‘Why It Took US Four Years To Deliver Super Tucano’

Vice Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Air Force,
Hon. Abass Adigun (aka Agboworin), has said the needs to build to
exact specification of the Nigeria Air Force was why it has taken
the United States (US) four years to manufacture and deliver Super
Tucano fighter aircrafts.

He disclosed this in a statement from Florida, US on Monday
where he and four other members of the National Assembly Joint
Committee on Defence and Air Force just concluded an assessment
tour of six of the 12 aircrafts ahead of their delivery next
month.

He said members of the Nigerian delegation were satisfied with
the aircrafts.

The lawmaker expressed confidence that the 12 units of the A-29
fighter aircraft ordered by the Federal Government will be the game
changer in the battle against insurgency and other
criminalities.

According to him, with six of the aircrafts expected in July and
the remaining six expected before the end of October, the military
would be further empowered to take the battle against insurgency to
terrorists in their hideouts.

The lawmaker, who retired from the US Navy to join politics in
Nigeria, said the aircraft is equipped with state-of-the-art
gadgets that enable it carry out a series of military missions
including close air support, intelligence, surveillance and
reconnaissance (ISR) and can fly on an unpaved runway, among other
capabilities.

Adigun said the delivery of half of the planes in July would
bring the Nigeria Air Force (NAF) to number 10 in the list of
countries where Super Tucano planes are being used globally.

He said the head of the US Air Force Fighters and Advance
Aircraft Directorate, Col. Authur Ford, explained the long duration
between the payment date and the scheduled delivery date is for the
good of Nigeria.

“The colonel explained to us that the long duration was as a
result of the challenged encountered while they were configuring
the Tucano aircraft.

“As a retiree of the US Navy, I know military hardware is not
something you pick on the shelf. It takes time. More so, Nigeria
gave them a specification that must be met in configuring the
fighter plane.

“Ford also assured us that 10 out of the 12 aircraft are ready,
while the remaining two are undergoing modification and integration
to NAF specific operational configuration.

“He assures us further that the delivery date won’t change. He
said the aircraft would come in handy for Nigeria in its
long-running battle against terrorists and criminals,” Adigun
said.

The team, which was led by Senator Michael Nnachi, was received
on arrival in the US last week by officials from Embraer Defence
Security Incorporated (EDSI), manufacturers of the Super Tucano
aircraft.

Adigun, who represents Ibadan North-East/Ibadan South-East
Federal Constituency of Oyo State, said Senator Nnachi commended
the manufacturers for the quality of work done, but queried why it
is taking about four years to deliver the aircraft despite Nigeria
making full payment.

The lawmaker expressed satisfaction with the progress of work
done on the aircraft as well as the quality of the gadgets,
assuring Nigerians that insurgents would be rolled back and
decimated once the aircraft arrive.

The delegation, which also included Hon Babajimi Benson from
Lagos, Shehu Koko and Abubakar Maki, were first received on arrival
at Florida by the Nigerian Defence Attaché to the US, Air Commodore
Jibrin Usman, the Lead Foreign Liaison Office on the A-29, Air Vice
Marshal Sule Lawal and others.

Hon. Abass receiving an award from the head of the US Air Force
Fighters and Advance Aircraft Directorate, Colonel Authur Ford, for
returning to render political service in Nigeria after a good
career in the US navy

Vice Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Air Force,
Hon. Abass Adigun (aka Agboworin), has said the needs to build to
exact specification of the Nigeria Air Force was why it has taken
the United States (US) four years to manufacture and deliver Super
Tucano fighter aircrafts.

He disclosed this in a statement from Florida, US on Monday
where he and four other members of the National Assembly Joint
Committee on Defence and Air Force just concluded an assessment
tour of six of the 12 aircrafts ahead of their delivery next
month.

He said members of the Nigerian delegation were satisfied with
the aircrafts.

The lawmaker expressed confidence that the 12 units of the A-29
fighter aircraft ordered by the Federal Government will be the game
changer in the battle against insurgency and other
criminalities.

According to him, with six of the aircrafts expected in July and
the remaining six expected before the end of October, the military
would be further empowered to take the battle against insurgency to
terrorists in their hideouts.

The lawmaker, who retired from the US Navy to join politics in
Nigeria, said the aircraft is equipped with state-of-the-art
gadgets that enable it carry out a series of military missions
including close air support, intelligence, surveillance and
reconnaissance (ISR) and can fly on an unpaved runway, among other
capabilities.

Adigun said the delivery of half of the planes in July would
bring the Nigeria Air Force (NAF) to number 10 in the list of
countries where Super Tucano planes are being used globally.

He said the head of the US Air Force Fighters and Advance
Aircraft Directorate, Col. Authur Ford, explained the long duration
between the payment date and the scheduled delivery date is for the
good of Nigeria.

“The colonel explained to us that the long duration was as a
result of the challenged encountered while they were configuring
the Tucano aircraft.

“As a retiree of the US Navy, I know military hardware is not
something you pick on the shelf. It takes time. More so, Nigeria
gave them a specification that must be met in configuring the
fighter plane.

“Ford also assured us that 10 out of the 12 aircraft are ready,
while the remaining two are undergoing modification and integration
to NAF specific operational configuration.

“He assures us further that the delivery date won’t change. He
said the aircraft would come in handy for Nigeria in its
long-running battle against terrorists and criminals,” Adigun
said.

The team, which was led by Senator Michael Nnachi, was received
on arrival in the US last week by officials from Embraer Defence
Security Incorporated (EDSI), manufacturers of the Super Tucano
aircraft.

Adigun, who represents Ibadan North-East/Ibadan South-East
Federal Constituency of Oyo State, said Senator Nnachi commended
the manufacturers for the quality of work done, but queried why it
is taking about four years to deliver the aircraft despite Nigeria
making full payment.

The lawmaker expressed satisfaction with the progress of work
done on the aircraft as well as the quality of the gadgets,
assuring Nigerians that insurgents would be rolled back and
decimated once the aircraft arrive.

The delegation, which also included Hon Babajimi Benson from
Lagos, Shehu Koko and Abubakar Maki, were first received on arrival
at Florida by the Nigerian Defence Attaché to the US, Air Commodore
Jibrin Usman, the Lead Foreign Liaison Office on the A-29, Air Vice
Marshal Sule Lawal and others.

Hon. Abass receiving an award from the head of the US Air Force
Fighters and Advance Aircraft Directorate, Colonel Authur Ford, for
returning to render political service in Nigeria after a good
career in the US navy