Navy eyes Super Tucano for SpecOps work

[unhappycamper]

Navy eyes Super Tucano for SpecOps work
By Andrew Scutro - Staff writer
Posted : Friday Mar 13, 2009 17:14:20 EDT

The 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.

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 Thursday 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.”


Rest of article at: http://navytimes.com/news/2009/03/navy_tucano_031309w/%2e



uhc comment: Meet the Super Tucano:





http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Super_Tucano


I'm guessing from the above article these things are at least $11 million a pop.