Air Force acquires 12 new fighter aircraft

The Nigerian Air Force says it has acquired 12 additional fighter aircraft  but still expects  50 more.

The Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Hassan Abubakar, who said this on Saturday during a meeting with war veterans in Kaduna, said  the newly acquired aircraft were two King Air 360i light transport aircraft, four T-129 ATAK helicopters, two Agusta Westland 109 Trekker, and four DA-62 surveillance aircraft.

But he said the NAF was still expecting to take delivery of  24 M-346 fighter aircraft and 10 additional Agusta Westland 109 Trekker helicopters from Italy.

He listed others bein expected to include two additional T-129 ATAK helicopters from Turkey, 3 CASA 295 transport aircraft from Spain and 12 AH-1Z Vipper helicopters from the United States.

The Air Force Chief who was represented by NAF’s Chief of Administration, Air Vice Marshal Idi Sani, said,  “Overhauling of airfield infrastructure, enhancement of operational effectiveness, the establishment of new branches and directorates, adoption of predictive maintenance culture, research and development, boosting strategic partnerships, enhancing welfare, and infrastructural renewal.

“The Nigerian Air Force is committed to becoming a more effective and agile force capable of addressing the country’s security challenges.

“We have made significant progress in the last 18 months, and we are committed to sustaining this momentum. The acquisition of the new aircraft is a testament to our commitment to becoming a more effective and agile force.

“The NAF has delivered an additional 12 new platforms, each infusing unique capabilities to our ongoing operations. These include 2 King Air 360i light transport aircraft, 4 T-129 ATAK helicopters, 2 Agusta Westland 109 Trekker and 4 DA-62 surveillance aircraft.

“The NAF is poised to take delivery of 24 M-346 fighter aircraft and 10 additional Agusta Westland 109 Trekker helicopters from Italy.“Other platforms being expected were two additional T-129 ATAK helicopters from Turkey, 3 CASA 295 transport aircraft from Spain and 12 AH-1Z Vipper helicopters from the United States.

“In other words, the Nigerian Air Force will take additional delivery of 50 brand new aircraft between December this year and 2026.

“We have shifted towards predictive maintenance, which enables us to assess the condition of our aircraft and other equipment and anticipate and schedule maintenance ahead of time.”