KEY POINTS
- The acquisition of NAF has been approved as far as the procurement of 24 M-346 fighter jets, 10 AW-109 helicopters.
- Others will take delivery of the first three M-346 jets by early 2025.
- To improve combat readiness and operational effectiveness, new acquisitions were made.
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has acquired 34 new aircraft, which include 24 M-346 Fighter Ground Attack jets and 10 AW-109 Trekker helicopters. It comes after Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar had led a delegation to Italy to seal the deal with aircraft maker Leonardo S.P.A.
Delivery timetable of aircrafts and operational plan
The meeting was meant to finalize terms of the acquisition according to the Director of Public Relations and Information, NAF, Air Commodore Olusola Akinboyewa.
The trio of M-346 jets are slated for delivery in early 2025 followed by the remaining aircraft by mid 2026. The 10 AW-109 Trekker helicopters are slated to arrive by early 2026, in addition to previously procured two helicopters.
However, Akinboyewa said in the Programme Management Review Meeting CAS was informed about updates indicating the first three M-346 units would be arriving early 2025, with subsequent deliveries continuing until the second half of 2026.
Our team of developers and designers serve as strategic partners and provide long term support
Air Marshall Abubakar while in Italy visited Leonardo’s headquarters in Rome and sealed off a long term partnership between the company and NAF. M-246 jets: ‘The first batch of six are inspected by him with three nearing completion and adding he needs to establish maintenance hub in Nigeria for long term support.’
He also spoke of the advanced capabilities of the M-346 jets capable of carrying out air to air and air to ground missions greatly increasing the air combat capability of Nigeria. Combat search and rescue, tactical airlift and medical evacuations will be among the AW-109 helicopters’ missions.
The acquisition, Akinboyewa added, aligns with the CAS Command Philosophy of fleet renewal “to achieve the right structure for NAF and improve operational effectiveness.”
According to The Punch, These recent acquisitions are part of NAF’s ongoing modernization program, in addition to the delivery of T 129 ATAK helicopters and a fleet of other aircraft delivered to NAF in the past two years.
The new additions will help boost NAF’s combat readiness to improve its capacity to respond to security challenges across the country, especially in the north, the statement added.
