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Tag: NAF

  • US pledges prompt delivery of fighter jets to NAF

    The United States of America has assured it will deliver the 12 units of Super Tucano aircraft ordered by the Federal Government on time.

    The Director of the US Air Force Security Assistance and Cooperation (AFSAC) Brig. Gen. Sean Farrell said everything would be done to deliver the aircrafts on schedule to enable Nigeria step up the fight against terrorism.

    He spoke during a visit to the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) headquarters in Abuja.

    Farrell, according to the spokesman for the NAF, Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola, is one of the officers overseeing the ongoing process of the procurement of the A-29 Supper Tucano aircraft.

    Daramola, in a statement in Abuja, said an American delegation of which Farrell was a member was in the country to discuss the delivery schedule of the aircraft and construction of a base to keep the aircraft.

    He said the delegation expressed its readiness to complete the execution of the contract in record time, noting the visit to the Base would provide the team with firsthand knowledge of the construction site as well as help avoid delays in schedule and risks in the future.

  • NAF wings 91st combat pilot

    The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, has winged another combat pilot, Flying Officer Salihu Usman, in Abuja.

    This brings to 91 the number of winged pilots in three years.

    Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola, NAF Director of Public Relations and Information, made this known in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja.

    He said that Usman recently completed his Basic Fighter Introduction Course (BFIC) in the U.S.

    He added that: “The Chief of the Air Staff’s quest to re-professionalise the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) through capacity building initiatives have received a further boost with the winging of another young NAF combat pilot, Flying Officer Salihu Usman.

    “This is besides the 67 NAF officers who are currently undergoing flying training in various flying institutions both within and outside the country.

    “It is, therefore, expected that by this time next year, the total number of new pilots would reach an unprecedented 158 in just 4 years.

    “More remarkably, among the 67 student pilots, is the first female NAF student fighter pilot, who is currently undergoing Specialised Undergraduate Pilot Training (SUPT) in the USA.

    ”Another female student pilot is undergoing helicopter training in South Africa to become the first female helicopter pilot in the NAF,” Daramola said.

    He said that the newly winged pilot was admitted into the NDA in August 2010 as a member of 62nd Regular Combatant Course, where he obtained a degree in Electrical and Electronics Engineering.

    “As the best Air Force Cadet in his course, he was nominated for IOT Course, at the Royal Air Force College, Cranwell UK after which he was commissioned into the NAF as a Pilot Officer.

    “Thereafter, Flying Officer Usman was nominated for the SUPT where he earned the U.S. Air Force Silver Wing.

    “Upon successful completion of the SUPT Course with outstanding performance, the USAF found him worthy of recommendation for the Basic Fighter Introduction Course (BFIC).

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    “He has a total of 265 flying hours on the Cessna 172, T-6A and T-38C aircraft types,” Daramola said.

    He said that Abubakar had expressed delight to receive the pilot back from the U.S. and congratulated him for his outstanding performances during the SUPT and BFIC.

    The CAS noted that “the young pilot was returning to the country at a time when the NAF, with the kind support of the Federal Government was about to receive additional combat platforms in the shape of the A-29 Super Tucano and JF-17 Thunder Multi-Role Fighter.”

    He said the CAS noted that “these new platforms would improve NAF’s ability to more effectively respond to national security imperatives.”

  • Boko Haram : NAF decimates hideout in Bogum, Borno

    The Nigerian Air Force ( NAF ) says its Air Task Force (ATF) of Operation Lafiya Dole has decimated a Boko Haram Terrorist (BHT) hideout and neutralised several insurgents at Bogum in Northern Borno.

    Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola, NAF Director of Public Relations and Information, made this known in a statement on Monday.

    Daramola, who noted that the attack was carried out on Sunday, added that the action followed intelligence report that the insurgents had been carrying out activities within the settlement.

    He stated that “the ATF used two Mi-35 Helicopter Gunships to engage and destroy the identified BHT positions in the village.

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    “The task force focused on concentration areas of the insurgents and attacked in successive waves with direct hits on the targets, leading to the neutralisation of several BHTs.

    “The few surviving insurgents were tracked and mopped up in subsequent attacks.”

    The director added that NAF was working with surface forces and would sustain the tempo of operations with a view to destroying remnants of the terrorists on the fringes of Lake Chad and other areas in Northern Borno.

  • Saraki eulogies dead NAF officer, laments crash incident

    Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, has commiserated with the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) and the family of the Air Force pilot, who died in a crash in Abuja on Friday.

    The crash involved two NAF fighter jets participating in a flying rehearsal for the nation’s 58th Independence anniversary on Monday.

    One of the pilots, Squadron Leader Bello Baba-Ari, died in the incident.

    Saraki’s reaction came in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Yusuph Olaniyonu, on Saturday.

    He described the dead pilot and his colleagues involved in the incident as “true heroes dedicated to their national calling.”

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    He lamented the accident and called for special recognition for all the officers – both dead and alive – who partook in the “unfortunate national assignment.”

    Saraki said, “I am saddened over the tragic crash of two Nigerian Air Force fighter jets in Abuja that led to the loss of an officer and injuries on others.

    “The affected officers are true heroes among countless other military personnel who continue to put their lives on the line to defend and make the country proud.

    “Nigeria has lost a truly dedicated and patriotic officer.

    “The departed officer and his colleagues, who survived the unfortunate crash, deserve special recognition and place in annals of the nations’s military history.”

    He, however, lauded the Nigerian Air Force and other security agencies for the prompt and successful rescue mission, which has helped to preserve the lives of the other personnel.

  • NAF destroys Boko Haram vehicles

    The Nigerian Air Force says the Air Task Force (ATF) of Operation LAFIYA DOLE, has tracked and destroyed some Boko Haram Terrorists (BHT) vehicles as they were attempting to launch fresh attacks on ground troops locations at Gudumbali and Damasak in Borno.

    Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola, NAF Director of Public Relations and Information, who disclosed this in a statement on Saturday in Abuja, said that the operation was carried out early morning of Saturday.

    He explained that the mission was initiated following intelligence reports indicating that a convoy of BHT vehicles had been sighted within the Damasak – Gudumbali Axis.

    ” Accordingly, a Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) platform was dispatched to search for and locate the convoy of vehicles.

    ” The ISR aircraft spotted vehicles at a location 24 Km SW of Gudumbali heading in a Northwards direction. Consequently, a helicopter gunship was scrambled to attack the convoy.

    “The helicopter arrived the location and was vectored to the position of the vehicles, which, at the time, were about midway between Nigerian Army (NA) locations at Metele and Arege.

    ” Following communications with ground troops, the BHT vehicles were positively identified, isolated and attacked by the helicopter gunship in successive strikes.

    Daramola said that in the process, 4 of the vehicles were immobilized and their occupants neutralised.

    ” The ISR aircraft continued to track the remaining 5 vehicles, which initially dispersed but later regrouped and continued their retreat to Tumbun Rego.

    ” They were subsequently attacked at their harbour location by the freshly rearmed helicopter gunship; with 3 direct hits recorded on the vehicles,” he said.

    He said that a follow-up attack on the newly discovered insurgents’ logistics base in Tumbun Rego was conducted by 2 Alpha Jet aircraft later in the morning of Saturday.

    ” The makeshift buildings and other facilities in the base were accordingly destroyed in the air strike.”

  • ‘NAF acquires 30 aircraft, activates 13 in 3 years’

    THE Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has acquired 30 aircraft and activated 13 grounded ones in the last three years, the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshall Sadiq Abubakar has stated.

    Abubakar spoke yesterday at the inauguration of the new Headquarters of Air Training Command and the Sports complex at the Air Force Comprehensive School in Kaduna.

    According to him: “In the last three years, we were able to acquire 18 aircraft, similarly the Federal Government has paid for additional 12 aircraft if put together is 30.

    “Professionalism is also ensuring that we activate what currently we have; hence we embarked on renovation of our grounded aircraft.

    “So far, we have activated 13 aircraft and working on the 14 to15 ones both in Port Harcourt in Rivers State.”

    According to him, professionalism is having the right structure, hence the decision to unbundle the former Training Command to Air Training Command and Ground Training Command.

    He disclosed the NAF increased its manpower from 1,000 a year to 1,500 minimum annually.

    “We also recognised the need to have required numbers of officers in addition to the one coming from Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) and that is why we enlisted 400 Direct Short Service Commission Officers,’’ he said.

     

  • NAF warns Militants against disturbing peace in Niger Delta

    The Nigerian Air Force ( NAF ) has warned militants in the Niger Delta who recently threatened to resume hostilities to have a rethink or meet their doom in the process.

    The Air Officer Commanding (AOC) the Mobility Command of the Nigerian Air Force, Air Vice Marshal Napoleon Bali, who gave the warning in Warri on Tuesday during an operational visit to the 371 NAF Detachment, Osubi, Okpe council area of Delta state, said the air force is current in a fit form for operations.

    AVM Bali, who was conducted round some completed and ongoing projects at the 371 NAF Detachment Clinic at Jeddo and the NAF Officers’ Mess on Mission Road, GRA Warri, said his command, with units across the Niger Delta, would always play its part to support other security agencies to give law abiding Nigerians a peaceful environment to live in.

    Conducted round the NAF facilities within the Osubi Airstrip and other locations by the Commander of the 371 NAF Detachment, Air Commodore Yakubu Daniel, the Air Force chief commended the Chief of Air Staff for making funds available for the projects embarked on by the detachment.

    “My words for those threatening to foment trouble is that they better hold fire, but where they dare it, they should be ready for whatever comes their way.
    The Mobility Command is ever ready to carry out its duties. The idea of the Mobility Command is to add value to whatever security arrangements that have been put together in the Niger Delta.

    “I have units in Calabar, Uyo, Warri here and others are scattered all over the country and I can tell you the idea is to make sure that law abiding citizens go about their normal businesses. We are here to collaborate with other security agencies to ensure that the Niger Delta is free of criminals and economic saboteurs.

    “This is my first operational visit to this unit. It is to find out how they are doing and to ascertain whether all the directives and tasks given by the headquarters of the Nigerian Air Force are being followed through accordingly, based on the Constitution of our country.

  • Boko Haram: NAF destroy structures in Sambisa, kills insurgents

    The Nigerian Air Force ( NAF ) on Saturday said more air raids have been conducted against Boko Haram Terrorists in Borno state through the Operation Thunder Strike II.

    According to the Spokesman of the NAF, Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola, the strikes were conducted at Alafa Yagayaga in Sambisa Forest and at the fringes of Lake Chad resulting in the destruction of the facilities of the insurgents.

    Daramola said in a statement supported with video clips that scores of the Boko Haram Terrorists were killed during the air strikes.

    The statement reads: ” In continuation of OPERATION THUNDER STRIKE 2, the Air Task Force (ATF) of Operation LAFIYA DOLE, on 5 September 2018, successfully destroyed some Boko Haram Terrorists (BHT) facilities and equipment at Alafa Yagayaga in Sambisa Forest as well as a suspected BHT ammunition depot in Kusuma on the fringes of Lake Chad, Borno State.

    “The air strikes against BHTs at Alafa Yagayaga were targeted at structures within the settlement that had been identified via previous Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions to be rendezvous (RV) points for the insurgents.

    ” Consequently, a combination of NAF fighter aircraft and helicopter gunships were detailed to carry out air interdiction on the locations, while the NAF ISR aircraft conducted Battle Damage Assessment (BDA).

    “The attack platforms acquired the targets and took turns to attack the location, destroying the structures and killing most of the BHTs in the process. The few surviving BHTs, seen fleeing the area, were strafed and neutralized by the helicopter gunships.

    ” The attack at Kusuma was initiated following credible intelligence indicating the presence of a BHT logistics/ammunition depot within the settlement. Accordingly, the ATF detailed a fighter aircraft to attack the insurgents’ position, while the NAF ISR aircraft conducted BDA.

    ” At the end of the attacks, the BDA revealed a direct hit on the ammunition depot, which was engulfed in fire while some other adjoining BHT structures were equally destroyed and the occupying terrorists neutralised”.

  • Boko Haram: NAF destroy terrorists’ facilities in Sambisa forest

    The Nigerian Air Force says the Air Task Force (ATF) of Operation LAFIYA DOLE, has successfully destroyed some Boko Haram Terrorists (BHT) facilities and equipment at Alafa Yagayaga in Sambisa forest.

    According to the Air force, ATF has also destroyed a suspected BHT ammunition depot in Kusuma on the fringes of Lake Chad, Borno.

    Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola, NAF Director of Public Relations and Information disclosed this in a statement on Saturday in Abuja.

    He said that the air strikes was in continuation of OPERATION THUNDER STRIKE 2 which commenced on Sept.3.

    “The air strikes against BHTs at Alafa Yagayaga were targeted at structures within the settlement identified via previous Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions to be rendezvous (RV) points for the insurgents.

    “Consequently, a combination of NAF fighter aircraft and helicopter gunships were detailed to carry out air interdiction on the locations while the NAF ISR aircraft conducted Battle Damage Assessment (BDA).

    “The attack platforms acquired the targets and took turns to attack the location, destroying the structures and killing most of the BHTs in the process.

    “The few surviving BHTs, seen fleeing the area, were strafed and neutralised by the helicopter gunships,” he said.

    Daramola said that the attack at Kusuma was initiated, following credible intelligence indicating the presence of a BHT logistics/ammunition depot within the settlement.

    “Accordingly, the ATF detailed a fighter aircraft to attack the insurgents’ position while the NAF ISR aircraft conducted BDA.”

    He explained that at end of the attacks, the BDA revealed a direct hit on the ammunition depot which was engulfed in fire.

    The NAF Director of Public Relations and Information added some other adjoining BHT structures were also destroyed and the occupying terrorists neutralised.

  • NAF neutralises insurgents at Zari in Borno

    The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) says the Air Task Force (ATF) of ” Operation LAFIYA DOLE” has destroyed two gun trucks and neutralised several Boko Haram Terrorists (BHTs) at ZARI on the fringes of the Lake Chad in Borno State.

    Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola, NAF Director of Public Relations and Information, who disclosed this in a statement on Friday in Abuja,said that the operation was carried out on Thursday.

    ” The air strikes were conducted sequel to intelligence reports indicating that dozens of BHTs in 5 vehicles had withdrawn to a location underneath some trees about 5 Km Southwest of ZARI, after an engagement with own troops at ZARI.

    ” Accordingly, the ATF deployed Alpha Jet and F-7 attack aircraft as well as an Mi-35M helicopter gunship supported by 2 Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) platforms to conduct a massive attack against the insurgents.

    ” Overhead the target area, the BHTs, who were initially seen assembled by their vehicles along the road, rapidly dispersed to disparate positions within the general area, with some of them seen firing at own platforms,” he said

    Daramola said that the NAF attack aircraft, therefore, struck the various positions in successive coordinated waves; destroying 2 of the BHTs’ vehicles and neutralizing several BHTs in the process.

    He said that some of the surviving insurgents were seen fleeing the location in different directions, adding that ” these were accordingly mopped-up in subsequent follow-on attacks”.

    The NAF spokesman said the NAF would continue to deploy its platforms to conduct intensive ISR missions in the entire North East aimed at discovering the possible locations of remnants of BHTs and neutralising them. (NAN)