NAF acquires 63 brand new aircraft in three years – CAS

The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar, says the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), in the last three years, took delivery of 63 brand new aircraft into its inventory.

Abubakar made this known at the NAF Training, Operations, and Safety Seminar for the year 2024, on Wednesday in Abuja.

He said the NAF had witnessed a remarkable renaissance, evident in the renewal of its aircraft fleet and enhanced operational readiness with the support of President Bola Tinubu.

The CAS said that in the last year, the NAF took delivery of 12 advanced aircraft, including two KA-360i aircraft, four DA-62 aircraft, four T-129 helicopters, and two AW-109 Trekker helicopters.
The CAS said the service was expecting additional deliveries of two T-129 helicopters and one KA-360i aircraft before the year ends.

“In 2025, the NAF will receive 10 AW-109 Trekker helicopters, 24 M-346FA aircraft, and three CASA-295 aircraft, as well as 12 AH-1Z attack helicopters.

“This makes a total of 64 brand new aircraft in about three years. That’s not all.

“In addition to these new acquisitions, we have also procured 12 pre-owned A-Jet aircraft from the French Air Force through SOFEMA.

“All 12 aircraft are ready for shipping. It is anticipated that six will be restored to operable status, with the remaining six used as spares to support the Alpha Jet fleet,” he said.

Abubakar said it was no exaggeration to state that the NAF was experiencing a golden era under the current administration.

He pledged the commitment of the service to continue consolidating on the operational gains made so far.

According to him, a review of their key performance indicators shows that between June 2023 and September 2024, the NAF conducted 8,665 missions in 9,928 sorties within 15,915 flying hours.

This, he said, underscored the magnitude of the relentless efforts of NAF personnel in all theatres of operations.

The air chief commended all Air Component Commanders for their exceptional leadership and outstanding performance, urging them to build on the success and strive for greater excellence.

In the aspect of training, Abubakar said the NAF had gained significant mileage in 2024, as 405 airmen and 186 officers had completed various foreign courses, seminars, and trips, while 64 were currently ongoing.

He added that 5,474 and 1,331 personnel had completed and were undergoing various local training courses, respectively.

“Furthermore, from January to November, the service has trained 54 pilots abroad and 43 pilots locally, while 16 UAV operators were trained locally.

“Indeed, it is gratifying that today we will also be witnessing the winging ceremony of 28 of these pilots and operators,” he said.