NASS TEAM IN USA TO ASSESS STATUS OF NAF A-29 SUPER TUCANO AIRCRAFT
The National Assembly (NASS) Joint Committee on Defence and Air Force are in the United States of America on an inspection tour of Embraer Defence Security Incorporated (EDSI), manufacturers of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) A-29 Super Tucano aircraft.
On arrival at EDSI on May 27, 2021, the NASS team led by Senator Michael Nnachi, was briefed on the progress of work on the NAF A-29 Super Tucano programme and the scheduled date of delivery.
While briefing the NASS team, Colonel Authur Ford of the United States Air Force Fighters and Advance Aircraft Directorate said that 10 out of the 12 aircraft were ready for delivery while 2 were undergoing modification and integration to NAF specific operational configuration.
Colonel Ford further went on to state that 6 of the aircraft are scheduled to arrive in Nigeria in July 2021 while the remaining 6 will be delivered before the end of October 2021. The NASS team were given the assurance that the aircraft are going to play critical roles in the fight against insurgency and criminality.
However, Senator Michael Nnachi commended EDSI for the quality of work on the NAF A-29 Super Tucano. He also queried the time spent from the date of full payment to expected date of delivery, which he estimated to be between 3 to 4 years. In response, Colonel Ford informed the team that the long duration was due to the challenges of configuring the aircraft to fit NAF’s required specifications.
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The members of the visiting team included Honourables Babajimi Benson, Shehu Koko, Abubakar Maki and Honourable Abass Adigun who were received on arrival at Jacksonville, Florida by the Nigerian Defence Attaché to the USA, Air Commodore Jibrin Usman, the Lead Foreign Liaison Officer on the A-29, Air Vice Marshal Sule Lawal and senior management staff EDSI.
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