الخرطوم 25/12 سونا
(KHARTOUM) - July/6/SUNA/ President of the Republic, Field Marshal Omer Al-Bashir, inaugurated Sunday morning at Al-Safat Planes Industry Complex at Karrari Locality , and launched the first Sudanese-made plane (Safat 01), in the presence of the Minister of Defence, Lt. Gen. Abdul-Rahim Mohamed Hussein, a number of ministers and senior officers of the Armed Forces,holders of the constitutional and executive posts as well as the foreign aviation companies and foreign diplomats accredited to Sudan.
A huge mass rally also attended the inauguration at the site of the complex. The President of the Republic, field Marshal Omar Al Bashir, while addressing the inauguration ceremony said the policy of self reliance that has been followed by the National Salvation has led the country to the achievements in the field of dams, roads, sugar and Ethanol production, pointing that the government would continue with its programmes for the achievement of a revolution in all the domains, particularly the domain of strategic industries. The president said all the parts used to assemble the plane have been manufactured at the Al Yarmouk complex , commending the achievements made by the Military manufacturing authority in the domain of producing vehicles, heavy machinery, armored vehicles and tanks. He added that the next programme of the government is to spread the national electricity grid to cover the whole country. On his side the Minister of Industry, Dr. Jalal Yousif Al-Degair, said that Sudan is able to take its place in the field of airplanes industry despite the blockade being imposed on it by the western forces, especially with regard to the manufacturing of planes' spare-parts. Dr. Al-Degair said that the inauguration of Al-Safat Planes' Complex represented a strong boost to the development process all over the country at different fields. Meanwhile, General Director of Al-Safat Planes' Complex, Brig. Mirghani Idris, said that the inauguration of the first Sudanese-made plane is a gift extended by the Military Manufacturing Organ to the Sudanese people after the establishment of GIAD Industrial City. He said that the settling of the airplane industry in Sudan is a right for the coming generation under the current speedy developments in the world, indicating that the settlement of the planes' industry in the country will lead to opening new markets internally and regionally. Brig Mirghani Idriss told reporters that a five-year plan was put in place to produce the first model of the plane named 'Safat-01' and that 10 more will be forthcoming. Idriss added that the planes are Sudanese manufactured up to 80% with assistance from Chinese and Russian partners. He also said that the cost of the plane 'Safat-01' is $15,000. He said in 3 years the plane manufacturing and maintenance will be "Sudanized" adding that the maintenance section of the complex will primarily focus on civilian aviation. He hoped that the complex will be a regional center in North Africa and maintained that it is currently the largest in the Arab and African world in terms of infrastructure and training according to international standards. The Safat aviation complex was founded in 2024 to primarily support primarily the Sudanese air force. It is part of Sudan's military manufacturing commission. Alsafat aviation complex , besides the maintenance will rehabilitae the civil and military planes at wadi saydina military area in Omdurman where the complex is founded
Al Safat training plains will work on the sphere of training the sudanese armed forces using cars fuel which is less in cost than the fiogas used by the normal planes
The establishment of of aeroplanes industry and technology is the main objective announced by the the complex administration during the press conference held yesterday (Monday) at the complex headquarters in Wadi Saydna Omdurman
The complex administration expressed happiness and satisfaction by the realization of the great achievement within four years where the actual work has started in the complex in 2024 head of the Safat manufacturing complex retired Brig.Mirgani Edris said the planes maintainance abroad is very costy and requires the dismantling and transporting of the plane which is costly and difficult process
He added that our strategic goal is to establish the technology of planes industry in the Sudan using the most advanced systems and local efficient andqualified cadres and to benefit from the Chinese, Russian and Serbian experiencies , then the work will be Sudanized within the coming three years which will witness the production of Alsafat 2 and 3 which are being assembled now and will be exhibited for the customers
He also explained that in addition to the planes maintenenance, mobile workshops will be established to amend the broken down planes at the regional level besides the currently running maintainence operations of of the helicopters and the civilplanes , the UN carriers and the Antinof planes 12-26-32-74. He explained that all this work is based on the integrated administrative system of good competence and high standard of professionalism according to the requirements of the international Civil aviation. Retired Brig. Mirghani pointed to the strategic objectives represnted in the maintenance of the fighter planes as a precautionary measures against any dangers of its maintenance outside the country besides the maintenece of the helicopters planes and the spraying planes and the need for manugacturing training planes
He stressed on the necessity of gaining the trust of the companies and local institutions to maintain their planes in the complex, saying that now there is a plan to maintain 11 military planes by foreign experts and Sudanese engineers, hoping that this complex will develop to be a regional maintenance center. Regarding the second phase he explained that it targets the production of 50 planes of the develoed safat model Zero / 3 fr the main training odf the the air force and will be completed within 5 years. On his side the executive manager of the complex Ahmed Abdalla said said they have coordination with the local air companies to know the required kind of maintenance work to enhane the comprehensive air services through the appropriate maintenance work.