Air Marshal Hassan Abubakar, the Chief of Air Staff (CAS), has announced that the Nigeria Air Force (NAF) is gearing up to welcome 18 new attack helicopters to enhance its aircraft collection.
During a one-day visit to units within the NAF 115 Special Operations Group (SOG) in Port Harcourt, Abubakar shared that the United States will be providing 12 attack helicopters, while the Turkish government will contribute an additional six helicopters, expected to arrive in September.
He emphasized, “We remain resolute despite recent setbacks. The Federal Government has given the go-ahead for the acquisition of 12 AH1 Zulu Cobra helicopters from the United States and six T129 helicopters from Turkey.”
The first pair of T129 helicopters is scheduled to become operational by September, bolstering our operational capabilities, he added.
Although the loss of a MI 171 helicopter saddened the Air Force, Abubakar conveyed optimism, stating that more aircraft are on the horizon, and the Air Force’s capabilities are on the rise.
Abubakar’s visit to Port Harcourt also had a somber purpose—to offer condolences to the families of NAF pilots and crew who tragically lost their lives in the helicopter crash on August 14th in Niger.
He shared, “We are here to express our heartfelt sympathy to the families of the crew members we lost in the unfortunate MI-171 helicopter crash, which occurred at the 115 special operations group base.”
In addition to consoling the affected families, Abubakar used the opportunity to engage with the unit’s officers and personnel, providing encouragement and reaffirming support for Operation Delta Safe.
Abubakar acknowledged that the crew aboard the crashed aircraft, including the pilot, co-pilot, and two airmen responsible for the cabin, had perished.
To address the issue of military aircraft crashes, Abubakar indicated that the Air Force is taking concrete steps, including establishing an air crash investigation board to identify potential causes of accidents and prevent future occurrences.
Furthermore, the CAS highlighted the NAF’s commitment to tackling illegal refineries in the Niger Delta, with plans to intensify the deployment of attack helicopters for this purpose…[CONTINUE READING HERE]>
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