Nigeria To Receive Six Super Tucano Aircraft From U.S Soon –Air Force Chief

Six Super Tucano aircraft will soon be delivered to Nigeria from the United States, the Chief of Air Staff, Sadique Abubakar, has said.

The aircraft are part of the 12 fighter jets sold to Nigeria by the U.S. to aid combat actions and air assaults.

He said this on Monday after defending the 2021 budget estimates of the Nigerian Air Force before the Senate Committee on Air force.

The Air Force is also expecting the delivery of 19 additional aircraft in the fight against insecurity in the North East, and air fighters from the Nigeria Air force are already in the U.S. receiving additional training on usage and the applications of the fighter jets when eventually added to the fleet of combat aircraft.

He said the Air Force had carried out operations for over 60,000 hours with half of those in the North East to fight insurgency.

“We are expecting 3 J-17 fighters from Pakistan, 12 super Tucano from the United States, one M-171… Out of the 12 A – 29 Super Tucanos from the US, six are almost here as those to handle them have been sent on training for that purpose,” he said.

“A total of 200 personnel are receiving training in nine different countries of the world on handling combat aircraft. They will soon join their colleagues in the fight against insecurity and in particular, insurgency in the North East.”

After extensive discussions with the U.S. government, President Muhammadu Buhari in April 2018 placed an order for the aircraft.

He had said the procurement would help strengthen Nigeria’s national security, as well as a timely end to the Boko Haram war.