December 20, 2005: Colombia has ordered 25 Super Tucano combat aircraft from Brazil. The Super Tucano is basically a prop driven trainer that is equipped for combat missions. The aircraft can carry up to 1.5 tons of weapons, including 12.7mm machine-guns and bombs. The aircraft cruises at about 500 kilometers an hour and can stay in the air for about 6.5 hours per sortie. One of the options is a FLIR (infrared radar that produces a photo realistic video image in any weather) and a fire control system for bombing. Colombia will use the Super Tucanos for counter-insurgency work (there are over 20,000 armed rebels and drug gang gunmen in the country). The aircraft will also be used for border patrol. Colombia already uses 14 Super Tucanos as trainers, and sometimes as combat aircraft. The Brazilian Air Force is already using the Super Tucano, and has 99 on order.
