African Airplane

A South African arms company has unveiled what it calls the first all-African military plane.

Johannesburg-based Paramount Group boss Ivor Ichikowitz, showing reporters the Advanced High Performance Reconnaissance Light Aircraft (AHRLAC) on Tuesday, says the lightweight aircraft can be used for peacekeeping missions and reconnaissance and is armed to defend itself. Ichikowitz says it's the first such aircraft to be designed and built entirely by African companies.

He says he's received an order from a country he would not name for 50 of the planes, each costing about $10 million.

Paramount Group is one of Africa's largest military hardware producers and has markets in West Africa and the Middle East.

(AP Photo/Denis Farrell)