Embraer sells six Super Toucans to Guatemala and three to Senegal

SÃO PAULO/RIO DE JANEIRO, April 9 (Reuters) – Embraer sold six units of the Super Tucano light attack aircraft to Guatemala to assist in flights to combat drug traffic, according to the President of Embraer defense and security, Luiz Carlos Aguiar.
The Executive also said that the company sold three units of the same plane to Senegal, Africa.
The aircraft manufacturer will deliver a communications centre along with the six aircraft for Guatemala, said Ab in an interview with Reuters, before the company's participation in a defence and security fair in Rio de Janeiro.
This is the first request of Embraer which includes command and control operations since its defense unit incorporated Atech, a company specialized in this field.
"Atech will be responsible for developing the control center, which will be integrated within a monitoring system for the country, to the fight against drug trafficking," said Aguiar.
The Central American country has chosen the same plane that Colombia used in his battle against the guerrilla forces of the Farc.
As the neighbor Mexico, Guatemala has suffered violence from drug cartels, which has made the country register one of the biggest homicide rates in the world. The President of Guatemala, Otto Perez, a former military officer, has been a staunch critic of the policies of prohibition of anti-drug war supplies in Latin America, but requests by the Super Tucano make it clear that the battle against local cartels remains a priority.
Embraer did not inform the sales figures.
With the orders, the number of countries in Latin America with the Super Tucano is six, while in Africa goes for four.
"We have (in Latin America) Dominican Republic, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Brazil and Guatemala now. (In Africa) are six. And Angola, Burkina Faso, Mauritania and Senegal. "
Aaron also said that the Super Tucano sales activity accelerated since the company won a bid in the United States to provide 20 units of light attack aircraft for the u.s. air force, which will be used in missions in Afghanistan.
"These specific cases began before the result, but without a doubt, in the final round gave an accelerated because of this (in the US). And we seeing enough requests for consultations on the aircraft. Countries that were not on our radar are entering to ask for information, "he said.
The US air force authorized the Embraer last month following the request of 428 million dollars despite protests from rival Beechcraft.
According to the Executive, the factory for the Assembly of the Super Tucano in Jacksonville, Fla., should be ready in seven months.
"We put the material purchase order. Here almost seven months we are with factory ready, then we start to deliver, "he said, adding that the first delivery is to be made between four and five months after the completion of the factory.