By Chuks Oyema-Aziken
The Nigerian Airforce on Thursday disclosed that the first batch of 6 A-29 Super Tucano aircraft will arrive the country towards the end of July 2021.
NAF Spokesperson, Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet said in a press release that the aircrafts departed the United States of America on Wednesday, 14 July 2021 enroute Nigeria.
He said “The 6 aircraft will be leapfrogged through 5 countries including Canada, Greenland, Iceland, Spain and Algeria before arriving their final destination in Nigeria towards the end of July 2021.
“An official induction ceremony of the aircraft into the inventory of the Nigerian Air Force is already being planned at a later date in August 2021 to be announced in due course. The Office of the Director of Public Relations and Information remains open to any inquiry regarding the arrival and induction of the aircraft.
Nigeria in 2018 paid $462million for twelve Tucanos and other weapons. The payment covers Forward Looking Infrared (FLIR) systems for six of the aircraft.
The deal is the largest defense sale to an African country by the United States of America.
Fourteen NAF pilots have been trained at the Moody Air Force Base in Georgia.
The fighter jets with Paveway II guided bombs, laser-guided rockets, 12.7 mm ammunition, unguided bombs and infrared sensors are expected to be deployed against Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) elements.
