The Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar, has said the Nigerian Air Force in the last three years took delivery of 63 brand new aircraft into its inventory.

Mr Abubakar made this known at the NAF Training, Operations and Safety Seminar for the year 2024, on Wednesday in Abuja.

He said the NAF had witnessed a remarkable renaissance, evident in the renewal of its aircraft fleet and enhanced operational readiness with the support of President Bola Tinubu.

The CAS said NAF in the last one year, took delivery of 12 advanced aircraft including two KA-360i aircraft, four DA-62 aircraft, four T-129 helicopters, and two AW-109 Trekker helicopters.

The CAS said the service was expecting additional deliveries of two T-129 helicopters and one KA 360i aircraft before year end.

He said, “In 2025, the NAF will receive 10 AW-109 Trekker helicopters, 24 M-346FA aircraft, and three CASA – 295 aircraft as well as 12 AH-1Z attack helicopters. This makes a total of 64 brand new aircraft in about three years. That’s not all. In addition to these new acquisitions, we have also procured 12 pre-owned A-Jet aircraft from the French Air Force through SOFEMA. All 12 aircraft are ready for shipping. It is anticipated that six will be restored to operable status, with the remaining six used as spares to support the Alpha Jet fleet.’’

Mr Abubakar said it was no exaggeration to state that the NAF was experiencing a golden era under the current administration.

He pledged the commitment of the service to continue to consolidate on the operational gains made so far.

According to him, a review of their key performance indicators showed that between June 2023 and September 2024, the NAF conducted 8,665 missions in 9,928 sorties within 15,915 flying hours.

This, he said underscored the magnitude of the relentless efforts of NAF personnel in all theatres of operations.

The air chief commended air component commanders for their exceptional leadership and outstanding performance, urging them to build on the success and strive for greater excellence.

In the aspect of training, Mr Abubakar said the NAF gained significant mileage in 2024 as 405 airmen and 186 officers completed various foreign courses, seminars and trips, while 64 are currently ongoing.

He added that 5,474 and 1,331 personnel completed and were undergoing various local training courses, respectively.

He stated, “Furthermore, from January to November, the service trained 54 pilots abroad and 43 pilots locally, while 16 UAV operators were trained locally. Indeed, it is gratifying that, today, we will also be witnessing the winging ceremony of 28 of these pilots and operators.’’

(NAN)