Posted by Emeka Madunagu and Olusola Fabiyi (Abuja) on
Nigeria has awarded a contract worth $74.5 million to an Italian company, Alenia Aeronautica , for a second-hand (tokunbo) G222 transport aircraft and the refurbishing of five 1980s-vintage jets of the same type currently in the fleet of the Nigerian Air Force.
Nigeria has awarded a contract worth $74.5 million to an Italian company, Alenia Aeronautica , for a second-hand (tokunbo) G222 transport aircraft and the refurbishing of five 1980s-vintage jets of the same type currently in the fleet of the Nigerian Air Force.
A statement dated July 15, 2005 on the website of Alenia Aeronautica's parent company, Finmeccanica, www.finmeccanica.it finmeccanica/export/english, and which was obtained on Friday by our correspondents, indicated that the two-year agreement was also for the technical training of pilot instructors, technicians, engineers, load masters and the logistics support staff.
Besides, the contract will cover provision of maintenance equipment and an aircraft hangar at the military base in Ilorin.
The statement said that the company signed the contract with NAF on an undisclosed date. It said the agreement envisaged 'a thorough activity of refurbishment, assistance and logistic support for the transport aircraft fleet made of G222s, which have been supplied in the 80s by the then-called Aeritalia to the African country's Air Force. The agreement, worth $74,5 millions (equal to about €60 millions) with a two-year validity, extends and improves the value of the long-lasting collaboration with the Nigerian Air Force that, thanks to it, will have an autonomous and efficient transport aircraft fleet, and will also be able to get advantage of the Italian company's technological know-how.
'The agreement is part of a wider initiative by Alenia Aeronautica towards many international customers of the G222 (sold in 105 units) who are still able to meet effectively, only with the help of the upgrading of several operational requirements asking for the use of rugged and highly manoeuvrable airlift, as clearly shown by the missions taking place under NATO and UN."
The statement went on, 'Alenia Aeronautica, which has received the heritage from the G222 and has improved it with the new C-27J aircraft, will take care of the technical training of the Nigerian Air Force's personnel, such as pilot instructors, technicians, engineers, load masters and the logistic support staff. The company will also build new infrastructure (among them a complete hangar) at the military base of Ilorin, approximately 300 km from Lagos, along with the equipment for a full-scale maintenance activity of the five G222s of the Nigerian fleet. The customer will also be provided with a further second-hand aircraft.
Nigeria owns a G222s transport aircraft fleet, enabling it to participate in all the 'Peace-Keeping" operations, particularly within the African continent."
However, the Director of Information, Nigerian Air Force, Squadron Leader Ibrahim Kure, denied knowledge of the $74.5m contract when our correspondents contacted him on telephone on Friday.
He said, 'I am not aware of the contract. That information is new to me. I have not heard about it at all and I know that if there was anything like that, I would have been briefed. Whether it is going to be supply or whatever, I am not aware.
The only one that I am aware of is the F7M fighter aircraft from China, which is still on paper. It is even yet to be contracted out."
SATURDAY PUNCH, July 30, 2005