TSAMTO, September 15. The Italian company Leonardo Helicopters has delivered the first of two AW-189 VIP helicopters ordered for the Presidential Air Fleet of the Nigerian Air Force.
As reported by Defenceweb.co.za, a photo of the first helicopter that arrived at the airport of Abuja (Nigeria), appeared on Twitter on September 10. According to Flightradar24, the helicopter with the r. n. 5N-FG2 performed a flight from Accra (Ghana) to Cotonou (Benin) on September 9, after which it flew to Abuja.
The delivered AW-189 is painted in the colors of the Presidential Air Fleet of the Nigerian Air Force. Flight tests of this machine began in the spring of 2021. The second AW-189, which is expected to be delivered soon, was also seen painted in the colors of the Presidential Air Fleet during recent flight tests in Italy.
Currently, the Presidential Air Fleet of the Nigerian Air Force is based at the international airport. Nnamdi Azikiwe in Abuja. It consists of two AW-139 helicopters of the Leonardo Group, as well as Cessna 550, Falcon 900, Boeing 737-700, two Falcon 7X and Gulfstream G550 aircraft.
It should be noted that the Nigerian Air Force recently adopted six of the 12 ordered A-29 "Super Tucano" light combat aircraft. Soon, the Air Force should receive additional equipment, including unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) from China.
According to the Nigerian media, the Nigerian government has also approved the purchase of 24 M-346 multi-purpose combat aircraft from the Leonardo Group for the country's Air Force, which will allow the replacement of Alfa Jet aircraft in service to begin.
As the resource reported in August Humanglemedia.com, during a demonstration on August 26 of a documentary about the expansion of the country's Air Force fleet under the current government of Nigeria, Director of Air Force Affairs at the Ministry of Defense Ashibel P.Utsu said that the authorities have already signed a contract for the supply of the first 12 M-346 aircraft.
The training of pilots of the Nigerian Air Force takes place both abroad and in national training centers. Last week, the release of 20 UAV operators and five pilots of aircraft/helicopters took place.
