US ambassador presents letter of offer/acceptance for Super Tucano aircraft to NAF
NAN-DS-
Letter
By Yahaya Isah
Abuja Dec 27, 2017 (NAN) The United States of America (USA) Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Stuart Symington, on Wednesday presenteded Letters of Offer/Acceptance (LOA) in respect of the A29 Super Tucano Aircraft to the Nigerian Air Force (NAF).
The Director of Public Relations and Information, NAF Headquarters, AVM Olatokunbo Adesanya, disclosed this in a statement in Abuja.
According to him, the LOA represents the official US Government offer to sell US defence articles and services to the Nigerian Government.
Presenting the LOA to the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, at NAF Headquarters, Symington said peaceful existence in Nigeria was strategic to the security of the entire West African Sub-Region.
He added that peaceful existence in the country was also strategic to the security of the entire world.
Symington, however expressed the commitment of the US Government to
assist Nigeria to completely defeat the insurgents as well eliminating all forms of terrorism from its territory.
The ambassatdor expressed optimism that the capacity of NAF could greatly be enhanced by the acquisition of the Super Tucano Aircraft.
He also expressed the commitement of the US Government to continue to support NAF in area of capacity building, and timely supply of needed aircraft spare parts
Symington indicated the readiness of relevant US Government officials to work with NAF officials to facilitate the early delivery of the aircraft once payment had been made.
“Officials of both the US Government and the NAF would be meeting in early January 2018 to jointly study the LOA prior to subsequent endorsements by both parties.
Abubakar while receiving the LOA, expressed appreciation to the US Government for its steady support toward sustaining NAF air operations.
He also praised the personal commitment of the US Ambassador to ensuring that the Super Tucano Aircraft deal became a reality.
Abubakar corroborated Symington’s statement that the wellbeing of Nigeria was closely linked to other African countries, and indeed the entire world, as terrorism wass a global phenomenon, which had to be confronted by all stakeholders.
He therefore, reassured the US Ambassador of the commitment of NAF to the stipulated deadlines in the LOA.
The CAS also assured the US Ambassador that NAF would ensure the readiness of the proposed home base of the Super Tucano Aircraft in Nigeria before the its delivery.
He further said that NAF would nominate and prepare all the pilots and maintenance crew to be trained on the Super Tucano Aircraft, ahead of their training in the US.
“It is expected that the LOA would have been signed and necessary payments made before Feb. 20, 2018 to ensure the commencement of production of the NAF’s Super Tucano Aircraft,” he said
Adesanya recalled that the US State Department had earlier approved the sale of 12 x A29 Super Tucano Aircraft to NAF, to further aid the nation’s counter-insurgency campaign. (NAN)
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