The Pentagon
has notified the U.S. Congress  of the sale to Nigeria of 12 Super
Tucano A-29 planes and weapons worth $593 million, needed for the  fight
against the militant group, Boko Haram.
The move on the sale, which included thousands
of bombs and rockets and was originally agreed former President
Barack Obama’s administration, was announced the Pentagon’s Defense
Security Cooperation Agency. The sale was initially announced on 2
August.

The Super Tucano A-29, an agile, propeller-driven plane with
reconnaissance and surveillance as well as attack capabilities, is made
Brazil’s Embraer. A second production line is in Florida, in a
partnership between Embraer and privately held Sierra Nevada Corp of
Sparks, Nevada.

The Super Tucano costs more than $10 million each and the price can go much higher depending on the configuration.

It is powered a Pratt & Whitney Canada PT 6 engine.

The Obama administration delayed the deal after incidents including the
Nigerian Air Force’s bombing of a refugee camp in January that killed 90
to 170 civilians.

President Donald Trump has said he plans to go ahead with foreign defence sales delayed under Obama human rights concerns.

The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered their certification of
the foreign military sale to Congress, as required law, on August 2,
according to United Press International.

The twelve A-29s, equipped with wing-mounted machine guns, weapons
integration with advanced surveillance… precision-guided bombs, and even
air-to-air missiles” are expected to be  used Nigeria to combat the 
Boko Haram insurgents and other extremist groups, such as the Islamic
State West Africa splinter group. They will also serve to counter
smuggling and other trafficking in Nigeria and the Gulf of Guinea.

The DSCA has determined that U.S. security interests are served by
assisting Nigeria in its counter-insurgency operations and that the A-29
sale will not significantly alter the military balance of power in the
region.

The contract will require U.S. Government or private contractors to
provide training and support, and will include instruction on rules of
engagement and human rights to help prevent civilian casualties.
source: Daily Trust