The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has successfully completed the Factory Acceptance Test (FAT) for the first batch of three M-346 Fighter Attack (FA) aircraft at Leonardo Aircraft Division in Venegono, Italy, marking another major milestone in its fleet modernisation programme ahead of the aircraft’s delivery to Nigeria.
The acceptance exercise, carried out by a joint delegation from the NAF and the Ministry of Defence, confirmed that the aircraft met all contractual, technical and airworthiness requirements. The delegation also held discussions on pilot and maintenance training, logistics support, long-term fleet sustainment, and inspected advanced flight simulators and ground-based training systems to strengthen the Air Force’s operational readiness.
Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, said the M-346 aircraft will significantly enhance the NAF’s ability to train combat-ready pilots while boosting its capacity to carry out precision strikes, close air support, air interdiction, and other combat missions.
He added that the acquisition reflects the Federal Government’s commitment to equipping the Armed Forces with modern platforms to tackle Nigeria’s evolving security challenges.
