Portugal’s government has approved public-interest status for a planned final assembly line for Embraer’s A-29N Super Tucano in Beja, south Portugal, clearing an important regulatory step for the project. The decision relates to Base Aérea Nº 11 and follows a December 2025 letter of intent between the defence ministry and Embraer on establishing the facility under certain conditions.
The move supports Embraer’s effort to build a European industrial footprint for the turboprop light attack aircraft, while also keeping open the possibility of future production beyond Portugal’s own fleet. Portugal ordered 12 A-29N aircraft in 2024, and the first jets were delivered through OGMA in 2025, but that does not mean the future Beja line is already assembling those aircraft.
Reporting indicated that the planned facility would likely be on or near the air base perimeter, with the exact siting conditions still undisclosed. A separate construction tender launched in July 2026 covered a squadron building for the A-29N programme, not the final assembly line itself.