Parliament approves $60m aircraft deal for Ghana air force
5th December 2025
Parliament has approved a $60 million agreement between the Ministry of Defence and Dassault Aviation for the purchase of a Falcon 6X aircraft for the Ghana Air Force.
Lawmakers also ratified a separate €125 million deal with Airbus Helicopters SAS for the supply of one H160 and three H175 helicopters to boost the Air Force’s fleet.
Government officials say the acquisitions form part of a broader retooling and modernisation programme aimed at addressing the Air Force’s deteriorating aircraft and improving operational readiness.
The minority caucus has, however, demanded clarity on the decision, questioning why similar procurement proposals were rejected in previous years. Their concerns follow Finance Minister, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson’s announcement in Parliament on November 13 that government plans to procure four modern helicopters, one long-range aircraft, and one medium-range aircraft beginning in 2026.
The newly approved aircraft are expected to be delivered within four years and will support a wide range of operations, including aerial surveillance, troop and logistics transport, maritime patrols, air defence, disaster response, and medical evacuations. Dr. Forson noted that the Air Force’s ageing fleet and rising maintenance demands have significantly affected readiness levels.
Contributing to the debate on November 20, former Defence Minister and Bimbilla MP Dominic Nitiwul underscored the urgency of strengthening the country’s strategic airlift capacity.
“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 said.
Nitiwul further challenged government to explain its earlier resistance to similar requests.
“The government should own up. 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.”