Uganda Police have announced plans to sell off the 9-seater 5XPEF/P180 PIAGO AVANTI aircraft, purchased in 2019 for a staggering sum of shs28 billion. The decision comes after the aircraft failed to meet operational expectations, despite its hefty price tag.
During a guided journalists’ tour of the aircraft at the police wing in Entebbe, police spokesperson Fred Enanga revealed that the aircraft, despite its capacity to remain airborne for up to 8 hours and provide aerial support, has not yielded any positive outcomes since its acquisition.
“Since its procurement, the aircraft has only accumulated a total flying time of 117 hours. It is not designed for non-tarmacked runways, undergoes expensive mandatory inspections, insurance, and AMO with no benefits realized. Additionally, the aircraft parts are exorbitantly priced due to its luxury nature,” Enanga stated.
Upon realizing the aircraft’s operational shortcomings, the matter was reported to the Internal Affairs minister, who approved the disposal of the unserviceable aircraft and the procurement of a new compatible helicopter.
A board of survey inspected the aircraft on October 19th, 2022, valuing it at $4.2 million. This valuation considered various factors such as depreciated replacement cost, technical condition, Blue book values, and current marketing running prices. Additionally, it would cost a minimum of $100,681.79 to replace expired parts, making it the only aircraft of its kind on the African continent.
Enanga emphasized that replacing the fixed-wing aircraft would provide the Police Airwing with an additional operational and effective crime-fighting tool. Several types of aircraft have been reviewed, considering manufacturers and operational loads specific to the Uganda Police.
Responding to claims that the aircraft had already been disposed of in silence, Enanga clarified that the disposal process follows the Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets (PPDA) process.
“It is the considered opinion of the police force that the Paggio Avanti 11 Evo is disposed of, and a new generation compatible aircraft acquired through the trade-in procurement sourcing method, in line with PPDA laws and regulations,” Enanga concluded.
The decision to sell off the unserviceable aircraft reflects the Uganda Police’s commitment to optimizing resources and enhancing operational efficiency in combating crime across the country.
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