The Nigérien Air Force (Armée de l’Air du Niger) has taken delivery of the third and final C-149H from the United States
On 12 December 2022, after a four year extensive overhaul with Sabena Aerospace at Brussels, Niger Air Force C-130H Hercules departed for its delivery flight to Base Aérienne 101 (BA101) Niamey/Diori Hamani (Niger).
The Hercules, a former USAF WC-130H 65-0985 (c/n 382-4140), will become 5UMTU with the Niger Air Force.
Since 2015, the United States has invested more than $30 million in the development of the Niger Air Force Hercules programme including a training component, purchase of spare parts, infrastructure, fuel and support equipment. In addition, more than $17 million was injected in the acquisition of critical infrastructure including the renovation of a hangar for the Hercules at Base Aérienne 201 (BA201) Agadez.
The Hercules hangar at Niamey has also been renovated and expanded with a spare parts storage facility.
With the delivery of this C-130H, the transport fleet has strengthened its former capacity with fully overhauled and upgraded C-130Hs.
In 2015, Niger requested a WC-130H aircraft and a wing set (total acquisition value $63 million) and in 2019 requested four T56-A-15 engines and propellers for the Hercules, worth $6 million.
The United States Government delivered a C-130H Hercules transport aircraft (5U-MBH) to Niger Republic on 4 January, 2021.
Likewise, in December last year, the United States delivered a second C-130H Hercules transport aircraft to Nigér.
The C-130H (5U-MMS) was handed over on 7 December, during a ceremony at the Nigérien Air Base 101 in the capital Niamey.
The United States has trained 16 Nigerien pilots, 19 maintenance personnel, five baggage handlers and a flight engineer.
Nigerien pilots underwent training on the C-130 in the United States, with the first female pilot in the Nigerien Air Force completing her six-month training in April 2020.
In January 2020 the United States military’s Africa Command handed over a new C-130 hangar, worth $7 million, at Air Base 201 near Agadez. The construction of the hangar was funded by the Department of State.
The new aircraft will join another C-130H delivered in 1979. In April 1997, another Hercules crashed in killing 14 people.
Around 2013 and 2015, the US supplied four Cessna 208 Caravan aircraft from the United States, with two configured for surveillance.