An Il-76 transport plane belonging to the Pakistan Air Force arrived at the Nigerian Air Force’s 21st Makurdi Air Base loaded with a JF-17 fighter jet.
This is the first of three JF-17 fighter jet that Pakistan plans to deliver to Nigeria in the first quarter of 2021.
Images of the aircraft being greeted with enthusiasm were posted on Nigerian social media pages.
The $ 184.3 million deal covering the delivery of three JF-17 Thunder fighter jets was approved by the Pakistan government’s Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) after Lagos agreed to extend a financial guarantee for the purchase.
While not officially disclosed, the JF-17 Block II jets cost Nigeria about $60 million including air-to-air and air-to-ground missiles. The unit cost of JF-17 unarmed is said to be US $ 40 million.
Nigerian Air Force Commander Sadique Abubakar had announced in July 2020 that the Nigerian Air Force would take delivery of three JF-17 Thunder as part of 22 new aircraft expected including 12 Super Tucano attack aircraft, and an additional Mi-171E type helicopter.
Nigerian pilots and ground crew underwent extensive training in Pakistan before the first JF-17 arrived in their country.
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