Brazil's aircraft maker Embraer said Wednesday it has finalized a contract to sell 12 light attack aircraft to Nigeria's air force, which is fighting an insurgency by Boko Haram jihadists.

Embraer's military aircraft division said in a statement it and a partner firm making electronic systems, Sierra Nevada Corporation of the United States, had sealed the order from Nigeria for the A-29 Super Tucano planes, which are to be made in the US.

The contract had been mooted for some time but was reportedly stalled by lack of US authorization.

A specialist website, defenceWeb, said last year the deal was worth $329 million. It said associated weaponry, including guided bombs and rockets, might be acquired under separate contracts.

The Embraer statement did not put a value on the sale, nor mention munitions.

"The contract for the Nigerian Air Force includes ground training devices, mission planning systems, mission debrief systems, spares, ground support equipment, alternate mission equipment, contiguous US interim contractor support" as well as logistic support, it said.

"The aircraft are expected to be delivered to Nigeria in line with the contract timelines, as part of a larger more comprehensive training and support package," it said.

The turboprop Super Tucano is already used in Brazil, for border patrols, and in a dozen other air forces including in Afghanistan, Colombia and Indonesia.

Nigeria's military is engaged in a decade-long campaign against Boko Haram, which has in recent months been stepping up attacks on military targets.

The conflict has killed more than 27,000 people and displaced almost two million others in Nigeria's northeast. It has spilled into neighbouring Niger, Chad and Cameroon, triggering a dire humanitarian crisis in the region.

rmb/it

EMBRAER

Related Links
Aerospace News at SpaceMart.com

Tweet

Thanks for being here; We need your help. The Space Media Network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain. With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords. Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year. If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceMediaNetwork Contributor $5 Billed Once credit card or paypal		SpaceMediaNetwork Monthly Supporter $5 Billed Monthly paypal only

Last operational F-18 Hornet squadron flies into the sunset
Washington (UPI) Feb 5, 2019
During a sundown ceremony, the last operational F/A-18C Hornet squadron took flight over Naval Air Station Oceana in Virginia Beach, Va., as the military transitions to new jets. The "Blue Blasters," the lone Hornet squadron that has not transitioned to Boeing's F/A-18E Super Hornet, took flight on Feb. 1, the Navy announced on Monday. The Navy has flown the Hornet since 1978, including deploying the F/A-18A/B Hornet in 1983 and the upgraded F-18C/D model in 1987. The larger F/A-18E/F Su ... read more