Niger received two AB412 helicopters from Italy
As was announced on 18 October 2022, Italy has transferred two AgustaBell AB412HP helicopters to the Armée de l 'Air du Niger (FAN, Niger Air Force).
The FAN said a reception ceremony was held for the two helicopters at Air Base 101 in Niamey and that another two AB412s would follow.
The helicopters will be used by the air force for transporting troops and logistics, as well as medical evacuation. Photographs showed the two helicopters painted in the colours of Italy's Guardia di Finanza (GdiF) and fitted with fairings above their cabins for the radars used to detect maritime smugglers.
The Italian Ministry of Defence (MoD) released a statement saying the two helicopters that have been reconditioned by its Defence Industries Agency (AID) have been sold to Niger to increase its capacity to counter illegal trafficking and security threats.
The Italian Minister of Defence, Lorenzo Guerini, attended the handover ceremony and also visited Italian military personnel deployed as part of the Bilateral Support Mission in the Republic of Niger (MISIN), which began in 2018 and also covers support for Benin, Mauritania, and Nigeria.
UPDATE
Thanks to Daniele Mattiuzzo the two GdiF AB412HPs have been identified as: MM81452/GF-207 (c/n 25707) and MM81456/GF-211 (c/n 25713).
Photo by Forces Armées Nigériennes