Blackwater Air Force - Buys Brazilian Bombers

[RamboLiberal]

Security company Blackwater U.S.A. is buying Super Tucano light combat aircraft from the Brazilian manufacturer Embraer. These five ton, single engine, single seat aircraft are built for pilot training, but also perform quite well for counter-insurgency work. Brazil. The Super Tucano is basically a prop driven trainer that is equipped for combat missions. The aircraft can carry up to 1.5 tons of weapons, including 12.7mm machine-guns, bombs and missiles. The aircraft cruises at about 500 kilometers an hour and can stay in the air for about 6.5 hours per sortie. One of the options is a FLIR (infrared radar that produces a photo realistic video image in any weather) and a fire control system for bombing. Colombia is using the Super Tucanos for counter-insurgency work (there are over 20,000 armed rebels and drug gang gunmen in the country). The aircraft is also used for border patrol. The U.S. Air Force is watching that quite closely. The Super Tucano costs $9 million each, and come in one or two seat versions. The bubble canopy provides excellent visibility. This, coupled with its slow speed (versus jets), makes it an excellent ground attack aircraft.

Blackwater already has a force of armed helicopters in Iraq, and apparently wants something a little faster, and more heavily armed, to fulfill its security contracts overseas. Initially, Blackwater is getting one two-seater, for pilot training in the United States.

http://www.strategypage.com/htmw/htairfo/articles/20070827.aspx

As if having them run around Iraq like loose cannons wasn't bad enough, Blackwater is building an Air Force. Via Scholars & Rogues:

Security company Blackwater U.S.A. is buying Super Tucano light combat aircraft from the Brazilian manufacturer Embraer. These five ton, single engine, single seat aircraft are built for pilot training, but also perform quite well for counter-insurgency work.... The bubble canopy provides excellent visibility. This, coupled with its slow speed (versus jets), makes it an excellent ground attack aircraft.

Now why would the good patriots at Blackwater need airplanes that "can carry up to 1.5 tons of weapons, including 12.7mm machine-guns, bombs and missiles"? For their missions in Iraq, of course. Because, you know, the world's largest military merely owning everything that flies over a third-world country isn't enough in the way of air superiority.

My first thought was that this had to do with the Administration's almost promised plans to invade Iran. (Please please please please please please please PLEASE don't do that! I can hope, can't I?) How else are we supposed to keep Iraq's friendly skies safe while we're shocking and aweing the mullahs? But there's an even more awful prospect for these "excellent ground attack aircrafts." Here's Jeremy Scahill, Blackwater expert and biographer:

Blackwater's been in negotiations with several state governments in the United States. Blackwater met recently with California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger about doing disaster response in California. They're opening up a new private military base in San Diego. Another one is in Mount Carroll, Illinois. They have applied for operating licenses in every coastal U.S. state.

http://www.declineandfall.net/2007/08/coming-to-state-near-you-blackwater-air.html

[soothsayer]

1. how many in a brazillion?

[Blue_Tires]

7. grrr.... that line won't ever die, will it??

pretty soon bilgewater will be the de-facto sole armed service of the u.s.

[peacetalksforall]

2. I read the subject line and IMMEDIATELY THOUGHT us. But,

I thought Washington, D. C., not California.

Damn our leaders. Damn them.
We are losing it people. We are losing our country.

[Greyskye]

3. that's scary

It's bad enough having mercs on the ground. If these get deployed, it's just going to get worse.

[Ian David]

4. Do my Second Amendment rights entitle me to own one of these?

Or am I allowed to purchase a SAM launcher to protect me from mercenaries flying around in these things?



If the government is going to allow private armies to own these things, then, at the very least, Americans should be allowed to purchase chaff and counter-measure launchers to protect our homes from rogue mercenaries and Republicans who want to blow us in the men's room.

[Sen. Walter Sobchak]

5. I seem to recall the NRA going to bat for a guy with an anti-aircraft gun,

[soothsayer]

8. well we should all buy AA guns then!

[madrchsod]

6. soon to be flying over the scenic countryside

of northern illinois? i`m not sure if they have enough land but there is a near by airport....