Embraer EMB 312 Tucano

EMB 312 Tucano
A Peruvian AT-27
General information
Type	Trainer and light attack Aircraft
National origin	Brazil
Manufacturer	Embraer
Status	In Service
Primary users	Brazilian Air Force Egyptian Air Force Argentine Air Force
Number built	624[1]
History
Manufactured	1980–1996[2]
Introduction date	September 1983
First flight	16 August 1980
Variants	Short Tucano
Developed into	Embraer EMB 314 Super Tucano

The Embraer EMB 312 Tucano (English: Toucan) is a low-wing, tandem-seat, single-turboprop, basic trainer and counter-insurgency aircraft developed and produced by Embraer in Brazil. The Brazilian Air Force sponsored the EMB-312 project at the end of 1978. Design and development work began in 1979 on a low-cost, relatively simple, new basic trainer with innovative features which eventually became the international standard for basic training aircraft.^[3] The prototype first flew in 1980, and initial production units were delivered in 1983.^[3]

Production was initially supported by a local order for 118 aircraft, with options for an additional 50 units in October 1980. It was later matched by an Egyptian licence-produced purchase in 1993 and subsequently by a variant known as the Short Tucano, which was licence-produced in the United Kingdom.^[4] The Tucano made inroads into the military trainer arena and became one of Embraer's first international marketing successes. A total of 664 units were produced (504 by Embraer and 160 by Short Brothers), flying in 16 air forces over five continents.^[2]