Nigeria is poised to welcome its first batch of advanced Leonardo M-346 fighter jets by the end of 2024, marking a significant milestone in the country's defense capabilities.
The Roma-based multinational defense and aerospace leader, Leonardo, is gearing up to deliver the initial six M-346 aircraft to the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) within the year. A total of 24 aircraft are scheduled for delivery in four sets of six, with the contract also encompassing 25 years of logistical support, as per a recent announcement by the NAF on social media.
During a recent visit, Claudio Sebatino, Vice President of Marketing and Sales for Leonardo’s sub-Saharan region, assured the company's unwavering commitment to timely delivery.
The NAF disclosed that further discussions between them and Leonardo will be crucial to finalize various aspects of the project, including the commencement of pilot and engineering training.
The procurement of the M-346 aircraft had initially been kept confidential, but in late 2022, the then-chief of air staff of Nigeria confirmed the acquisition of 24 trainer/attack aircraft from Leonardo. The agreement also includes a minimum of 25 years of maintenance and support for the fixed-wing aircraft.
Originally designed as an advanced/lead-in fighter trainer, the M-346 boasts versatility, capable of serving as a light attack aircraft as well. Leonardo has also introduced a fighter-attack variant, the M-346FA, which shares significant commonality with the trainer version but features specific avionics and airframe modifications to support air-to-air and air-to-ground combat roles. The precise variant to be delivered to the NAF remains undisclosed.
In addition to the M-346 acquisition, the Nigerian military's modernization efforts include the procurement of Turkish-made T129 Tactical Reconnaissance and Attack Helicopters (ATAK), two Augusta 109 Trekker multi-role helicopters, and three Wing Loong II UAS from China.
The initial delivery of two T129 helicopters developed by the Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) took place in November 2023, following the Defense Industry Cooperation Agreement signed between Türkiye and Nigeria during President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's visit to the sub-Saharan country in October 2021. Under the agreement, Türkiye is set to export a total of six T129 ATAK helicopters to Nigeria.
