Boko Haram war: Nigerian Air Force set to receive 6 Super Tucano attack aircraft soon

The Nigerian Air Force A-9 Super Tucano on test flight

Nigerian Air Force fighter plane

Nigerian Air Force Super Tucano attack aircraft on test flight. Photo credit: Embraer/Sierra Nevada Corporation

By Abankula

Boko Haram and ISWAP, your days of terrorism are numbered as the Nigerian Air Force will soon take delivery of six of 12 Embraer A-29 Super Tucano light attack aircraft.

The aircraft, which the military said would assist Nigeria in its 12 year-old anti-terrorism war, will be delivered in the middle of 2021.

A second batch of six aircraft will be delivered before the end of the year, according to Flightglobal.com

the sixth Super Tucano being produced for Nigerian Air Force

The planes are being made by Embraer in Jacksonville, Florida. Sierra Nevada Corporation are the contractors.

Flightglobal reported that five Nigerian Super Tucanos are at Moody AFB in Georgia for pilot and maintainer training.

Both Embraer and Sierra Nevada Corporation released images of the sixth aircraft, which will fly 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,” says SNC.

“Following modification, before delivery, NAF pilots and maintenance personnel will further train in the aircraft.”

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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 for use against Boko Haram and ISIS militants.

Nigeria paid for the 12 Super Tucano and other weapons in April 2018, at a cost of $462million. The entire cost may rise to $593 million.

The contract to build them was announced by U.S. Defence Department on 28 November and is worth $329m for the aircraft, although the total not-to-exceed amount is approved at $344.7m.

It will include Forward Looking Infrared (FLIR) systems for six of the aircraft for six of the aircraft.

It also included Paveway II guided bombs, laser-guided rockets, 12.7 mm ammunition, unguided bombs and infrared sensors.

In addition to the 12 aircraft, the contract provides for ground training equipment, mission planning systems, mission debrief systems, spares, ground support equipment and support services.

The Nigerian Air Force in December 2017 received letters of offer and acceptance for the Super Tucano deal.

Based on an earlier request, Nigeria will be getting AN/AAQ-22F electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) sensor and laser designator turrets systems.

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