Ghanaian Vice-President John Dramani Mahama said the country’s air force would acquire eight new aircraft in 2011.

The air force will take the delivery of an Embraer 190 jet, financed by the government of Brazil, to improve its strategic lift capacity to move troops.

The air force will also acquire one 50-seater troop transport plane, two light aircraft and four helicopters.

The Ghanaian Air Force has already taken delivery of a 16-seater Falcon 900 EX EASY jet for the transportation of the country’s president.

Manufactured by Dassault Aviation of France and valued at $37m, the new Falcon 900 will replace the 35-year-old Fokker 28 presidential jet, according to africanmanager.com.