Nigerian Auto Maker, Innoson Signs Deal with Nigerian Air Force to Produce Parts for Fighter Jets

                              

The Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, told newsmen in Nnewi, Anambra state yesterday that the Nigerian Air Force, signed a Memorandum of Understanding, MoU with Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing Company, IVM, Nnewi, Anambra state to research and produce spare parts for its fighter jets.

He said that Innoson has been keeping the jet fleet of the the Air Force running for some months now.

Air Marshal Abubakar, who was represented by the Chief of Policy and Planning, Air Vice-Marshal James Gbum, said the MoU will improve local content and engineering and save the country a lot of money by using locally made parts instead of importing expensive parts from foreign countries.
He added:

“Our war efforts will be in vain if we don’t do something to ensure we get spare parts because some of our fighter aircrafts that have formed the back-bone of our struggle against Boko Haram, were once down due to lack of spare parts and mainly the break assemblies of these aircrafts. 

“The Air Chief immediately ordered our research and development cell in Kaji to start to research into this break assembly overhaul. They went ahead and carried out the research. However, the first proto-type they brought couldn’t pass the test. “The Nigerian Air Force later discovered that Innoson Vehicle Manufacturing Company at Nnewi, Anambra State is very capable of collaborating with the Nigerian Air Force to achieve the required standards of overhauling our break assemblies.”

Source: Vanguard