US to sell the A-29 Super Tucano to Nigeria
US to sell the A-29 Super Tucano to Nigeria
It appears that the United States Government has decided that the Nigerian Military should be allowed to acquire twelve (12) A-29 super Tucano which they have previously been barred from getting. Since 2014, the US Congress denied the Nigerian Air Force from successfully taking delivery of the Counter-Insurgent aircraft citing gross human right abuses from the Nigerian side despite many attempts. The United States, do not sell arms to countries with questionable human rights issues.
The Nigerian Air Force needs a credible counter-insurgency (COIN) aircraft to combat the deadly ISIS-affiliated terror group plaquing the country for many years now. The deal worth over $593 million US dollars includes weapons, training, spares and long-term maintenance support.
The A-29 Super Tucano is a turboprop aircraft developed by Brazilian firm Embraer, and its U.S. partner Sierra Nevada Corp is a light ground attack aircraft capable of carrying advanced ordnance for tracking, attacking, surveillance and reconnaissance missions.
The current Nigerian Air Force F-7N and Alpha jets ground attack platform is not efficient in dealing with highly mobile warfare which the insurgents excel at coupled with the lack of sophisticated electronics and weaponry found in modern aircraft. Other than fighting terrorists, it would be used to patrol the border and coastlines to combat smuggling and maritime crimes.
The Nigerian Air Force has recently just taken delivery of more than a dozen Super Mushshak trainer and is currently expecting delivery of three JF-17 Thunder fighter jets both from Pakistan.
