Luanda, ANGOLA, June 1 - Angola will buy two aircrafts to airlift troops and conduct maritime surveillance, announced the Angolan Head of State João Lourenço. ,

 

 

The President has confirmed this in Paris during an interview with Radio France International (RFI).

 

Negotiation on the purchase of these two C295s is in progress with Airbus Spain, the President told RFI, while taking stock of his first official visit to France, started Monday.

 

The Statesman admitted that the purchase process is in a very advanced state and, most likely, Angola will receive the first unit later this year.

 

As for the visit to the Airbus and ATR plants, João Lourenço said that it served to find out about the facilities of the brands.

 

"And who knows whether the two fleets will ever be able to live together: the Boeing fleet and the Airbus fleet in our flagship company?" Asked João Lourenço, who left the factories without compromise.

 

He also stressed the agreement signed between Angola and France in the area of ​​defence.

 

According to him, the deal opened up the possibility of concrete projects in areas such as the training of officers, in the Army, the Air Force or the Navy, especially in the last sector.

 

"We want to better equip our Navy to fulfill the role of defending the coast and, in general, along with the other Navies from the west coast of Africa, to better protect the Gulf of Guinea," explained the president.

 

The head of State also said that the country is open to the possibility of buying military equipment from France, which he considered to be a major producer in terms of

military equipment, ranging from warships, airplanes and helicopters.

 

The Statesman recalled that the Angolan Air Force (FAN) has always been a major customer of Airbus in the acquisition of light helicopters, mainly the Alouettes, Gazelles, Dauphins and, lately, Super Pumas, to the service of Sonair.

 

The President of Republic ended Wednesday his three-day visit to the European county.

 

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