The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) is set for a retooling as Finance Minister Cassiel Ato Forson announces the procurement of four new helicopters for the National defense force.

The Minister during the 2026 Budget Statement presentation on Thursday November 13 on the floor of Parliament disclosed that, as a part of government’s broader national strategy to enhance defence readiness in response to evolving security challenges.

Significant investments are being made across all three Services, the Ghana Army, Navy, and Air Force,to upgrade logistics, equipment, and infrastructure.

Dr Cassiel noted that, next year, the government will begin the procurement engagements for the helicopters; however, all four are expected to be delivered in Ghana within the next four years if the process goes smoothly as planned and expected.

He said, "The Ghana Air Force will be retooled. Beginning 2026, the Government of Ghana will begin the procurement process for the acquisition of four modern helicopters... These aircraft are expected to be delivered in four years, if the procurement processes are completed in 2026."

The type of helicopters the Minister said would be “one long-range and one medium-range aircraft."

Dr Forson also paid tribute to the late Dr Edward Kofi Omane Boamah, who died in a helicopter crash earlier this year, describing him as “a fallen hero and the brain behind the strategy to retool the Ghana Armed Forces.”

Addressing the state of the Ghana Army, Dr Forson revealed that the government had disbursed US$40 million out of a US$80 million supplier credit agreement signed with ELBIT Systems Land Ltd in 2020 for the procurement of 19 Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs). However, he noted that no equipment had yet been delivered.

“Despite the disbursement of US$40 million to the supplier, the Ghana Army has not received a single APC,” he said, adding that the government has taken steps to renegotiate the agreement to prevent financial loss to the state.

Turning to the Ghana Navy, Dr Forson acknowledged ongoing challenges, including an ageing fleet and uncompleted operating bases.

He announced that the government will acquire two 72-metre Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs), each equipped with helipads and combat systems, to strengthen maritime security operations.

“These vessels will enable the Navy to conduct long-endurance patrols, safeguard the Exclusive Economic Zone, prevent maritime crimes, and protect critical offshore infrastructure,” he said.

His announcement of four helicopter procurement comes a few days after the investigative Committee charged to probe the cause of the Adansi 6, helicopter crash which claimed the lives of eight gallant men including the Minister for Defence, Dr. Edward Kofi Omane Boamah; Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr. Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed; Acting Deputy National Security Coordinator in charge of Human Security, Alhaji Muniru Limuna Mohammed; Vice Chairman of the National Democratic Congress, Samuel Sarpong; Deputy Director-General of NADMO, Samuel Aboagye.

Others included Squadron Leader Peter Analaa of the Ghana Air Force, Flying Officer Tsum Ampadu of the Ghana Air Force, and Sergeant Ernest Addo of the Ghana Air Force.

While the Board, chaired by the National Security Coordinator, with members drawn from the Ghana Air Force and the Aircraft Accident and Incident Investigation and Prevention Bureau of the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), largely attributed the cause of the crash to a sudden and intense downdraft, which led to a rapid loss of altitude and lift, the Board also highlighted the inadequacy of necessary safety devices, such as warning systems, sensors and protective mechanisms, which played a role in the Z-9 helicopter crash, the investigative committee that probed the incident has disclosed.

According to one of the 11-member committee, Captain Forjoe, there is a need for Ghana to get a new fleet of helicopters as the old ones are without some safety requirements.

“The crash could have been prevented if it had had enhanced equipment. And it could have put the pilot in a better situational awareness mode. And it could have put them in a much better place to have made better decisions, which could have prevented this. What they went through, even the best anywhere would have struggled to get out of, with the limited instruments they had. If you have all these other enhancements, it really helps

“Despite all this, the aircraft was in good condition to fly and met all safety requirements. Investigation has strongly recommended that aircraft with these additional safety enhancements be acquired immediately for the air force. We have recommended that the Air Force acquire modern aircraft with terrain avoidance warning systems and modern navigation systems. The aircraft should also have cockpit voice recorders and flight data recorders, which are the audio-visual capable types,” he added.

Also, ruling out potential human failures, Captain Forjoe noted that the captain of the helicopter, Squadron Leader Peter Baafemi Anala, exhibited all the requisite skills to handle the aircraft. He said Peter Anala had hands-on experience dating back to 2015. According to him, Peter Anala had a green instrument rating, making him both qualified and experienced.

“To rule out any potential human causes, we also examined the qualifications, experience, and competence of the crew. The captain has a postgraduate certificate in safety and accident investigations from Hansfield University, UK, in 2024. The captain was a qualified FAA, thus the Federal Aviation Administration Commercial and instrument-rated pilot from Crystal Academy in the USA in April 2015, 10 years ago. Within the Airforce he was recategorised in March 2025 as a Cat C pilot. The pilot was qualified to be a Captain of the Z-9 helicopter, and he had a green instrument rating.”

Meanwhile, Ghana’s presidential jet has been in France’s Dassault Falcon Service in Le Bourget, France, for its mandatory 24‑month and 1,600‑flying‑hour inspection since March. Eight months on, the Falcon 900EX EASy with registration number 9G-EXE remains grounded, with new faults discovered each time it is scheduled to be dispatched back home.

Initially scheduled for dispatch in mid-year, the Deputy Minister for Defence Brogya Genfi, during a briefing on the floor of Parliament yesterday, November 6, on the reasons for the delay, noted that new technical faults were discovered while the original fault, that is, a corroded fuel tank, was being fixed.

According to Mr Genfi, “The reported corrosion spots detected within the aircraft’s fuel tanks, which affected the aircraft’s delivery date, have undergone extensive repairs. These corrosion issues in the fuel tanks have since been resolved.”

However, he explained that further inspections revealed new problems that caused additional delays.

“In the course of the inspection, fuel leakages were observed from the right-hand wing tank. Unfortunately, after successfully repairing the section of the wing that experienced the leakages, another challenge was encountered while reinstalling the lower panel beneath the wing,” he told Parliament.

The Deputy Minister said the situation required specialised intervention from the manufacturer.

“Following the difficulties encountered, Dassault Aviation invited the Falcon Wing original equipment manufacturer to the Dassault Falcon Services hangar to enable the OEM to conduct an on-site assessment of the right-hand wing lower panel and provide independent technical recommendations aimed at expediting the repair and reinstallation process,” he said.

Mr Genfi added that these repairs have now been completed.

“The repair from the OEM has been successfully carried out, and the right-hand wing repair has also been completed. Upon the completion of this rectification, the aircraft has to undergo a leak test of the fuel tanks, a third engine ground run, painting of the wing lower panel, and finally, an acceptance flight will be performed,” he explained.