Sierra Nevada awarded contract to deliver 12 A-29 aircraft to Nigerian Air Force

Sierra Nevada awarded contract to deliver 12 A-29 aircraft to Nigerian Air Force.

On February 06, 2019, Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) and its partner, Embraer Defense & Security, were awarded a contract to deliver 12 A-29 Super Tucano light attack aircraft to the Nigerian Air Force.

“SNC is proud to work with our partner, Embraer Defense & Security, to build A-29s in support of the Nigerian Air Force in addressing their training and security needs,” said Taco Gilbert, Senior Vice President of ISR, Aviation and Security (IAS) at SNC. “The combat-proven A-29 is designed and built for the mission in Nigeria. It’s the most reliable and cost-effective solution for basic and advanced flight and combat training, close air support operations, ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance), counterinsurgency and irregular warfare scenarios.”

“The A-29 Super Tucano has become the global reference for light attack and advanced training with a proven track record in several combat zones around the world”, said Jackson Schneider, President and CEO of Embraer Defense & Security. “Embraer welcomes Nigeria as the latest member of this true international coalition that is helping bring peace to the world."

The company highlights that the A-29 boasts an operational record as it is conducting combat missions on a daily basis in theaters around the world and has exceeded 46,000 combat hours and over 360,000 total flight hours. Moreover, SNC says that the aircraft features a robust landing gear to take off and land even in the most austere field conditions and that is highly effective in the CAS role thanks to the exceptional reliability and accuracy in the delivery of weapons.

The contract for the Nigerian Air Force includes ground training devices, mission planning systems, mission debrief systems, spares, ground support equipment, alternate mission equipment, contiguous U.S. interim contractor support, outside of continental U.S. (OCONUS) contractor logistic support and field service representatives for OCONUS support.

The aircraft will be produced in Jacksonville, Florida and modified in Centennial, Colorado. 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. Nigeria is the fourteenth nation to have selected A-29.

Source: Sierra Nevada Corporation