RESTRICTED

HISTORY ORGANIZATION AND ROLES OF THE

NIGERIAN AIR FORCE

INTRODUCTION

1. The profession of soldering as part of a military is older than recorded history

itself. As nations developed, the need to ensure the territorial integrity of the State
caused them to institute professional armies. Maritime nations also developed forces to
protect national maritime assets and interests. These forces evolved into naval forces
that were eventually separated from the army. Although people like Francios Pilatre
and Laurent made history by becoming the first human beings to leave the ground in
free flight, the application of military strategy and strategic thought in the domain of
aerial warfare only began to take root after the advent of powered flight by Orville and
Wilbur Wright in 19 Dec 1903 at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. Tethered Balloons were
used extensively for reconnaissance during the American Civil War and by the First
World War, airplanes were already in the sky for both reconnaissance and aerial
bombardment. All this while, the aviation wing, known in some climes as the Air
Service were part and parcel of the Army. Things however began to change when
members of the air arms in several countries like Lord Trenchard of the United
Kingdom, Billy Mitchell of the United States and Guilio Douhet of Italy began to
canvass for independent air forces in their respective countries. In 1918, the Royal Air
Force was formed and Gen Hugh Trenchard became the head of the first independent
air force in history. From then on, air power went on to emerge as the paramount
element of military power. No wonder in his overall assessment of the victory of the
Battle of Britain, Churchill said and I quote “Never in the field of human conflict was
so much owed by so many to so few’’ unquote. Here Churchill was paying tribute to
the Royal Air Force without whose effort the Battle of Britain and indeed the Second
World War may have been lost. The application of air power in other theatres during
2nd World War, the Arab-Israeli Wars, the Gulf wars and indeed the war in former
Yugoslavia among others clearly attest to the vital and crucial contribution of air power
to success in the attainment of modern warfare.

1
RESTRICTED
 RESTRICTED

2. The air force is principally established to deliver air power in furtherance of

national security imperatives. Air power has as many definitions as there are theorists.
However, recent definitions of air power tend to consider its role as a tool for influence.
Since the attributes of air power offer specific, flexible and responsive ways to create
and exert influence, it is now common to define air power as, I quote “the use of air
capabilities to influence the behaviour of actors and course of events” unquote. This
definition indisputably depicts air power as an enabling and protecting agent of
national interest. Consequently, nations wishing to create influence should be able to
establish, equip and structure their air forces such that they can apply air power in a
variety of circumstances. It was on this premise that the Nigerian Air Force was
established.

3. The Nigerian Air Force is constitutionally mandated to maintain Nigeria’s

territorial integrity and the security of its borders from violation from the air. The
implication is that the Nigerian Air Force would defend Nigeria’s airspace and create
suitable air conditions for the operations of the other arms of Nigeria’s military. In
line with this, the Nigerian Air Force employs a variety of air power roles in single,
joint and combined operations in fulfilments of its mandate.

4. In joint and combined settings, inter-service harmony becomes critical to the

operations of the Nigerian Air Force if mission goals must be attained in a prompt and
economical manner. Consequently, some knowledge of the task and capabilities of the
Nigerian Air Force could provide the basis upon which inter-service harmony in
various operations can be built. In line with this, I shall be making this presentation on
the History, Organisation and Role of the Nigerian Air Force which I hope will provide
relevant information on the Nigerian Air Force in order to reasonably enhance jointness
in operations.

AIM

5. To acquaint students of SC 42 with the history, organization and roles of the

Nigerian Air Force.
2
RESTRICTED
 RESTRICTED

SCOPE

6. In order to achieve this aim, the presentation will consider:

a. Historical Background and mandate of the Nigerian Air Force

b. Organization of the Nigerian Air Force

c. Air power Roles of the Nigerian Air Force.

d. Employment and Capabilities of Nigerian Air Force Platforms.

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND AND MANDATE OF THE NIGERIAN AIR

FORCE

7. In discussing the historical background and mandate of the Nigerian Air Force,
we shall look at the history of the Nigerian Air Force and then the constitutional
responsibilities assigned to the Service from its inception.

HISTORY OF THE NIGERIAN AIR FORCE

8. Nigeria became vigorously involved in sub-regional and international

commitments like the United Nations peacekeeping operations after attaining
independence in 1960. However, Nigerian troops were airlifted into and out of
theatres of operations by foreign air forces in the peacekeeping missions in Tanganyika
(now Tanzania) in 1959 and subsequent missions in the Congo in the
early 60s. The huge financial costs, administrative hitches and consequence on
national reputation led to the idea of establishing an air force for Nigeria.

9. In 1962, the first set of personnel were enlisted into the air force and sent for
training in Germany. Subsequently, a Legislative Act on the establishment of the
Nigerian Air Force was passed into law in 1964. The Act states and I quote, ‘There
shall be established and maintained in and for the Federal Republic of Nigeria, an air
force to be known as the Nigerian Air Force’ unquote. The Act also states that the

3
RESTRICTED
 RESTRICTED

Nigerian Air Force shall be charged with the defence of the Federal Republic of
Nigeria by air. Herein lies its mandate.
10. Following its creation, the huge technical requirement for meeting the objective
of the Nigerian Air Force made it necessary for Nigeria to seek foreign assistance.
Consequently, the German Air Force was tasked to organize, train, and equip the
Nigerian Air Force. Accordingly, some officer cadets and airmen were sent to
Germany in 1962 for flying and technical trainings respectively. Unfortunately, the
Nigerian Air Force’s contract with Germany was unexpectedly terminated in 1966 due
to the political crisis which eventually led to the Nigerian Civil War. Thus, the young
inexperienced Nigerian Air Force was prematurely confronted with its responsibility.
Ground attack and medium transport aircraft were hurriedly introduced into the
Service.

11. Despite numerous challenges, the Nigerian Air Force played a very significant
role in the Civil War. After the war, the Nigerian Air Force was then faced with the
problem of re-organization. During this period, the Nigerian Air Force restructured,
adopting a force structure which was modeled after those of the Royal Air Force and
the United States Air Force. The Service continues to reorganize to meet its
constitutional responsibilities in varying threat conditions.

CONSTITUTIONAL ROLES OF THE NIGERIAN AIR FORCE

12. The responsibilities drawn from the establishment Act of the Nigerian Air Force
were expounded in the Armed Forces Act CAP A20 LFN 2004 and they are as follows:

a. Enforcing and assisting in coordinating the enforcement of international

laws, conventions, practices and customs which are ascribed or acceded to by
Nigeria relating to aerial or space activities in the Nigerian airspace.
b. Coordinating and enforcing National and international air laws ascribed or
acceded to by Nigeria.

c. Delineating, demarcating and coordinating all aerial surveys and security

zones of the Nigerian airspace.

4
RESTRICTED
 RESTRICTED

d. Performing other duties as the National Assembly may, from time to time,
prescribe or direct.

13. In operational terms, these provisions are translated into concrete objectives
which are:
a. To achieve a full complement of the military defence system of the
Federal Republic of Nigeria in the air, sea and on land.
b. To ensure fast and versatile mobility of the Nigerian Armed Forces, and
c. To ensure the territorial integrity of Nigeria.

ORGANIZATION OF THE NIGERIAN AIR FORCE

14. The Nigerian Air Force by its current organization is positioned to meet the
present demands of Nigeria’s national security imperatives. It is structured into a
Headquarters and 6 commands. Headquarters Nigerian Air Force is responsible for
establishing long and short-term mission objectives and articulating policies, plans
and procedures for the attainment of these objectives. In addition, it collaborates with
other Services in the planning and execution of operations. At the Headquarters, the
Chief of the Air Staff is vested with the command and control of the Nigerian Air
Force. He is assisted by staff branches, each headed by a branch chief who is of the air
officer rank. The Branch Chiefs report directly to the Chief of the Air Staff and advise
him on policy matters concerning their areas of responsibility. I shall briefly discuss the
Staff branches at Headquarters Nigerian Air Force as well as the field Commands.

NIGERIAN AIR FORCE STAFF BRANCHES

15. The Nigerian Air Force has 10 Staff Branches designed to provide unique
guidance and monitoring of Nigerian Air Force activities. The staff branches are as
shown on the screen. I shall discuss the functions of the branches, starting with:

16. Policy and Plans Branch. The Policy and Plans Branch came into existence in
Dec 2008. Until then, it was a directorate called the Directorate of Plans under the
Office of the Chief of the Air Staff. The Branch is the precedent branch of
Headquarters Nigerian Air Force and is responsible for strategic planning and
5
RESTRICTED
 RESTRICTED

management through the interpretation of national policies as well as coordination of

policy formulation and implementation. The directorates under the Policy and Plans
Branch are: Directorate of Policy, Directorate of Plans, Directorate of Nigerian Air
Force Transformation as well as Directorate of Museum and Archives.

17. Training and Operations Branch. The Training and Operations Branch is
responsible for the formulation of Nigerian Air Force operational polices as well as co-
ordination and monitoring of Nigerian Air Force training and operation activities. The
Branch comprises 5 directorates as shown on the screen.

18. Aircraft Engineering Branch. The Aircraft Engineering Branch is responsible

for the formulation of policies on all aircraft engineering issues, armament, Ground
Support Equipment and maintenance in support of Nigerian Air Force operations. The
Aircraft Engineering Branch has 5 directorates as shown on the screen.

19. Logistics Branch. The erstwhile Logistics and Communications Branch was
unbundled on 5 July 2017 with each becoming independent branches. The Logistics
Branch is responsible for the formulation of policies, planning and monitoring of all
logistics functions in support of Nigerian Air Force operations. The Branch consists of
4 directorates as shown on the screen. It is worthy of note that the current Comdt of the
Armed Forces Command and Staff College being one of the foremost Logisticians in
the Nigerian Air Force was once Chief of Logistics at HQ NAF and later the Chief of
Administration.

20. Communication Information Systems Branch. The newly created

Communication Information Systems Branch is responsible for the formulation of
policies relating to communications, electronic and radar maintenance, information
technology as well as space technology needs of the Nigerian Air Force as well as their
maintenance. The Branch consists of 4 directorates as shown on the screen.

21. Administration Branch.The Administration Branch is responsible for the

formulation of administrative policies in the Nigerian Air Force. It issues directives on

6
RESTRICTED
 RESTRICTED

administrative and welfare matters. The Branch is made up of 9 directorates as shown

on the screen.

22. Standards and Evaluation Branch. The Standards and Evaluation Branch is
responsible for the formulation of policies for preservation of standards and safety in
all Nigerian Air Force operations and facilities. The Branch has 4 directorates as shown
on the screen.

23. Air Secretary Branch. The Air Secretary Branch is responsible for formulating
and promulgating personnel management policies, plans and programmes for
sustaining a highly motivated force. The Branch comprises 2 directorates. The
Directorate of Personnel Management and the Directorate of Recruitment, Reserve and
Resettlement.

24. Medical Services Branch. The Medical Services Branch is responsible for the
formulation, co-ordination and monitoring of Nigerian Air Force medical and health
policies. The Branch comprises 6 directorates as shown on the screen.

25. Accounts and Budget Branch. The Accounts and Budget Branch is
responsible for formulating Nigerian Air Force financial and accounting policies. It is
also responsible for the preparation and presentation of Nigerian Air Force rolling plans
and annual budget estimates. There are 4 directorates under this branch namely;
Directorates of Finance, Accounts, Budget and Inspections.

26. Note also that we have the Directorate of Air Intelligence and the Project
Implementation and Monitoring Team reporting directly to the Chief of Air Staff. We
also have some units that are independent of the commands and report directly to HQ
NAF, we call them Direct Reporting Units. There are currently 30 DRUs as shown on
the screen. These units are basically outposts of the Staff Branches. (Long Pause)

NIGERIAN AIR FORCE COMMANDS

7
RESTRICTED
 RESTRICTED

27. At the field level, the Nigerian Air Force has 6 commands. These commands are
functionally grouped. In order of precedence, they are; the Tactical Air Command,
Special Operations Command, Mobility Command, Air Training Command, Ground
Training Commands, and the Logistics Command. The commands are headed by Air
Officers Commanding (AOCs for short), each being assisted by a Chief of Staff who
also superintends over the affairs of the Command in the absence of the AOC. The
commands are equivalents of Divisions in the Nigerian Army and are organized into
groups/depots headed by commanders. The groups & depots are equivalents of
Brigades in the Army. The Groups are organized into wings headed by commanding
officers. The wings which are further broken down into squadrons, which are
commanded by officers commanding while the squadrons are made up of flights
headed by officers-in-charge.

28. Nigerian Air Force units and their equivalent in the Nigerian Army are as shown
on the screen:

a. A command is equivalent to a division.

b. A group is equivalent to a brigade.
c. A wing is equivalent to a battalion.
d. A squadron is equivalent to a company.
e. A flight is equivalent to a platoon. And
f. A section in the Nigerian Army is also a section in the Nigerian Air Force.

29. Tactical Air Command. The Tactical Air Command is responsible for
interpreting and implementing Nigerian Air Force policies which are thereafter
translated into operational plans. The Headquarters of Tactical Air Command is located
at Makurdi. The Command has 16 groups, one forward operating base and 2 hospitals
under command as shown on the screen. It is through these units that the Tactical Air
Command executes Nigerian Air Force’s operational plans.

30. Special Operations Command. The Special Operations Command was

established in 2016 to execute and coordinate special operations missions for the
Nigerian Air Force. Its principal responsibilities are precision application of fire

8
RESTRICTED
 RESTRICTED

power, infiltration, re-supply and protection tasks in combat air support operations,
Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance as well as Search and Rescue roles. The
Command Headquarters is located in Bauchi and it has 8 groups, one depot, one
forward operating base and one hospital as shown on the screen.

31. Mobility Command. The Mobility Command was established with the aim of
enabling fast and versatile mobility of the Nigerian Armed Forces. The command has
its headquarters in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State. It is tasked with the responsibility of
providing tactical and strategic airlift in support of military operations and in direct
support of government activities. In order to be able to discharge these responsibilities,
the Command is organized into 7 groups as shown on the screen.

32. Air Training Command. An important requirement of any air force is the
availability of highly skilled and competent personnel. To improve on the training of its
personnel, the Nigerian Air Force unbundled the erstwhile Training Command on 5 Jul
17 to create the Air Training Command and Ground Training Command. This was to
ensure that a balanced and more robust focus was given to both air and ground crew
training. The Air Training Command, with its Headquarters in Kaduna, is chiefly
responsible for implementing Nigerian Air Force local flying and aircrew training
policies and programmes. The Air Training Command is made up of 14 groups and 2
hospitals. These units are listed on the screen.

33. Ground Training Command. The Ground Training Command, with its
Headquarters in Enugu, is chiefly responsible for implementing Nigerian Air Force
local ground training policies and programmes. The Ground Training Command is
made up of 9 groups and one hospital as shown on the screen.

34. Logistics Command. Logistics Command is one of the cardinal Commands

of the Nigerian Air Force because the other Commands require logistics to function
effectively. The Logistics Command has its headquarters in Lagos and is responsible
for the implementation of the logistics policies of the Nigerian Air Force. To enable

9
RESTRICTED
 RESTRICTED

her perform its functions optimally, the Logistics Command is organized into 6
groups/depots and one hospital as shown on the screen.

Having discussed the historical background and organization of the Nigerian Air
Force, let us now turn our attention to those air power roles and capabilities that
make the Nigerian Air Force so crucial in the resolution of modern-day conflict. As
we go through this section, I would like us to ponder on the statement by Fd
Marshall Montgomery who stated and I quote “ If we lose the war in the air, we lose
the war and we lose it very quickly” unquote. So let us discuss

AIR POWER ROLES OF THE NIGERIAN AIR FORCE

35. To enhance your understanding of the roles of the Nigerian Air Force, I shall
acquaint you with air power capabilities or what is called the air power roles. The Core
Air Power roles are summarized as: Control of the Air, Strike, Air Mobility as well as
Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance. We also have 2 enabling roles which
are Force Protection and Sustainability.

CONTROL OF THE AIR

36. Control of the Air is one of the major prerequisites for the success of military
operations. It creates the enabling environment for own forces to conduct operations in
the air, land and maritime domains without effective interference from the adversary’s
air power and air defence capabilities. Control of the air also provides freedom from
attack, freedom to attack and freedom of manoeuver. This entails the conduct of
counter air operations which could be either offensive counter air or defensive counter
air operation. The essence of offensive counter air operations is to apply direct pressure
on the adversary’s military capability by attacking his vital airpower assets. While the
essence of defensive counter air operations is to nullify or reduce the effectiveness of
hostile air action. This is usually achieved through detection, interception and
destruction of the adversary’s air assets before their offensive ability is brought to bear
against own forces.

10
RESTRICTED
 RESTRICTED

38. In times of peace or war, any aircraft that violates the nation’s air space would be
intercepted and forced to land, or be destroyed if the aircraft fails to comply. The
aircraft and equipment used for counter air operations in the Nigerian Air Force are:

a. F-7Ni Interceptors.
b. Primary Radars.
c. Surface to Air Missiles.
d. Anti-Aircraft Guns.

STRIKE

39. Next is the Strike Role which covers a variety of kinetic, non-kinetic, lethal and
non-lethal means employed to create the desired physical and/or cognitive effect on the
adversary. I will briefly look at 3 types namely; close air support, interdiction and
maritime air operations. Beginning with close air support.

CLOSE AIR SUPPORT

40. Close air support operations are conducted on request by the land commanders
within their theatre of operation. They are air operations conducted in close proximity
to friendly forces that require detailed integration of each air mission with the fire and
movement of own surface forces. The Nigerian Air Force Alpha Jet, Mi-24 and Mi-35
assault helicopter gunships are used in this role in all our theatres of operation.

AIR INTERDICTION

42. Air interdiction covers those operations aimed at destroying or neutralizing the
adversary’s military potential before it can be brought to bear effectively against
friendly forces. Such operations do not require detailed integration of specific actions
with own forces. The Nigerian Air Force Alpha Jet and F-7Ni are used for this purpose.

MARITIME AIR OPERATIONS

43. The Nigerian Air Force, as part of its roles, conducts maritime air operations
over Nigeria’s territorial waters. The NAF utilizes the inherent advantages of air power
to patrol our coastal areas and support surface forces. The Nigerian Air Force employs

11
RESTRICTED
 RESTRICTED

the ATR 42 Maritime Patrol Aircraft to conduct surveillance and if need be vector
combat aircraft to areas of interest.

AIR MOBILITY

43. Air Mobility is the ability to move personnel, materiel or forces using air
platforms. It covers air transport operations, air to air refueling and airborne operations
but I will dwell only on air transport operations.

AIR TRANSPORT OPERATIONS

44. Air Transport operations are operations that involve the movement by air of
personnel and materiel both within and between theatres of operations. Air Transport
operations could be tactical or strategic and could be carried out by either fixed or
rotary wing aircraft. Over the years, the Nigerian Air Force has successfully conveyed
men and materiel to, from and within our areas of operation. For instance, during
Operation Thunder Storm, NAF C130 aircraft airlifter 6,272 troops and 560 tons of
cargo while the Super Puma airlifted 2000 troops and 10000 tons of cargo in support of
ECOMOG Operations. NAF transport aircraft are currently being used extensively for
air transport operations in support of OPERATION LAFIYA DOLE and other
Operations across the country.

INTELLIGENCE, SURVEILLANCE AND RECONNAISSANCE

45. One of the major force multipliers in warfare is Intelligence Surveillance and
Reconnaissance (ISR). It provides decision makers with key pieces of data, information
and intelligence to enable air and surface forces achieve battle space awareness. This
situational awareness of the battlespace has contributed significantly to the success of
surface forces in our ongoing operations. The Nigerian Air Force increases the
effectiveness of individual ISR capabilities by networking its array of sensors into a
system. This process is currently being employed in the Tactical Operations Centre of
the Air Component Cell of Operation LAFIYA DOLE. NAF ISR platforms include
the ATR 42, Beechcraft 350i and Diamond 42.

12
RESTRICTED
 RESTRICTED

This presentation will not expatiate on Force Protection and Sustainability which are
areas the NAF has developed competency over the years. It is noteworthy that NAF
Force Protection team covers, Base Defence, Mobile Air Defence Teams and VIP
Protection teams. Sustenance on the other hand covers logistics, medicals,
administration, Air Traffic Control, Meteorology amongst others.

46. Having said all, let me mention in passing that air power has its own limitations
which are as shown on the screen: Impermanence, Limited Payload and Fragility. Other
considerations are; Cost, Dependency on Base, Sensitivity to light and weather as well
as sensitivity to technology.

EMPLOYMENT AND CAPABILITIES OF NIGERIAN AIR FORCE

PLATFORMS

47. Nigerian Air Force has a mixture of aircraft types in its inventory which are
being employed in a variety of air power roles. Some of these are interception/ground
attack aircraft, helicopters, Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance, air transport
and training aircraft. It is pertinent to state, however, that an aircraft can be rerolled or
employed in 2 or more roles and contemporary aircraft design favours the creation of
multirole combat aircraft (MRCA) such as the Eurofighter and JF-17 Thunder.

INTERCEPTORS /GROUND ATTACK AIRCRAFT

48 The interceptor and ground attack aircraft in Nigerian Air Force inventory are
the F-7Ni, Alpha Jet, L-39 and MB-339 aircraft.

49. F-7Ni. The Nigerian Air Force F-7Ni is a Chinese-built multirole combat
aircraft. This aircraft is an improved version of the Russian made MiG 21 with a mix of
Western, Israeli and Chinese avionics, radar and weapons systems. This aircraft was
brought in to bridge the capability gap created by the withdrawal of the MiG-21 and
Jaguar combat aircraft from Service.

13
RESTRICTED
 RESTRICTED

50. Alpha Jet. The Nigerian Air Force Alpha Jet is a Franco- German
manufactured aircraft utilized in the ground attack and reconnaissance roles. It is also
used for fighter combat training. This aircraft was effectively employed in ECOMOG
operations in Liberia and Sierra Leone. It is still effectively used in current Nigerian
Air Force operations all across the country particularly in the NE.

51. L-39ZA. The L-39ZA aircraft is manufactured in the Czech Republic and is
used for conducting basic jet training for Nigerian Air Force pilots. The aircraft has
recently being weaponized by the Air Force Research and Development Centre. Test
firing has been successfully conducted and the aircraft has been rerolled to carry out
ground attack missions.

52. MB-339. The MB 339 is of Italian make and is primarily a basic flying trainer
with much the same characteristics as the L-39ZA and can be rerolled for ground attack
role.

HELICOPTERS

53. The helicopters currently in use in the Nigerian Air Force are the Mi helicopters
series, Agusta helicopter types, Super Puma and EC 135, Dauphin and Bell 412
helicopters.

54. MI Helicopters. The Russian-made Mi-17 helicopter is used for medium

transport, search and rescue as well as logistics supply. The NAF’s Mi-17 was
weaponised by the NAF and used to deliver high caliber bombs in the operations in the
North East. The Mi-24 and Mi-35 attack helicopter are primarily designed as
helicopter gunships for air assault and close air support. They can each land a section
of troops and support it from the air with gunfire, rockets and missiles. They are
primarily being employed in the close air support and air interdiction roles in several
Nigerian Air Force operations. The Nigerian Air Force operates the Mi helicopters in
all operational theatres for combat and combat support missions. The acquisition of the
Mi-35M has improved NAF’s night capability and precision in the theatre of operation.

14
RESTRICTED
 RESTRICTED

55. AgustaA109 Executive/Light Utility Helicopter. The Agusta A109 helicopters

are employed for light utility and basic pilot training. They are currently being
employed for light attack, search and rescue as well as reconnaissance roles in
Operation LAFIYA DOLE. The NAF recently acquired the combat version, the Agusta
109 Power which has already been deployed for anti-banditry and counter terrorism
operations. The Agusta Westland 101 Helicopter was recently delivered to the Nigerian
Air Force from the Presidential Air Fleet. It can be employed as a troop carrier as well
as for casualty evacuation when reconfigured.

56. Super Puma Helicopter. The Super Puma helicopter is a multi-role

helicopter manufactured in France by Eurocopter. It is employed for tactical airlift,
search and rescue, as well as medical and casualty evacuation.

57. The EC 135, Dauphin and Bell 412 Helicopters Were ceded to the NAF from
the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation in 2016. The helicopters have been
weaponised by the NAF except for the Dauphin. The weaponized helicopters are
currently being employed for armed recce, armed patrol, armed air escort, combat
search and rescue, as well as casualty and evacuation in support of Operations LAFIYA
DOLE, HADARIN DAJI and AWATSE.

INTELLIGENCE SURVEILLANCE AND RECONNAISSANCE PLATFORMS

58. Owing to the vital role of Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance in

operations, especially its major role in counter insurgency operations, the Nigerian Air
Force has acquired and developed several Intelligence, Surveillance and
Reconnaissance platforms. They include: ATR-42, Diamond-42, Beechcraft King
Air 350i and unmanned aerial vehicles.

59. ATR 42 Maritime Patrol Aircraft. The Alenia ATR 42 Maritime Patrol
Aircraft is an Italian built aircraft. It is used for Intelligence, Surveillance and
Reconnaissance. It also serves as command post and carries out light transport missions
when required. While the Diamond-42 aircraft is a flexible surveillance aircraft which
can be configured to carry different kinds of ISR and Electronic Warfare equipment. It
15
RESTRICTED
 RESTRICTED

is currently being employed for ISR in several operations including Operation LAFIYA
DOLE and HADARIN DAJI.

60. Beechcraft King Air 350i. The Beechcraft King Air 350i is a light transport
aircraft that was originally conceived as a replacement for the ageing Do-228 fleet.
However, its excellent characteristics makes the aircraft explicitly suited for air
surveillance. The aircraft is also capable of real-time image streaming to ground
receivers for timely dissemination. It is currently being employed in Operation
LAFIYA DOLE and HADARIN DAJI for ISR, Battle Damage Assessment and air
command post roles.

61. Unmanned Aerial Vehicles. The Nigerian Air Force has different types of
UAVs in its inventory; These include the Gulma and Tsaigumi UAVs as well as CH-
3A and ASIRI. Gulma and Tsaigumi are Nigerian-made unmanned aerial vehicle that
could be used for ISR. They are currently undergoing some modifications to improve
their efficiency. The CH-3A and the Asiri UAV on the other hand were acquired from
foreign Original Equipment manufacturers and are being used for ISR and Air
Interdiction missions. The CH-3A is actually an Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle and
has the capacity to carry bombs and guided missiles for precision strikes.

TRANSPORT AIRCRAFT

62. The Nigerian Air Force transport aircraft as categorized in this presentation are
those aircraft which are employed for air transportation in primary roles. They are the
C-130, G-222, DO-228, the Citation and Falcon aircraft.

63. C-130 and G-222. The American made C-130 Hercules is engaged as a
long and medium range transport aircraft for transportation of troops and logistics. In
addition, the Italian built G-222 medium transport aircraft is also engaged in transport
role as well as paratrooping exercises. The G-222 fleet is however currently grounded.

64. DO-228. The German manufactured DO-228 is a light transport aircraft used
mainly for light liaison and airlift. It is also employed for para-trooping exercises and
16
RESTRICTED
 RESTRICTED

air border patrol. The ATR 42 and Beechcraft which we discussed earlier can also
undertake this mission.

65. Cessna Citation II and Dassault Falcon 900B. The Cessna Citation II and
Dassault Falcon 900 aircraft were originally in the Presidential Air Fleet but
subsequently ceded to the Nigerian Air Force to augment its transport aircraft fleet.
Like the DO-228, both aircraft are used for light transport, but mainly for VIPs. The
citation is currently grounded

TRAINER AIRCRAFT

66. The aircraft used by Nigerian Air Force for primary flying training are: ABT-18,
Diamond DA-40 and the Super Mushshak.

67. ABT-18 (Air Beetle). The Air Beetle was built in Nigeria by a joint
partnership of Dornier Aviation Nigeria AIEP (DANA) and the Nigerian Air Force.
The aircraft was used as a primary trainer for ab-initio flying training. However, this
aircraft has been replaced with the Diamond DA-40 and Super Mushshak aircraft.

68. Diamond 40. The Diamond 40 is an Austrian made single engine aircraft used
for primary flying training and other purposes. The aircraft has been used as a primary
trainer by the Nigerian Air Force since early 2015.

69. Super Mushshak. The Super Mushshak was inducted into the inventory of the
Nigerian Air Force in Dec 16. The aircraft is a primary trainer which meets modern
training syllabus and is currently being used in conjunction with the DA-40 aircraft for
primary flying training. Please note also that the L-39ZA and the Alpha Jets are used
as basic and advanced jet trainers respectively.

70. With the set of aircraft enumerated, the Nigerian Air Force has effectively
carried out its role of defending the territorial integrity of Nigeria by air. However
before I conclude, it is pertinent to note that the NAF like every other air force is
working towards enhancing its operational efficiency. So before I conclude this
17
RESTRICTED
 RESTRICTED

presentation permit me to give a very quick overview of the projections of the Nigerian
Air Force.

FUTURE PROJECTIONS

71. Air power as you all know is sensitive to and indeed driven by technology. The
Nigerian Air Force is therefore making efforts to enhance its operational capabilities
through the use of technology. Consequently, the NAF recently, established the
Geospatial Intelligence Data Centre to take advantage of satellite technology for
reconnaissance purposes. When fully operational it will cut down considerably on our
current ISR effort, saving us man hour, fuel and maintenance cost.

72. The NAF has also signed a contract with the US for the delivery of A-29 Super
Tucano which will be used for Close Air Support and interdiction missions. The first
set are expected within a couple of years. The NAF has also signed a contract for the
delivery of the J-17 Thunder from Pakistan. The aircraft is a Multirole Combat Aircraft
produced jointly by China and Pakistan. The NAF is also looking at acquiring more
UCAVs to enhance ISR and precision strikes. Efforts are also ongoing to look for
replacement for some ageing and grounded aircraft like the G-222. A lot is also being
done in the area of research and development as well as force protection and base
defence and I believe as things begin to unfold the Nigerian Air Force and indeed
Nigeria will be better for it.

CONCLUSION

73. In conclusion Gentlemen, I would like to reiterate that the Nigerian Air Force
was established by an Act of Parliament in 1964 to provide the full complement of the
military defence system of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Presently, the Nigerian Air
Force is organized into 10 staff branches and 6 field commands. The Nigerian Air
Force carries out several air power roles in support of Nigeria’s national security

18
RESTRICTED
 RESTRICTED

imperatives. Like every organization, the NAF is working assiduously towards

ensuring that we evolve into an air force that we will all be proud of.

19
RESTRICTED