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Ranger in the jungle.
The F-28 Sunliner represents a landmark collaboration between Embraer and Starcrest United, tailored specifically for the needs of Latin American air forces. As a joint development and license-produced derivative of the SCF-68i Enhanced Ranger, the Sunliner builds on a proven high-performance airframe while integrating regionally tailored avionics and mission systems developed by Embraer to suit the unique operational requirements of Latin American air doctrines. Designed as a versatile 4.5 generation multirole fighter, the Sunliner supports a diverse weapons suite, including the IRIS-T, MBDA Meteor, AIM-120 AMRAAM, and AIM-9 Sidewinder, giving it formidable air-to-air capabilities while maintaining compatibility with NATO-standard systems.
The Sunliner program introduces two production variants to maximize flexibility: the F-28LA single-seat model, optimized for air defense and strike missions, and the F-28LB tandem-seat model, designed for training, maritime strike, and electronic warfare roles. By balancing affordability with cutting-edge technology, the F-28 Sunliner ensures Latin American nations can field a domestically produced, modern fighter aircraft that strengthens regional security, creates new aerospace jobs, and deepens defense-industrial ties between Starcrest United and Embraer.
Multirole Beast
The F-28 Sunliner is engineered to deliver unmatched versatility, making it a cornerstone for Latin American airpower. Building on the robust SCF-68i Enhanced Ranger airframe, the Sunliner excels not only in air superiority with its advanced missile suite and high agility, but also in strike missions where precision and payload flexibility are critical. Its avionics suite, jointly developed with Embraer, ensures seamless integration of NATO-standard weapons alongside regionally adapted systems, giving operators the ability to shift from air-to-air dominance to deep strike operations with minimal reconfiguration.
Beyond high-end combat, the Sunliner’s adaptability makes it a natural fit for counter-insurgency (COIN) operations, a role vital to regional security. Equipped with precision-guided munitions, surveillance pods, and the proven M61 Vulcan cannon, the aircraft can loiter over contested areas, deliver close air support, and provide real-time situational awareness to ground forces. This multirole mastery allows the F-28 to dominate across the full spectrum of operations—whether intercepting hostile aircraft, neutralizing strategic targets, or ensuring stability in asymmetric conflicts.
In both its F-28LA single-seat and F-28LB two-seat tandem configurations, the Sunliner ensures flexibility for national doctrines, from frontline combat to pilot training and maritime strike. With this balance of air superiority, strike power, and COIN capability, the F-28 Sunliner is more than a fighter—it’s a regional force multiplier, offering Latin America a domestically produced solution to 21st-century defense challenges.
Uniting the Americas
The F-28 Sunliner is more than just a fighter jet — it is a symbol of regional independence and cooperation. By favoring indigenous avionics and mission systems developed with Embraer, the Sunliner significantly reduces Latin America’s reliance on American defense electronics, while still retaining compatibility with NATO-standard weapons for operational flexibility. This approach allows nations across South and Central America to field a truly regional aircraft, designed with their own strategic realities in mind.
Crucially, the Sunliner is engineered with long-term sustainability at its core. Its design emphasizes ease of maintenance and modification, allowing operators to tailor the platform to their own missions and budgets. When the aircraft eventually approaches the end of its frontline service, its parts can be cannibalized to support remaining fleets — a practice that ensures cost-effective sustainment in nations where resources must be stretched across decades.
At the same time, the Sunliner program fuels growth in homegrown aerospace industries, creating jobs and nurturing a future generation of Latin American pilots, engineers, and technicians. By uniting the region under a shared platform, the F-28 Sunliner becomes not just a military asset, but a strategic investment in industrial self-reliance and regional solidarity.
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