Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has received the first batch of A-29 Super Tucano aircraft.
Gatekeepers News reports that the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) on Thursday delivered the first batch of six A-29 Super Tucano aircraft from the United States.
The Director of Public Relations And Information, Air Force headquarters, Edward Gabkwet, announced the development in a statement.
Gabkwet said the aircraft arrived in Kano State at about 12.34 pm.
The Minister of Defence, Bashir Magashi; Chief of Army Staff
Faruk Yahaya; and Chief of Air Staff, Oladayo Amao, were on hand to receive the aircraft.
On July 15, Gatekeepers News reported that the 6 A-29 Super Tucano aircraft have departed the U.S. and was expected to move through five countries before arrival in Nigeria.
Gabkwet had said, “The first batch of 6 A-29 Super Tucano aircraft have departed the United States of America on Wednesday, 14 July 2021 en route Nigeria.”
“The six aircraft will be leapfrogged through 5 countries, including Canada, Greenland, Iceland, Spain, and Algeria, before arriving at 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 Chief of Air Staff, Isiaka Amao, announced that the Air Force is expecting 20 fighter aircraft before 2021.
NAF noted that aside from the batch which just arrived, six more A-29 Super Tucano aircraft would arrive in September, while two CH-3 and four CH-4 UCAVs will arrive in Nigeria before the end of 2021.
