It was a spectacular display of firepower by fighter jets and helicopters of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) at the Kwenev shooting range, Agasha Guma local government area of Benue state venue of the first event marking the 53rd anniversary celebration of the NAF.
The event which was aptly tagged “Weapons Meet” was witnessed by the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Abayomi Olonishakin, the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, former Chief of Defence Staff , Air Chief Marshal Oluseyi Petirin, retired senior military officers, the Emir of Borgu, Alhaji Muhammad Dantoro, Kitoro 1V.
Not a few of the spectators became apprehensive as the ‘Range Rules” were read out which included curious instructions to the pilots and spectators. It also included an explanation of the marks and objects on the range and the direction where the fighter aircraft will appear included the targets to be shot.
The purpose of the exercise was not only to display the firepower of the NAF, but to also sharpen the skills of the pilots many of whom were engaged in the war on insurgency in the northeast. According to the CAS, the exercise also served as a means of retraining the men deployed in the fight to end criminality in Nigeria especially in the northeast.
“Our desire is to keep training and retraining so we can have a very professional air force, that is the essence of what you saw this afternoon, we are working round the clock to sustain the peace we have seen in the Northeast. We want to have professionals that can deliver and that is why we are organizing this exercise,” Abubakar said.
The NAF lined up some of the most lethal fighting machines in its inventory including the Alpha Jets, F-7Ni jets, Augusta 109-LUH helicopters, L-39ZA jets and ground to air missiles. The jets would carry various weapons like the 23mm Cannon, G-5 Rockets, SNEB rockets, 30mm practice cannons, 90-1 rockets while the Agusta helicopters were loaded with the 12.7,, side door gun.
A show of air power
The first Agusta 109-LUH helicopter gunship showed up from the East, it was not a pretty machine to behold and it made an awful lot of noise. It did not fire the targets which had been designated by two large white sheets with a van in the middle standing for the bull’s eye. The helicopter was flown by Wing Commander Akomolafe and assisted by Squadron Leader I. Godwin.
It flew over the attack line without firing a shot. Then it came back and without warning a bust of gunfire erupted on the ground. It was difficult to know when the attack began or when it ended. The shot was rapid and intense; it went away and returned for another round of gunfight.
But the fighter jets namely: Alpha, F-7Ni and L39ZA jets ruled the sky. Coming up in the cobra, tiger and individual formations, they made frightening entry, forcing every eye to the sky and barely giving the spectators enough time to view their breathtaking display before they disappeared deep into the sky.
Then they returned, a booming fire and targets are destroyed. One could see a huge fire where the impact has been made. The range announcer, Group Captain Bassey said this was an apt demonstration of the various interdiction missions the jets have conducted against Boko Haram in the northeast.
It was the turn of the land-to air-missiles which has been locally produced by the engineers of the NAF, which was carefully positioned to face the bull’s eye. It was a massive deployment of missiles with far reaching range. The process was repeated a second time with applause from the spectators.
Impressed by air power
The CDS did not struggle to find the words to praise the NAF after a sterling display of air power, a reenactment of the dominant role its pilots have played in Sambisa forest and other areas of conflict in the northeast.
“Today, I am proud to declare that the Nigerian Air Force has lived up to expectation. The sequencing, airmanship and accurate delivery of firepower from the various platforms that participated at the Air Weapons Meet are highly commendable. What we have witnessed is a demonstration of what happens during air interdiction, ground attack and close air support missions that our pilots conduct frequently in the on-going counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency operation.
“Presently, we can boast of an Air Force that can deliver appropriate firepower, at the right time and at the place of our own chosen. I want to use this opportunity to commend the Chief-of the Air Staff for his commitment to improving the capability of the Nigerian Air Force including the capacity development of his officers and men,” Olonisakin said.
The Defence Chief also believed that there has been a tremendous improvement in the capacity of the Armed forces to defend the country. “Overall, we have witnessed a tremendous improvement in the capacity of the Nigerian Armed Forces to carry out our constitutional responsibility of defending the territorial integrity of a united Nigeria by land, sea and air. I want to use this. I want to use this opportunity to once again thank the President Commander-in-Chief Muhammadu Buhari for his pragmatic and exemplary leadership, not only to the Armed Forces, but also to the entire country,” he said.
