A $60 million deal between the Ministry of Defense and Dassault Aviation to purchase a Falcon 6X aircraft for the Ghana Air Force has been authorized by Parliament.
Legislators also approved a €125 million contract with Airbus Helicopters SAS to provide the Air Force with three H175 and one H160 helicopters.
According to the government, the purchases are a part of a larger retooling and modernization effort meant to improve operational capacity and address the declining state of the Air Force’s aircraft.
The opposition caucus had previously demanded an explanation from the administration for its choice to buy the new aircraft, raising concerns over the repeated rejection of previous requests for comparable purchases.
This comes after Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson announced in Parliament on Thursday, November 13, that starting in 2026, the government will start acquiring four contemporary helicopters, one long-range aircraft, and one medium-range aircraft.
A variety of Air Force activities, such as aerial surveillance, troop and supply transport, marine patrols, air defense, disaster response, and medical evacuations, would be supported by the aircraft, which are anticipated to be delivered within four years.
Dr. Forson emphasized that the acquisitions are required because the Air Force’s readiness is currently limited by an aging fleet and high maintenance requirements.
Former Defense Minister and Bimbilla MP Dominic Nitiwul emphasized the critical need for a strategic boost to bolster national defense during his speech on Thursday, November 20.
“I keep saying that if there is anybody in this room who knows the needs of the military, I have served them for eight years. I hold the same position I held last year and for the past eight years: it is not in our interest as a country not to have a strategic lift. We need it,” Nitiwul reiterated.
“The government should own up,” he continued, challenging the government to defend its previous inactivity. “You want to buy two – own up, apologise to the people of Ghana, and convince us why you rejected the purchase for the last five years, and today you want to buy two: one long-range and one medium-size.”
Source: newsthemegh.com