The Vice President of Messrs Leonardo, Claudio Sabatino has assured the Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar, of his Company’s commitment to the timely delivery of the M-346 fighter aircraft before the end of Year 2024.
Sabatino disclosed this during his visit to the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Headquarters as contained in a statement signed by its spokesperson, Edward Gabkwet on Friday.
He said the NAF is expected to receive four trenches of six each, with the first trench billed to arrive before the end of the year 2024.
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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.
He assured the CAS that when finally completed, the maintenance of the aircraft fleet would not constitute a challenge as there is a binding agreement for Leonardo’s maintenance support for a minimum of 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.
On his part, Air Marshal Abubakar also expressed optimism for the future trajectory of the partnership while envisioning the operational impact that the M-346 fighter aircraft brings to the NAF.
He said the prospect of Close air support, Air Interdiction, and tactical reconnaissance as well as Advanced Pilot Training capabilities inherent in the M-346 fighter aircraft heralded a new prospect for NAF’s operational versatility.
The CAS further proposed the establishment of a dedicated Program Management Office, tasked with overseeing all facets of the collaboration.
“Moving forward, both parties concurred on the importance of regular dialogue and collaboration as well as scheduling future meetings to delve into detailed arrangements on logistics, maintenance protocols and configuration requirements,” NAF said on Friday.
The Federal Government had earlier said it was acquiring 24 x M-346 fighter aircraft from Messrs Leonardo of Italy in a move that marks a significant step in NAF’s ongoing efforts to modernise its fleet as well as bolster its operation effectiveness.