Mr Claudio Sabatino, Vice President of Messrs Leonardo, has assured the Chief of Air Staff, Air Mashal Hasan Abubakar, that his company is fully committed to delivering the six M-346 fighter aircraft to Nigeria before the end of 2024.
The first batch of six M-346 fighter aircraft, expected by the Nigerian Air Force, will be delivered before the end of the year.
Mr Sabatino made this statement during his visit to Nigerian Air Force Headquarters on Wednesday, 17 April 2024.
The Federal Government is purchasing 24 M-346 fighter aircraft from Messrs Leonardo of Italy to modernize and enhance the operational effectiveness of the Nigeria Air Force.
The aircraft will arrive in Nigeria in four groups of six each, with the first group scheduled to arrive before the end of 2024.
The Director of Public Relations and Information, Nigerian Air Force, Edward Gabkwet, confirmed the development in a statement on Friday, mentioning that Air Chief, Abubakar, praised the decision.
Gabkwet said, “Mr Sabatino also stated that further engagement between the NAF and his Company would be necessary to conclude other aspects of the project such as the commencement of pilots and engineering training.
“Additionally, Mr Claudio assured the CAS that once completed, the maintenance of the aircraft fleet would not be a challenge due to a binding agreement for Leonardo’s maintenance support for at least 25 years.
“He also noted that the manufacturing of the aircraft fleet has reached an appreciable state and is being carried out with the utmost skill and expertise.
“The CAS appreciated the assurance of long-term maintenance support provided by Leonardo, recognizing its value in ensuring the sustained operational readiness of the entire aircraft fleet,”
He added that Air Marshal Abubakar acknowledged the challenges overcome and expressed optimism for the future trajectory of the partnership.
“Recognizing the operational impact that the M-346 fighter aircraft brings, Air Marshal Abubakar emphasized its dual role in enhancing training capabilities and operational effectiveness in various mission scenarios.
“Moreover, the prospect of close air support, Air Interdiction, and tactical reconnaissance as well as Advanced Pilot Training capabilities of the M-346 fighter aircraft represent a new opportunity for NAF’s operational versatility.
The CAS proposed the establishment of a dedicated Program Management Office to oversee all aspects of the collaboration.
“Air Marshal Abubakar also used the visit to stress the importance of Messr Leonardo’s physical presence in Nigeria as a maintenance hub for their African clients, while also emphasizing the need for close coordination and synergy to achieve shared objectives regarding the swift delivery of the fleet.
The statement said both parties agreed that it's important to keep talking and working together. They also plan to have more meetings to discuss specific details about logistics, maintenance protocols, and configuration requirements.