AirForce to deploy Tucano fighter jets against Boko Haram, bandits

NAF jets strikes, kill many terrorists, destroy their hideouts at Durbada, Borno

Tordue Salem, Abuja

The Nigeria Airforce has disclosed its plan to deploy six super Tucano aircraft against terrorists across the country.

The Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshall Sadique Abubakar made the disclosure yesterday before the House of Representatives committee on Airforce while defending NAF’s N142.4 billion 2021 budget proposal.

He explained that the fighter jets would be delivered to Nigeria from the United States before the second quarter of 2021.

back link building services=0></a></div><p>“The Super Tucano, among others is capable of supporting basic and advanced flight and combat training, close-air support operations, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR), armed over-watch, counterinsurgency and irregular warfare scenarios. It is currently flown by 15 countries, according to SNC”, he explained further.</p><h2>Also read: <span><a class=

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The NAF chief also told the Committee, that arrangements were concluded to repair the Kainji runway ahead of the arrival of the fighter jets.

“The Super Tucano aircraft is coming to Kainji. The runway in Kainji is not really in good shape for now. We will not want to contract the job out due to paucity of funds. But we have our civil engineers and outworks personnel that can be mobilised through direct labour to achieve repairs of that runway before the arrival of the Super Tucano in the second quarter of next year”, he said.

The NAF chief disclosed that NAF is also expecting “additional 17 aircraft, in addition to the 22 aircraft procured and at the disposal of his outfit. He also said there are 3 other special mission aircraft at the disposal of his outfit under the deep blue project of the federal ministry of transportation”.