Air Force Divests Three A-29 Super Tucanos
The Air Force Test Pilot School opted against using the turboprop aircraft, and the service plans to store them under a sole-source contract with SNC.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Military
The U.S. Air Force has divested its three A-29 Super Tucano aircraft after the Air Force Test Pilot School did not use them for flight testing. The service plans to sole-source a contract with SNC to safely store the planes.
Why it matters
The aircraft were originally bought by Air Force Special Operations Command, which off-loaded them after mission requirements changed. The episode highlights how the Air Force has rarely bought the A-29 in significant numbers, even as it acquired the type for allies including the Afghan armed forces before the Taliban takeover.
The contract structure includes a single base year with options for two additional years of storage work. The Air Force has not disclosed the value of the storage contract in the available reporting.
The players
Air Force Test Pilot School
The Air Force school at Edwards Air Force Base that trains test pilots and conducts flight testing, which opted not to use the A-29 aircraft.
SNC
Sierra Nevada Corporation, a defense contractor that installs mission equipment on A-29 aircraft and is slated to store the divested planes under the Air Force plan.
Embraer
The Brazilian aerospace manufacturer that builds the A-29 Super Tucano turboprop and assembles it in Jacksonville, Florida.
The details
The Edwards Air Force Base test pilot school picked up the three A-29s in 2024 after Air Force Special Operations Command off-loaded them. Embraer manufactures the A-29 and assembles it in Jacksonville, Fla., while SNC installs mission equipment on those aircraft.
Timeline
2024: Edwards Air Force Base test pilot school picks up the three A-29 aircraft.
October 29, 2026: The Air Force posts notice planning a sole-source storage contract with SNC.
November 3, 2026: Breaking Defense publishes its report on the A-29 divestment.
Roadmap
The Air Force acquired A-29 aircraft for allies, including the Afghan armed forces before the Taliban takeover in 2021, but never bought the type in significant numbers for itself. The current divestment of three aircraft marks a further step back from the platform after special operations requirements changed.
For taxpayers, the sole-source storage contract with SNC means defense dollars are going toward storing aircraft that the Air Force no longer plans to fly. The outcome will shape how the service manages surplus special operations equipment in the coming years.
The takeaway
The divestment shows how shifting mission requirements can leave even recently acquired aircraft without a clear operational role. Readers tracking defense spending should watch whether the storage contract is extended beyond its base year.
Further reading
For broader context on how these decisions reflect defense priorities, see the Military section.
