Panama Orders Aircraft for National Aeronaval Service

Although Panama insists it has no combat mission, the country ended decades of neutrality to order procurement of six aircraft for the National Aeronaval Service.

The price tag is $197 million to buy four Embraer A-29 Super Tucano light attack aircraft ($78 million) and two Airbus C-295 transport aircraft (the remainder). These will replace 14 aircraft from the 1980s.

Panama does not have a military organization, although its police often look like armed soldiers. The stated purpose of the airplanes is aerial patrol, disaster response, and humanitarian assistance, but the Tucano planes are the first Panama has ever procured with combat capabilities.

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