The Nigerian Air Force is pursuing the acquisition of 12 AH-1Z attack helicopters to strengthen its combat capabilities amid sustained air operations against security threats across the country.

The Director of Public Relations and Information, NAF Headquarters, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday ahead of the first anniversary of the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Aneke, on October 30.

Ejodame said the planned acquisition formed part of efforts to modernise the service’s fleet and improve its combat, airlift, training, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities.

He added that the Air Force received five additional helicopters in September, comprising three AW-109 Trekker Type B helicopters and two H125 helicopters.

The spokesman also disclosed that six L-39ZA aircraft were undergoing reactivation and upgrades in Slovakia and Nigeria, while periodic depot maintenance on a C-130 aircraft was ongoing in Portugal.

On operational activities, Ejodame said the NAF recorded more than 6,100 flying hours and over 2,900 sorties between November 2025 and September 2026, consuming nearly 10 million litres of Jet A-1 aviation fuel in support of national security operations.

He said the missions included precision air strikes, armed reconnaissance, surveillance and close air support designed to degrade hostile elements, disrupt their freedom of action and improve the effectiveness of ground forces.

According to him, the operations were guided by actionable intelligence, clearly defined objectives and assessments of mission outcomes.

“Between November 2025 and September 2026, the NAF recorded over 6,100 flying hours and more than 2,900 sorties, consuming close to 10 million litres of Jet A-1 fuel in support of national security operations,” Ejodame said.

On infrastructure, the spokesman said the service had approved 284 projects, with 145 completed and 139 ongoing.

He said the projects covered residential accommodation, academic and medical facilities, administrative and operational infrastructure, roads, electricity, water supply and recreational facilities.

Ejodame added that 57 senior officers were promoted to the ranks of Air Vice Marshal and Air Commodore, while 1,534 senior non-commissioned officers and 1,936 non-commissioned officers also advanced to higher ranks.

He said more than 550 personnel participated in international training and professional engagements, while over 6,000 received local training to strengthen their technical skills, specialised competencies and leadership capacity.

The Air Force, he added, was also pursuing indigenous production initiatives involving Aircraft Release Device 863 impulse release cartridges, a 250-kilogramme bomb-loading trolley and the development and ground testing of locally produced 57-millimetre rockets.

Ejodame said the initiatives were part of Aneke’s transformation agenda, which prioritised operational effectiveness, personnel welfare, technological advancement and institutional accountability.

He said the service remained committed to translating investments in personnel, aircraft, training, technology and infrastructure into improved operational outcomes.