Nigeria inks deal to buy 10 Super Mushshak from Pakistan

Islamabad [Pakistan], Oct.22 (ANI): A deal has been signed by Nigeria to buy 10 Super Mushshak aircraft from Pakistan. A statement issued by the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) said that the deal was signed between Nigerian Air Vice Marshal Iya Ahmed Abdullahi and Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) Chairman Air Marshal Arshad Malik in a signing ceremony for the deal on Friday in Abuja, reports the Express Tribune. Operational training and technical support and assistance to the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) are also included in the contract. PAF claims to establish this facility in the shortest possible time. "This contract would not only open new avenues for export of aviation equipment to foreign countries but also help in generating revenue for the country," the statement said. "The deal further strengthens PAC's status as a world class aviation industry producing the supersonic JF-17 Thunder and Super Mushshak trainer aircraft," the statement added added. The aircraft based off a Swedish design is an advanced variant of the Mushshak basic trainer built under license in Pakistan. It is already in service with Saudi Arabia, Oman, Iran and South Africa. A senior PAF official said that Super Mushshak is a 'major success story' of Pakistan and reflects the country's potential to become one of the main exporters of such high-tech military equipment. Adding that there are a few countries in the world which export aircraft, he said, "Even India with its tall claims has not yet been able to produce an aircraft which has been exported." Last year, the aircraft was put for static as well as aerial display in Dubai Air Show by the PAF where certain nations expressed interest in the aircraft. Indigenously built state-of-the-art JF-17 Thunder fighter aircraft is also aggressively being marketed by Pakistan which Nigeria is also reportedly interested in buying. In July this year, NAF Chief of Staff Air Marshal Sadique Baba Abubakar had said that the force would acquire three JF-17s from Pakistan. Nigeria would become the first country to acquire the state-of-the-art fighter from Pakistan, if the deal is confirmed but there is no official confirmation whether Pakistan is indeed supplying the JF-17 jets to Nigeria or not. (ANI)