U.S. State Department has approved a possible Foreign Military Sale of twelve A-29 Super Tucano light air support aircraft to Nigeri...
The deal including weapons, all associated training, spare parts, aviation and ground support equipment, and hangar, facilities, and infrastructure required to support the program is estimated at $593 million.
These aircraft will support Nigerian military operations against terrorist organizations Boko Haram and ISIS West Africa, and Nigerian efforts to counter illicit trafficking in Nigeria and the Gulf of Guinea.
The Super Tucano is a sustainable platform for counter terrorism, counter-insurgency, border surveillance, and illicit trade interdiction operations.
The proposed sale, and associated training and engagement, is one piece of broader U.S. security cooperation to help professionalize, modernize, and build the capacity of Nigeria’s armed forces and strengthen the U.S. security relationship with Africa's largest democracy.
The prime contractor is the Sierra Nevada Corporation, headquartered in Centennial, Colorado who is building the aircraft in United States under license from Brazilian Embraer.
On Feb. 27, 2013 the U.S. Air Force had awarded the Light Air Support contract to SNC to supply 20 Embraer A-29 Super Tucano to the Afghanistan military, to be used for light air support, reconnaissance and training missions.
