The Air Force’s awarding of a contract for Light Support Aircraft (LAS) to Sierra Nevada Corporation for the purchase of 20 Embraer A-29 Super Tucano advanced trainers has turned contentious. Just weeks after Hawker Beechcraft Corporation (HBC) went public with its claims of unfair treatment at the hands of the the Air Force and calling foul for a foreign company getting the contract, Sierra Nevada has struck back with a point-by-point refutation of claims by HBC and others against the contract award.
Late last year the Air Force awarded the contract for 20 light air support aircraft to Sierra Nevada, with those first airplanes going to the Afghan Air Force. The U.S. Air Force also hopes to add some of the trainers to its fleet, with more orders possible for future applications. The deal, which will include training and support, could eventually be worth as much as $1 billion.
