Pakistan has handed over four Super Mushshak trainer aircraft to the Nigerian Air Force. This is part of the 10 it had sought to buy.
The Nigerian Air Force inducted the basic training aircraft in a ceremony on Monday at the Kaduna Air Base. The event was attended by Nigerian Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal Sadiq Abubakar and Pakistan Air Force Chief of Staff Air Chief Marshal Sohail Aman.
Abubakar noted that inducting the Super Mushshak trainer aircraft will enable the Nigerian Air Force to have additional 56 pilots, which will boost the operational manpower requirement.
The price of the deal for 10 trainer aircraft has not been revealed, IHS Jane's Defence Weekly noted. Further, it was also revealed that the contract includes training and technical support.
The Pakistan licensee manufactures a version of Saab MFI-17 Supporter and calls it Super Mushshak. The basic trainer aircraft features a powerful 260 hp Textron Lycoming IO-540 V4A5 engine and a glass cockpit.
The aircraft has already been in service with ran, Iraq, Oman, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia. Recently, Qatar and Turkey too ordered it.
It must be noted that Nigeria wanted to originally acquire Embraer A-29 Super Tucano light attack aircraft from Brazil, but the deal was blocked by the US. The Mushshaks can also be armed with rockets, dumb bombs and precision guided munitions (PGMs) if needed. Thus it fits into the light attack category, which Nigeria needs for the ongoing insurgency in the country and in its fight against Boko Haram.
Meanwhile, unconfirmed reports have suggested that Nigeria ordered an undisclosed number of JF-17 multi-role fighters from Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC). Nigeria is expecting the delivery of three such systems.
