The Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, has undertaken a strategic inspection visit to key defence production facilities operated by Leonardo S.p.A in Northern Italy.

The Minister, who is part of the high-level delegation accompanying President Bola Tinubu on an official visit to Italy, inspected the Leonardo Helicopters Division in Vergiate and the Leonardo Aircraft Division in Venegono.

During the visit, the Minister inspected the assembly lines for the AW109 Trekker attack helicopters for the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) and the M-346 Fighter Attack Jets, which are part of Nigeria’s recent procurement programme.

He expressed satisfaction with the pace of production and the quality of work being delivered. According to Leonardo’s brief, six of the 24 M-346 Fighter Attack Jets are at advanced stages of production, with three already undergoing flight tests.

The full delivery is structured in four tranches of six aircraft each, complete with armaments, support equipment, tools, spare parts, and comprehensive training and logistics support services. Regarding the helicopters, three of the 10 AW109 Trekker attack helicopters being produced for the NAF are fully completed and ready for acceptance and delivery.

An additional three are scheduled for completion by the end of 2025, while the remaining four are projected for early 2026. The visit underscores the Tinubu Administration’s commitment to strengthening national defence capabilities through strategic acquisitions, enhanced training, and international collaboration.