Togo will acquire four Embraer A-29 Super Tucano light attack aircraft under a €70 million contract to enhance its strike capabilities against jihadist groups in the northern Savanes region.
The purchase represents a major modernisation effort for the Togo Air Force, which currently relies on ageing platforms for light attack and surveillance. The deal was finalised in late 2024 after Embraer announced a contract with an undisclosed African customer; regional defence analysts predicted that it was either Ghana or Togo as the buyer.
Delivery of the four turboprop aircraft is scheduled for 2026. The contract includes a comprehensive support package consisting of pilot training and technical maintenance assistance. These aircraft will operate primarily out of Niamtougou Fighter Base, the primary hub for Togolese combat aviation, located near the northern border.
The procurement serves a pressing security need as the threat from the Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) increases. This al-Qaeda affiliate has intensified cross-border raids from neighbouring Burkina Faso, leading the Togolese government to extend the state of emergency in the Savanes region through March 2027.
A Technical Leap from the Epsilon
The A-29 Super Tucano will replace or complement the SOCATA TB-30 Epsilon, a French-designed primary trainer that has served Togo since the mid-1980s. Togo holds a unique position as the only operator of an armed version of the Epsilon, equipped with underwing hardpoints for light munitions.
While the TB-30 provided a basic air-to-ground capability, it lacked the endurance and sensor integration required for modern counterinsurgency. The A-29 is a dedicated combat platform designed from the start for “low-threat” environments where high-performance jets are too expensive or impractical to operate.
The Super Tucano features a reinforced airframe and self-sealing fuel tanks to survive small-arms fire from the ground. Its Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-68C engine produces 1,600 shaft horsepower, allowing the aircraft to carry a payload of 1,550 kilograms across five hardpoints.
Togo’s specific configuration will feature optronic pods provided by the American company L3Harris Technologies. These pods, likely from the Wescam MX-series, include high-definition electro-optical and infrared (EO/IR) cameras with laser designators.
This sensor suite allows Togolese pilots to perform precision bombing and conduct long-range intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) missions. The ability to “see” targets from high altitudes before engaging with laser-guided munitions changes the tactical dynamic for ground forces currently facing ambush tactics.
Operational costs for the A-29 remain relatively low, estimated at roughly $1,500 per flight hour. This efficiency is vital for a military that must maintain constant border patrols without exhausting its defence budget on fuel and complex maintenance cycles.
The aircraft also bridges the gap between basic flight training and advanced combat operations. Embraer has committed to an intensive training program for Togolese airmen, ensuring they can manage the aircraft’s digital glass cockpit and integrated weapons systems effectively.
The Togolese military already operates the Turkish-made Bayraktar TB2 unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV), which it acquired in 2022. The addition of the Super Tucano provides a manned alternative that can carry a heavier ordnance load and react more dynamically to shifting conditions on the ground.
Togo becomes the sixth African nation to adopt the Super Tucano, joining Nigeria, Mali, Mauritania, Angola, and Burkina Faso. This regional proliferation suggests a standardising trend in West African air power, which may simplify future cross-border cooperation and logistics sharing.
Embraer showcased the A-29’s capabilities extensively during the 4th African Air Forces Forum in Lagos in May 2025. The company’s success in Togo demonstrates its ability to capitalise on the shift away from traditional European defence suppliers toward Brazilian and Turkish platforms.
The shift toward the A-29 reflects a broader move by the Togolese Armed Forces (FAT) to adopt “right-sized” technology for its specific conflict. By moving away from basic trainers like the TB-30, the air force is transitioning into a dedicated strike force capable of supporting Operation Koundjaoré, the national counter-terror initiative.
Integrating the L3Harris pods and precision munitions will require a change in doctrine for Togolese air controllers. These specialists must now manage digital data links and coordinated strikes with ground-based units to avoid civilian casualties in the densely populated northern border zones.
The delivery of the first airframes in 2026 will mark the start of a multi-year transition period for the air force staff. Success in the field will depend on how quickly the initial cadre of pilots masters the transition from the simple Epsilon to the digitally intensive Super Tucano environment.
Future testing and integration of guided rockets or small-diameter bombs may follow once the initial fleet reaches operational capacity. This acquisition effectively closes a significant capability gap in Togo’s ability to defend its northern frontier against mobile insurgent units.
Meanwhile, Togo recently acquired Polish-manufactured helicopters at its Lomé base to bolster internal security and support counter-insurgency operations.
The deployment includes at least one PZL W-3 Sokół and a modernised PZL Mi-2 light transport model, both produced by the PZL-Świdnik factory in Poland. Under the command of Air Brigadier General Agnidoufey Mamah (promoted on 8 August 2025), these aircraft are now operational at the capital’s main military facility.
These helicopters supplement an existing fleet of Russian-built Mi-35 attack and Mi-17 transport helicopters. Unlike the heavy Russian platforms, the Polish-designed W-3 Sokół and Mi-2 offer more versatile, lighter alternatives for rapid response. They provide the Togolese Armed Forces (FAT) with increased mobility as they engage in Operation Koundjoaré. This operation aims to secure the northern Savanes region, where the government recently extended a state of emergency on 27 February 2026 to combat incursions by jihadist groups.