The fight against terrorism, Attack aircraft from U.S might cost N21.5b

Following reports that the United States of America is willing to sell 12 A-29 Super Tucano light attack aircraft to Nigeria in the fight against Boko Haram, investigation conducted by Pulse has shown this might gulp over 21.5billion. In a report by Nation Newspaper, though the planned sale of the attack aircraft is still subjected to review by Congress. the country has been dedicating more intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance assets to the campaign against terrorism. In another report by Reuters, U.S. Navy Vice Admiral Michael Franken, a deputy commander of the Pentagon’s Africa Command, told a Washington forum last week that there now are 6,200 U.S. troops – most of them Special Operations Forces – operating from 26 locations in Africa. A check on the attack aircraft shows that it costs a whopping sum of between $9m and $14m to acquire just one unit. Manufactured by Embraer and first flown in June 1999, Wikipedia revealed that the A-29 is a turboprop aircraft designed for light attack, counter insurgency, close air support, aerial reconnaissance missions in low threat environments, as well as providing pilot training.