Super Tucano Means New Jobs for Florida

In Florida, we have over 20 major military installations. Myself, I served in the military. I was a jet mechanic when I was enlisted, and was a aviation maintenance officer, so I spent 20 years in the military. So I know something about aerospace. I had an opportunity to go and physically touch this aircraft. I was very very impressed. With the Light Air Support program, they need a combat aircraft that can be trained in. That's the A-29 Super Tucano. When you compare it to an AT-6, you re comparing a proven light attack aircraft to a prototype, modified trainer. There really is no comparison in the strength and the proof of these aircraft. The Super Tucano is a tried and true, proven commodity. It has been built for the mission that it is supposed to serve. Why reinvent the wheel? The jobs are going to be created right here in the United States. The investment is going to be made right here in the United States, in the state of Florida. Wouldn't the taxpayers want something that is manufactured in this country? That the major components, 90 percent of the components, are provided by American companies, and that the major contractor for this project is a small business. I think that we have a company that is producing American jobs right here. The hangar that Sierra Nevada and Embraer will be using was designed and built for maintenance/manufacturing activity. It s going to take a little rehab work to get it back into shape, so that Sierra Nevada and Embraer can move right into it, but we've committed to do that. And that's what makes this a very important public, private partnership. When you look at the community of folks that actually build aircrafts, it's a pretty small community. So we have always valued Embraer as being one of the more progressive companies that really is looking to grow and expand their product line. Clearly, we think that Jacksonville has prepared the way for a company like Embraer to expand here. Take Embraer, the jet manufacturer, and one of Brazil s biggest exporters. The United States accounts for about 65 percent of its sales. But about 70 percent of the parts that it puts into its planes, are made in the United States. Now these economic relations, therefore, are not zero sum. Ultimately they do benefit the people of every country involved. Embraer is a 30-year-old company in the state of Florida. And 60 different companies are going to make this Super T. I would not call that a foreign investment situation. It's something that I wanted when I was over there performing close air support. It's here now. The Super Tucano is ready. It's a proven aircraft. This is the right bird. The enemy is not sitting back waiting for us to come up with a great type of aircraft to come and fight our warfare. This airplane is already functioning in the terrain. It has already proven itself. And for our military men and women that are in combat zone, they want to make sure that they have a reliable aircraft that is going to produce and perform the most efficient and superior manner that this aircraft performs.