After years of foot-dragging, US finally approves Super Tucano attack planes for Nigeria

The US State Department has finally approved a $593 million sale to Nigeria of A-29 Super Tucano attack planes with associated parts, training, facilities and weapons.

The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered their certification of the foreign military sale to Congress, as required by 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 by 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.