Reported by: Ime Richard Aondofa | Edited by: Henry Owen
During his official visit to Italy as part of a high-level delegation accompanying President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for the AQABA Process meeting, the Honourable Minister of Defence, H.E. Mohammed Badaru Abubakar CON, mni, conducted an in-depth inspection of defence production facilities operated by Leonardo S.p.A. in Northern Italy.
The Minister’s visit focused on two critical divisions: the Leonardo Helicopters Division in Vergiate and the Leonardo Aircraft Division in Venegono. These facilities are currently engaged in assembling advanced military equipment for the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), including AW109 Trekker attack helicopters and M-346 Fighter Attack Jets.
At the Leonardo Helicopters Division, Minister Abubakar reviewed the assembly process for the AW109 Trekker helicopters, paying particular attention to the ten units ordered for the NAF. Of these, three helicopters are fully completed and ready for acceptance and delivery, three more are projected to be completed by the end of 2025, while the remaining four are slated for delivery in early 2026.
At the Leonardo Aircraft Division, the Minister was briefed on the ongoing production of the M-346 Fighter Attack Jets. Six of the twenty-four aircraft ordered are at advanced stages of production, with three already undergoing flight tests and the remaining three expected to enter testing soon. The jets will be delivered in four tranches of six aircraft each, along with armaments, support equipment, tools, spare parts, and comprehensive training and logistics support.
Minister Abubakar expressed satisfaction with the high quality and timely delivery of both the helicopters and fighter jets. He also commended Leonardo’s engineers and management for their professionalism and technical expertise throughout the production process.
This visit highlights the Tinubu Administration’s commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s national defence capabilities through strategic acquisitions, advanced training programs, and robust international partnerships.
This information was made known to the public by Mati Ali, PA (Media & Publicity) to the Honourable Minister.
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