To improve medical emergencies at theatres of war and minimise casualties, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) yesterday began a multi-national exercise in collaboration with the United States (US) African Partnership Flight (APF) and the United Kingdom (UK).
The week-long simulation aimed at fostering regional corporation and interoperability has six participants each from the Air Forces of Niger, Chad and Benin Republic.
Themed: “Aeromedical evacuation and medical deployments,” the exercise according to the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadiq Abubakar would feature static display, which is intended to showcase the arrangement of stretchers in the NAF C-130H aircraft, as well as address lapses in timing for aeromedical services and enhance personnel capacity.
Abubakar said: “The APF is a multilateral military to military engagement designed to enhance African regional cooperation, increase interoperability and build capacity in aviation.
“Globally, the concept of regional forces has gained recognition as the best approach towards solving common security issues since the most prevalent form of warfare in contemporary times is asymmetric in nature and often transcends international borders.
“It is therefore important that contiguous nations pull their resources together to ensure a synergy in their operations. This is for the common goal of stamping out the Boko Haram insurgency in Northeast.
“The NAF, which is one of the instruments of national power is not unmindful of the occasional need for services to participate in both joint and combined operations.
“The service is also mindful of the effect and aftermath of insurgency with particular reference to the plight of innocent civilians including women and children, who often are the unintended victims.
“We are all aware that the current Boko Haram insurgency in Nigeria has resulted in over two million Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) who are in dire need of one basic need or the other. It is for this reason that the NAF has embarked on several humanitarian programs aimed at alleviating the plight of the IDPs.
“Worthy of mention is the establishment of the NAF emergency hospitals at Bama and Dalori, where free medical care is provided in addition to regular medical outreach programmes in various IDP camps in the Northeast. For example the NAF just concluded a free surgical intervention program in the North east during which 201 IDPs were operated on. Recently, we also introduced the free feeding of pupils of primary schools in IDP camps.
“At present, NAF medical personnel are deployed at various airports and airfields in the northeast to provide medical cover to troops and civilians in various host communities. Hence, the theme for the 2017 APF could not have been more appropriate considering the great need for proper medical care in and outside the theatre of operations.
“Accordingly, the efforts of the U.S. Air Force command and Europe in bringing together countries of the region to stimulate a combined security and humanitarian environment is highly commendable and appreciated.”
Reviewing the war against extremist sect in the Northeast, Abubakar said Boko Haram has been substantially decimated over the past three years, noting that just patches of the sect were active.
Flagging-off the exercise, Lagos Governor Akinwunmi Ambode commended the NAF and other military services for their efforts towards containing internal aggression.
Ambode, who was represented by the Commissioner for Special Duties, Oluseye Oladejo: “With the changing trends in modern warfare, armed forces have been further saddled with the tremendous responsibility of providing regional security through multinational joint forces.
“However, the major problems confronting such multinational forces are usually differences in doctrines, training, weapon, language and cultures, thus, underscoring the need for constant joint training to enhance interoperability.
“You will all recall that in a bid to reposition the armed forces to better cope with those challenges, the present administration under the leadership of President Muhammad Buhari has made modernisation, re-equipping and continuous training a top priority.
“It is particularly noteworthy that the U.S. has been supportive in the efforts at building the capacity of NAF personnel,” pledging continuous support where necessary to the military and security services.
In his remark, APF’s Director of Plans, Programs and Analysis, Brig.-Gen. Dieter Bareihs said: “In the history of airpower across the world, we strive to always improve. We look for old ways to do new things or new ways to do new things and that is exactly what the APF is all about.
“This is a fabulous opportunity for all of us to strengthen the relationship among our armed forces and increase aviation capacity and capability, as well as work on regional cooperation and interoperability.”
