Federal Government has disclosed that the Nigerian Air Force will take delivery of six Super Tucano Fighter Jets in mid July.
This was revealed in a statement by Presidential Spokesman, Garba Shehu on Thursday.
In anticipation of the jets, he said 14 Nigerian pilots are currently undergoing training at the Moody Air Force Base in Georgia, USA.
“Six of the twelve Super Tucanos are on track to arrive in mid-July 2021. With the remaining six shortly after that.
“The Super Tucanos 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.
“At present, five Nigerian Super Tucanos are at Moody AFB in Georgia for pilot and maintainer training. The two companies released images of the sixth aircraft, which also will be flown to Moody, in a jungle camouflage scheme,” the statement said.
It would be recalled that in November 2018, $329million was awarded for Foreign Military Sales contract from the US government to build 12 A-29s for the Nigerian Air Force.
“The armed turboprops are intended for use against Boko Haram and Islamic State militants,” he added.
