It’s official, the Air Force has selected Embraer’s A-29 Super Tucano as the Light Air Support (LAS) aircraft, better known as a counterinsurgency (COIN) plane.

The air service is buying 20 Super Ts from Embraer and its U.S. partner, Sierra Nevada Corporation, for $355 million, according to an announcement that Embraer released last night. Remember, a couple of years ago the Air Force planned to buy dozens of cheap, turboprop-driven COIN aircraft that could be used to provide light air support and ISR for troops fighting insurgents in places like Iraq and Afghanistan. The planes were supposed to take the burden for such unglamorous missions off of jet fighters like the F-16, which cost far more to operate. However, the draw-down from Iraq combined with shrinking defense budgets forced the air service to dramatically reduce the program. Now, the service will use the small fleet of turboprop planes to help build up the nascent Afghan air force and the air services of “other nations.” Those last two words leave the possibility open for more Super T sales beyond those to the U.S. Air Force and Afghan air force.

“The A-29 Super Tucano will be used to conduct advanced flight training, aerial reconnaissance and light air support operations,” reads the company announcement.

Just over a month ago, Hawker Becchcraft’s AT-6B, Embraer’s rival in the LAS contest, was booted from the competition leaving the door wide open for the Super Tucano to win. The only question was whether the service would even buy the little planes.

Click through the jump to read the full text of Embraer’s announcement: