Uruguay receives proposals for new aircraft

The Fuerza Aérea Uruguya (FAU, Uruguayan Air Force) has received various proposals for new combat and basic training aircraft.

First up is the offer by an American broker to deliver six BAE Hawk Mk200, two BAE Hawk Mk100 and six former French EMB312F Tucano basic training aircraft. The offer includes upgrades and spare parts. It amounts to just over USD 100 million.

The Hawks might come from the Royal Air Force of Oman (RAFO), who withdrew the type in January 2018 (Hawk Mk100) and by August 2020 (Hawk Mk200).

Another bid which has been made earlier is by Korean Aerospace for the KT-1 basic training aircraft. This would include technology transfer and possibly local assembly, although that would be a challenge with a small order of only six aircraft.

Objective of the FAU is to reinstate former IA-58 Pucará unit Escuadrón Aéreo Nº 1 (Ataque) (1st attack squadron). All this pending government and financial approval.

Photo by Frank Noort (via airfighters.com)