Yusuf Bello| The Presidency on Thursday said six of the 12 super Tucano fighter aircraft earlier ordered by the Federal Government will arrive in the country by July 2021.
Presidential spokesman, Garba Shehu who made the disclosure in a statement via his Twitter handle said six of the twelve super Tucanos are on track to arrive in mid-July 2021 while the remaining six will arrive shortly after that.
According to him, “the super Tucano came off the production line in Jacksonville Florida, and are now being equipped and flight tested.
“Nigerian pilots and maintenance personnel are training on these planes. Currently, the construction is ongoing, which will house the aircraft.
“The air-ground-integration school is the training hub on targeting and minimization of civilian casualties.”
Garba stated that the two companies released images of the sixth aircraft, which also would be flown to Moody, in a jungle camouflage scheme.
“The painted jungle scheme NAF A-29 now moves on to mission modification at Moody Air Force Base, Following modification, before delivery, NAF pilots and maintenance personnel will further train in the aircraft,” he said
In November 2018, SNC was awarded a $329 million Foreign Military Sales contract from the US government to build 12 A-29s for the Nigerian air force.
The armed turboprops are intended to be deployed against Boko Haram, Islamic State militants, and bandits.
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