The Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru, has carried out an inspection visit to Leonardo S.p.A’s defence manufacturing facilities in northern Italy, where the production of new Nigerian Air Force aircraft and helicopters is underway.
Badaru, who was part of President Bola Tinubu’s delegation to the AQABA Process meeting, toured Leonardo’s Helicopters Division in Vergiate and the Aircraft Division in Venegono. These divisions are responsible for assembling key air platforms for Nigeria’s military operations.
According to a statement released in Abuja on Saturday by the Minister’s Personal Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mati Ali, Badaru reviewed the progress of ten AW109 Trekker attack helicopters currently being built for Nigeria.
“Three of the helicopters have been completed and are ready for delivery. Another three will be completed before the end of 2025, while the remaining four are scheduled for delivery in early 2026,” Ali said.
The Minister also assessed the ongoing production of M-346 Fighter Attack Jets, six of which are reportedly in advanced stages of completion.
“Three of the fighter jets are already undergoing flight tests, while the remaining three are due for testing in the coming weeks. In total, 24 aircraft will be delivered in four batches, complete with weapons, tools, spare parts, and logistics support,” the statement added.
Expressing satisfaction after the inspection, Badaru commended Leonardo’s engineering team for their professionalism and dedication to delivering high-quality platforms.
“I am impressed with the level of progress and the quality of workmanship here. These acquisitions reaffirm President Tinubu’s commitment to modernising the Nigerian Armed Forces and deepening international defence collaborations,” he said.
The Defence Minister emphasized that the new fleet of aircraft and helicopters would significantly boost Nigeria’s air power capability and enhance its capacity to respond effectively to security threats across the country.
