiwick it is. It's not a marinized aircraft. It doesn't fly off the carrier."

 

Mullins said the Super Tucano can be landed on an unimproved airstrip such as a road, refueled in minutes and sent right back into the fray.

 

A briefing slide on the Imminent Fury project obtained by Defense News sister publication Navy Times identifies the need for a "tactical fixed wing [intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance] platform to provide expeditionary, organic Find/Fix/Finish operations for SOF Forces in a maneuverable, long range, low heat signature platform."

 

The project began following a visit by Navy Secretary Donald Winter with naval special warfare task forces in the Central Command area in October 2007, according to a similar brief.

 

"It's not about flying in from 1,000 miles away, dropping some thousand-pound bombs and leaving," Mullins said. "It's about working with [the ground force], doing the intelligence preparation of the battlespace, doing a [communication] relay, close air support, eyes on target and if there's squirters leaving the target, keeping up with them and tracking them down and doing [bomb damage assessment] at the end."

 

Although Mullins said the project is awaiting funding to move forward, a slide in Mullins' presentation indicated it's sponsored by the Office of the Secretary of Defense, Naval Air Systems Command and the Navy.

 

"Imminent Fury is a classified Navy initiative to address urgent warfighter needs," said Lt. Sean Robertson, a Navy spokesman at the Pentagon. "Initial developmental testing has been promising, and the Navy is currently conducting discussions with our Joint partners on various courses of action as this initiative moves forward."

 

Mullins delivered an unclassified brief, but details of Imminent Fury remain classified, Robertson said.

 

The Irregular Warfare office, part of the Navy staff at the Pentagon, was established in July under the direction of Adm. Gary Roughead, the chief of naval operations. It's headed by Rear Adm. Mark Kenny, a submariner.

 

"Our goal is to rapidly deliver capabilities and effects," Mullins said. "And we are the CNO's lead for irregular warfare."

 

Source: http://www.defesanet.com.br/emb1/st_dn_e.htm

 

i think CharlieLima will like this spad

[+ST0RM 145]

Hawker-Beech is taking their time developing the AT-6B, while the various services want a COIN platform now. It's no wonder that they are looking elsewhere. While this might be just a little hint to H/B to get their program moving faster, it's still good to see another very capable aircraft being considered.

 

And the shark-mouth is a must!

[charlielima 328]

My ears are burnin'.

Imagine My Surprise!

I thought the USN was totaly commited to multi engines.

My perception is that the USN is working on reducing the bird farm to 3 aircraft types.

The hornet, 737, and ditchhawk.

This is exciting tho. I hope the squadron is commisioned as VAL-4.

I can't wait for the Mirage Factory Tucano and the "Imminent Fury" campaign.

 

 

 

 

I always thot the Navy should of kept thier Black Ponies.

:ph34r: CL

Edited March 21, 2009 by charlielima

[+SkippyBing 8]

I note your comment about the USN reducing to three aircraft types, it's apparently the aim of the UK's Defence Logistics Organisation to reduce to four types of helicopter little things like wars keep getting in the way though!

[Viggen 644]

My perception is that the USN is working on reducing the bird farm to 3 aircraft types.

The hornet, 737, and ditchhawk.

 

:ph34r: CL

 

 

 

Hey don't forget the Hummer Hole! The C-2 and E-2 are still around.

[charlielima 328]

Hey don't forget the Hummer Hole! The C-2 and E-2 are still around.

 

Yup. I kept thinking about the Hummer and the COD / ole rubber gulf and Miss Piggy.

Good thing the canoe club isn't looking at these 2 exploding cigars:

 

 

I have no working knowledge about the splendid super tucano. I know blackwater operates one.

If I was to buy /build COIN fighters as a planner / manager, I'd start with T-28Ds or F6Fs.

Both way old and without the benefit of a gas turbine powerplant.

:ph34r: CL

[charlielima 328]

I note your comment about the USN reducing to three aircraft types, it's apparently the aim of the UK's Defence Logistics Organisation to reduce to four types of helicopter little things like wars keep getting in the way though!

 

Don't distract the managers and planners who niether manage or plan with the facts or reality.

:ph34r: CL

[Silverbolt 104]

hehe i don't really think any foreng plane would operate in any US forces

like the USAF tanker replacement program....

 

btw, Boeing said while ago they would open the Bronco production line, and the ST has as Concurrent, the Joseph kovacs's A-67 and the AT-6B

Edited March 21, 2009 by Silverbolt

[charlielima 328]

Yup, why take something off the shelf that works when you can spend gobs of money and time on the unknown.

 

Perhaps one of these with a GAU-XX in the hull for close support in the littoral battlefield.

 

 

 

:ph34r: CL

[+SkippyBing 8]

I have no working knowledge about the splendid super tucano. I know blackwater operates one.

If I was to buy /build COIN fighters as a planner / manager, I'd start with T-28Ds or F6Fs.

Both way old and without the benefit of a gas turbine powerplant.

 

I'm guessing the idea with the Super T is that you could have deliveries start tomorrow if you asked nicely.

Everything else would involve a delay, I'm also guessing if the DoD is anything like the MoD new build OV-10s would have to go through a certification process to ensure they meet the current requirements in terms of airworthiness etc. Of course if AMARC have enough lying around you could just re-activate them.....