FG Sends Nigerian Air Force 12 New Aircraft, Plans to Acquire More

Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hassan Abubakar said the new aircraft will enable the Nigerian Air Force to effectively respond to the nation’s security challenges.

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has received 12 new aircraft from the Federal Government, Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hassan Abubakar, announced on Friday. The aircraft, comprising four Diamond 62 surveillance aircraft, two King Air 360 light transport aircraft, four T-129 ATAK helicopters, and two Agusta Westland 109 Trekker helicopters, were deployed to the NAF between September 2023 and September 2024.

Speaking at the graduation ceremony of the Air War Course 10/2024 at the Air Force War College Nigeria in Makurdi, Abubakar said the new aircraft will enable the NAF to effectively respond to the nation’s security challenges. He noted that the NAF is also expected to take delivery of more platforms in the coming months, including 24 M-346 fighter aircraft, 10 additional Agusta Westland 109 Trekker helicopters, three CASA 295 transport aircraft, and 12 AH-1Z Vipper helicopters from Italy and the United States respectively.

The CAS emphasized the importance of interoperability between the NAF and other sister agencies in addressing the country’s diverse security challenges. He urged the graduates to remain relentless in their pursuit of knowledge and to promote seamless cooperation with other services and security agencies.

In his address, Minister of Defence, Muhammad Abubakar, highlighted the nation’s current security challenges, which threaten peace, unity, and prosperity. He encouraged the Armed Forces to provide innovative and proactive methods to combat these challenges.

The Commandant of the Air Force War College Nigeria, AVM Adebayo Kehinde, announced that 26 participants graduated from the nine-month study program, comprising representatives from the NAF, Nigeria Navy, Nigerian Army, National Defence College, Ghana Air Force, and Cameroon Air Force.

The graduation ceremony featured a presentation of certificates to the graduates by the Minister of Defence. The next round of the course is scheduled to begin in January 2025 and will have representatives from five additional countries.