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 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.

Source: The Guardian February 06, 2019 18:56 UTC