Brazil's aircraft manufacturer sells 25 military planes to Colombia

Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer has struck a deal with Colombia to sell 25 Super Tucano military planes to the Colombian air force, the company said Thursday.

The two sides signed the contract worth 235 million US dollars Wednesday in Colombia's capital, Bogota, marking Embraer's first export of the planes, Embraer said.

"We are sure that the Super Tucano will be an efficient operational tool for Colombia's air force and we believe that other international contracts will follow this one, because it deals with an aircraft with exceptional qualities and performance, " said Mauricio Botelho, director of Embraer.

Embraer said the planes would be used by Colombia for internal security and border patrol. The Brazilian company would also offer the Colombian air force a logistic and training package, it added.

Brazil's air force has 99 Super Tucano planes, which are used on surveillance missions in the Amazon and for pilot training.

Source: Xinhua