The Nigerian Air Force, has on Saturday, announced that it has bought another 12 fighter aircraft to boost the operational capabilities of the force.
FCNN gathered that the new additions to the NAF fleet include two King Air 360i light transport aircraft, four T-129 ATAK helicopters, two AgustaWestland 109 Trekkers, and four DA-62 surveillance aircraft.
Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Hassan Abubakar, made this known during a parley with NAF veterans resident in Kaduna.
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Abubakar further stated that moving forward, the NAF is poised to take delivery of 24 M-346 fighter aircrafts and 10 additional AgustaWestland 109 Trekker helicopters from Italy.
Adding that other platforms being expected include two additional T-129 ATAK helicopters from Turkey, three CASA 295 transport aircrafts from Spain, and 12 AH-1Z Viper helicopters from the United States.
He said the NAF would take additional delivery of 50 brand-new aircraft between December 2025 and 2026.According to the Air Chief, the acquisition of the new aircraft is part of the NAF’s efforts to boost its operational effectiveness.
In addition to acquiring new aircraft, he said the NAF has also adopted a predictive maintenance culture aimed at reducing equipment failures and downtime.
Abubakar, represented by NAF’s Chief of Administration, Air Vice Marshal Idi Sani, at the event, noted that the Force had made significant strides in various areas in the last 18 months.
“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 CAS stated.
