The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hassan Abubakar, says strengthening strategic partnerships with other air forces will provide a pathway to an enduring and comprehensive solution to challenges encountered in pilot training.

Mr Abubakar said this when he met with the commander of Czech Air Force, Maj.-Gen. Petr Cepelka at the Future Air Force 2023 Conference in Prague, Czech Republic.

He said the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) was poised to strengthen its strategic partnership with the Czech Air Force in technological transfer, capacity building, and research and development.

Mr Abubakar sought the cooperation and collaboration of the Czech Air Force in counterterrorism, counterinsurgency and pilot training.

He said the NAF had received more support from the Czech Air Force since the initial purchase of the L-39 aircraft in 1986.

At the conference, Mr Abubakar delivered a paper titled: “Pilot Training in the Nigerian Air Force – An Assessment”.

He said the development and employment of air power capabilities were increasingly becoming critical to the dynamic security environment where threats originated from state and non-state actors.

He added that the constitutional role of the NAF in tackling Nigeria’s security challenges in concert with other security services demanded constant generation, delivery and sustenance of a diverse range of credible air power capabilities and a vastly agile and resilient air force.

According to him, this is predicated on the crucial need for the NAF to have the necessary human capacity for mission accomplishment, hence the need to ensure that the NAF trained its pilots to the highest professional standards for effective air power delivery.

Responding, the Czech Chief of Air Staff thanked Mr Abubakar for sustaining the long history of mutual relationship between the two air forces.

Mr Cepelka assured him of the Czech Air Force support in aircraft acquisition, maintenance, Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Operations and training of NAF Special Forces.

(NAN)