The
Nigerian Air Force (NAF) says it has acquired six brand new
helicopters, to reinvigorate the nation’s air power. Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air
Marshal Sadique Abubakar, who made the disclosure in Abuja,
said this was the first time in about 18 years that the NAF will be making such
acquisition.
Abubakar
made the disclosure at the “winging” ceremony of 12 pilots, who will be
deployed to boost the air component of Operation Lafiya Dole in the North-East,
and other internal security operations across the country. “This is the
first time in about 18 years that we are acquiring six brand new helicopters
for the air force,” the CAS said.
According to
the Air Chief, “This is quite significant in the sense that at least we are
building capacity and making sure that we have the right number of qualified
staff that will man these helicopters that have been acquired. “Human capacity
is the most important. You can have all the aircraft, but if you don’t
have people who are trained to fight with aircraft, you will still not get
anything. Now that the government is acquiring more platforms for us, we
already have pilots.”
He expressed
delight that this was the second time the NAF was graduating new pilots this
year. “This is the second time that we are winging pilots this year and this
shows that we are thinking ahead of what the government is providing for us and
I think it is really impacting positively,” he said.
Meanwhile, the
NAF has trained the first set of two flying officers from Liberia. The 12
new pilots, and their Liberian counterparts, acquired their trainings from the
International Aviation College in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, as well as
the Afrika Union Aviation Academy, South Africa.
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