129-691: The Nigerian Air Force ( NAF ) is the air branch of the Nigerian Armed Forces . It is the youngest branch of the Nigerian Armed Forces , established four years after the nation became independent. As at 2021, the air force is one of the largest in Africa, consisting of over 18,000 personnel. Some of its popular aircraft include the Chengdu F-7s , Dassault-Dornier Alpha Jets , JF-17 Thunder Block II, T129 Atak , Agusta Westland 109 , Eurocopter EC135 and Embraer EMB 314 Super Tucano . Although an air force
258-535: A heads-up display , plus a Laser Ranging and Marked Targeting System (LRMTS) in the nose. These systems were a step above the current technology of the time, but reliability was quite low. There were many more systems added with the time, like the Atlis II in the French aircraft, and, in 1994–95, some GR1s had laser-designator systems fitted. Missiles like AS-30 and the anti-ship Sea Eagle were added. Some IAF aircraft had
387-511: A raid on the airfield at Wadi Doum , which the Libyans had constructed in Northern Chad, using BAP-100 anti-runway bombs. In response to Libyan incursions, another strike was carried out on 7 January 1987, when a Jaguar destroyed a Libyan radar with a Martel missile. The Jaguars stationed at Ndjamena were a target for Libyan sabotage owing to their effectiveness against enemy forces, but
516-617: A British "S" conducted its first flight. A Jaguar M prototype flew in November 1969. This had a strengthened airframe, an arrestor hook and different undercarriage: twin nosewheel and single mainwheels. After testing in France it went to RAE at Thurleigh for carrier landing trials from their land based catapult, after which, in July 1970, it underwent a series of shipboard trials from the French carrier Clemenceau . From these trials there were doubts about
645-468: A Jaguar operated by QinetiQ undertook the last British military Jaguar flight. Following their retirement from flying service, many Jaguars continue to serve as ground instructional airframes, most notably at RAF Cosford , used in the training of RAF fitters. India had been approached as a possible customer for the Jaguar as early as 1968, but had declined, partly on the grounds that it was not yet clear if
774-714: A conventionally armed rapid reaction squadron was established, intended to deploy in support of French forces and interests anywhere in the world. France had been involved in the conflict in Chad for many years, and 2,000 men of the Force d'Intervention along with helicopters and Jaguars were deployed to defend central Chad in 1978; further forces arrived later as part of Opération Tacaud . The Jaguars were engaged in May and June 1978, contributing significantly in halting an offensive by Goukouni Oueddei 's FROLINAT forces, who were routed. One aircraft
903-481: A datalink, and improved night vision goggles compatibility. All GR3As were subsequently re-engined with the new Adour 106 turbofan. The RAF's Jaguar 97s were intended to be wired for the carriage of ASRAAMs on the overwing launchers, but clearance of this weapon was never completed because of funding cuts. The Jaguars did not see service in the 2003 Iraq War ; they had been planned to operate from bases in Turkey, to
1032-590: A directive to the NAF hierarchy by former President Goodluck Jonathan, for the service to start offering flying opportunities to qualified Nigerian female citizens, especially since women had long been flying civil aviation aircraft in the country but did not get a chance to fly in the military. In March 2014, the Nigerian Government approached Pakistan for the purchase of joint Chinese-Pakistani made CAC/PAC JF-17 "Thunder" multi-role fighter aircraft. In December 2015,
1161-553: A formation flying exercise involving an Aeritalia G.222 and three Alpha Jets as they practiced flight maneuvers for the 58th Independence Day celebrations in the capital, Abuja . As the F-7 jets turned to the formation flying, their wings clipped each other's side. Both planes lost stability due to the collision and it resulted to the spiral loss of both jets and they both crashed at the Katampe district of Abuja . Three pilots ejected out of
1290-443: A high intensity European war, the role of the Jaguar was to support land forces on the continent in resisting a Soviet assault on Western Europe, striking targets beyond the forward edge of the battlefield should a conflict escalate. The apparent mismatch between aircraft numbers and nuclear bombs was a consequence of RAF staff planners concluding that there would be one third attrition of Jaguars in an early conventional phase, leaving
1419-615: A high-threat environment. The first of eight prototypes flew on 8 September 1968, a two-seat design fitted with the first production model Adour engine. This aircraft went supersonic on its third flight but was lost on landing on 26 March 1970 following an engine fire. The second prototype flew in February 1969; a total of three prototypes flew at the Paris Air Show that year. The first French "A" prototype flew in March 1969. In October
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#17328547574931548-622: A joint venture between Breguet and the British Aircraft Corporation , one of the first major joint Anglo-French military aircraft programmes. The Jaguar was exported to India, Oman, Ecuador and Nigeria. The aircraft was used in numerous conflicts and military operations in Mauritania , Chad , Iraq , Bosnia , and Pakistan , as well as providing a ready nuclear delivery platform for the United Kingdom, France, and India throughout
1677-527: A joint venture between Breguet and the British Aircraft Corporation to produce the airframe. Though based in part on the Breguet Br.121, using the same basic configuration and an innovative French-designed landing gear, the Jaguar was built incorporating major elements of design from BAC, notably the wing and high lift devices. Production of components would be split between Breguet and BAC, and
1806-637: A lesser extent. The French Jaguar force in Saudi Arabia built up to a maximum of 28 aircraft, which carried out 615 combat sorties, with one Jaguar damaged by an Iraqi surface-to-air missile. Typical targets were Iraqi armoured units, Scud missile sites, and naval vessels. On 17 January 1991, 12 French Jaguars bombed Ahmad al-Jaber Air Base , Kuwait; three were damaged in the attack but all returned to base. On 26 January, RAF Jaguars and Tornados raided several Silkworm missile batteries in Kuwait to encourage
1935-466: A light ground attack capability, the requirement for the aircraft soon changed to include supersonic performance, reconnaissance and tactical nuclear strike roles. A carrier-based variant was also planned for French Navy service, but this was cancelled in favour of the cheaper, fully French-built Dassault-Breguet Super Étendard . The aircraft were manufactured by SEPECAT ( Société Européenne de Production de l'avion Ecole de Combat et d'Appui Tactique ),
2064-659: A maximum take-off weight in the 15 tonne class; with a combat radius on internal fuel of 850 km (530 mi), giving the Jaguar a greater operational range than competitor aircraft such as the Mikoyan MiG-27 . The aircraft had hardpoints fitted for an external weapons load of up to 10,000 lb (4,500 kg). Typical weapons fitted included the Matra LR.F2 rocket pod, BAP 100-mm bombs, Martel AS.37 anti-radar missiles, AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles, and Rockeye cluster bombs . The RAF's Jaguars gained several new weapons during
2193-467: A minimum cost consistent with Nigerian Air Force mission requirements. Nigerian Air Force Special Operations Command (SOC), headquartered at Bauchi , Bauchi State . On 26 September 1992, a NAF Lockheed C-130H Hercules serial number 911 crashed three minutes after take-off from Lagos , Nigeria , when three engines failed, possibly due to high take-off weight. All 158 people on board were killed, including eight foreign nationals. On 25 January 2015,
2322-601: A new HUD , a new hand controller and stick top, integrated GPS and TERPROM Terrain Referenced Navigation. The further upgraded Jaguar GR3A introduced the new EO GP1 (JRP) digital reconnaissance pod, a helmet-mounted sight, improved cockpit displays, a datalink, and improved night vision goggles compatibility. A single Jaguar was converted into the Jaguar Active Control Technology (ACT) with fly-by-wire controls and aerodynamic alterations to
2451-563: A photo appeared online at Beegeagle's Blog, appearing to show a CASC Rainbow CH-3 UCAV which crashed upside down near Dumge village in the Mafa District of Borno State . The two anti-tank missiles on the CH-3's wings appear to be intact. Borno is the area where much of the Boko Haram violence, including the massacre of 2,000 civilians, occurred in 2015. The Nigerian military is fighting to hold onto
2580-478: A result, the initial Br.121 design needed a thinner wing, redesigned fuselage, a higher rear cockpit, and after-burning engines. While putting on smiling faces for the public, maintaining the illusion of a shared design, the British design departed from the French sub-sonic Breguet 121 to such a degree that it was effectively a new design. A separate partnership was formed between Rolls-Royce and Turbomeca to develop
2709-514: A routine training exercise in Markudi, Benue State , a Chengdu FT-7 crashed at 4:15 pm WAT local time. Both pilots ejected out of the jet and were rescued by the Air Force personnel assigned to search and rescue. On 14 August 2023, a NAF MI-171 Helicopter, which was involved in on "casualty evacuation mission", encountered a crash at approximately 1:00 pm. The helicopter's initial point of departure
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#17328547574932838-713: A strict policy of diversification in its military procurement from various countries. The Nigerian Air force is currently headed by Air Marshal Hassan Bala Abubakar . Training establishments in Nigeria include the prestigious officer entry: Nigerian Defence Academy at Kaduna , the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji , and the National War College at Abuja . The U.S. commercial military contractor, Military Professional Resources Inc. has been involved around 1999–2000 in advising on civil-military relations for
2967-663: A transport unit with the first air crew trained with the Ethiopian Air Force . The second set of cadets underwent training in February 1963 with the Royal Canadian Air Force while some cadets were sent to train with the Indian Air Force . The head of the German Air Force Assistance Group (GAFAG) was Colonel Gerhard Kahtz , and he became the first commander of the NAF. The nucleus of the NAF
3096-498: A typical Chinese F-7. With this acquisition, the fleet of MiG 21s was subsequently grounded. The Federal Government of Nigeria under the same dispensation acquired some ATR Maritime Patrol aircraft, built by EADS and Finmeccania / Alenia Aeronautica, boosting the capacity of the service to carry out extensive Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions on land and far into the sea. From September 2009, Nigeria began refurbishing some of its C-130 aircraft beginning with
3225-450: A valuable component of the campaign, the RAF detachment of 12 Jaguars flew 612 combat sorties, with no aircraft lost. Significant changes were made both during and shortly after the war. Owing to obsolete navigational systems being unable to provide the accuracy required, both French and British Jaguars were quickly modified with Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers, a recent technology at
3354-465: A variety of conventional weapons. In April 1975, a single Jaguar was used to test the aircraft's rough airstrip capacity, by landing and taking off multiple times from the M55 motorway , the final test flight was conducted with a full weapons load; the ability was never used in service but was considered useful as improvised runways might be the only runways left available in a large scale European conflict. In
3483-551: Is also used in small numbers for the anti-ship role, equipped with the Sea Eagle missile . The Jaguar remains an important element of the Indian military as, along with the Mirage 2000 , the Jaguar has been described as one of the few aircraft capable of performing the nuclear strike role with reasonable chances of success. It has been alleged that the Indian military decided against developing
3612-704: Is chaired by the president, and its members include the Vice President of Nigeria , the National Security Adviser, the Minister of Defence, the Minister of State for Defence, the Chief of Defence Staff, the Chief of Army Staff, the Chief of Naval Staff and the Chief of Air Staff, as well as others the president is empowered to appoint. The Nigerian Army (NA) is the land branch of the Nigerian Armed Forces and
3741-582: Is currently headed by Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ikechukwu Ogalla . The Nigerian Air Force was formally established in January 1964, with technical assistance from West Germany . The Air Force started as a transport unit, with the aircrew being trained in Canada , Ethiopia and Pakistan . The Air Force did not get combat capability until a number of MiG-17 aircraft were presented by the Soviet Union in 1966. In 2007,
3870-600: Is not openly available. Nigerian Air Force Tactical Air Command (TAC), with its headquarters situated at Makurdi , is responsible for interpreting, implementing and controlling Nigerian Air Force operational plans. Nigerian Air Force Mobility Command, headquartered at Yenagoa , was established in 2011. It has five other commands located in Lagos , Ilorin , Calabar , Warri and Abuja . The Mobility Command performs tactical and strategic airlift in support of government and military operations. The Nigerian Air Force also maintains and
3999-553: Is situated at the Presidential Wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport . Nigerian Air Force Training Command, located at Old Kaduna Airport , is chiefly responsible for the training of recruits, ground support crew, and technicians. Nigerian Air Force Logistics Command, headquartered at Ikeja , Lagos, is tasked to acquire, maintain and sustain equipment in a state of operational readiness and at
Nigerian Air Force - Misplaced Pages Continue
4128-589: Is the lack of power at altitude, especially with heavy ordnance on board. Indian Jaguars were used to carry out reconnaissance missions in support of the Indian Peace Keeping Force in Sri Lanka between 1987 and 1990. They later played an active role in the 1999 Kargil War with Pakistan, dropping both unguided and laser-guided bombs, the IAF defining its role as a "deep penetrating strike aircraft". The Jaguar
4257-477: Is the primary custodian of the air fleet in which the president flies on, as well as other state and foreign dignitaries. The fleet accounts for 10 various fixed wings and rotary aircraft. According to the government, there are 10 aircraft in the fleet. They include two each of AgustaWestland AW189 , and Falcon 7X , as well as one each of Bombardier Challenger 605 , Boeing Business Jet , Falcon 900 , Hawker 4000 , Gulfstream G500 , and Gulfstream G550 . The fleet
4386-638: The Adour afterburning turbofan engine. The Br.121 was proposed with Turbomeca's Tourmalet engine for ECAT but Breguet preferred the RR RB.172 and their joint venture would use elements of both. The new engine, which would be used for the AFVG as well, would be built in Derby and Tarnos . Previous collaborative efforts between Britain and France had been complicated – the AFVG programme ended in cancellation, and controversy surrounded
4515-540: The Alpha Jet and Hawker Siddeley Hawk respectively. The French, meanwhile, had chosen the Jaguar to replace the Aeronavale ' s Dassault Étendard IV , and increased their order to include an initial 40 of a carrier-capable maritime version of the Jaguar, the Jaguar M. From these apparently disparate aims would come a single and entirely different aircraft: relatively high-tech, supersonic, and optimised for ground-attack in
4644-588: The Armed Forces of Liberia from at least, 2007. SEPECAT Jaguar The SEPECAT Jaguar is an Anglo-French supersonic jet attack aircraft originally used by the British Royal Air Force and the French Air Force in the close air support and nuclear strike role. As of 2024, the Jaguar remains in service with the Indian Air Force . Originally conceived in the 1960s as a jet trainer with
4773-579: The ECOWAS military intervention in the Gambia . The roles of a country's armed forces are entrenched in her constitution. The defence of the territorial integrity and other core interests of the nation, form the major substance of such roles. Section 217-220 of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria thus addresses the Nigerian Armed Forces: The origin of the Nigerian Armed Forces lies in the elements of
4902-710: The Royal West African Frontier Force , that became Nigerian when independence was granted in 1960. In 1956, the Nigeria Regiment of the Royal West African Frontier Force (RWAFF) was renamed the Nigerian Military Forces, RWAFF, and in April 1958, the colonial government of Nigeria took over from the British War Office control of the Nigerian Military Forces. Shortly after its formation,
5031-539: The former Yugoslavia , Guinea-Bissau , and Sierra Leone . This doctrine of African military intervention by Nigeria is sometimes called Pax Nigeriana . That policy statement did not deter Nigeria under Generals Ibrahim Babangida in 1990 and Sani Abacha in 1997, from sending ECOMOG peacekeeping forces under the auspices of ECOWAS into Liberia and later Sierra Leone, when the civil wars broke out in those countries. President Olusegun Obasanjo in August 2003, committed
5160-511: The military forces of Nigeria . The forces consist of three service branches: the Nigerian Army , Nigerian Navy , and Nigerian Air Force . The President of Nigeria functions as the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, exercising his constitutional authority through the Ministry of Defence, which is responsible for the management of the military and its personnel. The operational head of
5289-464: The "Gulma" would be useful in aerial imaging/mapping, telecommunications, and weather monitoring. According to him, the UAV was rapidly becoming an important tool in news coverage, environmental monitoring , and oil and gas exploration. On 24 March 2011, the new Air Officer Commanding of NAF Mobility Command, Air Vice Marshal John Aprekuma, explained the rationale behind the establishment of the headquarters of
Nigerian Air Force - Misplaced Pages Continue
5418-700: The AFN is the Chief of Defence Staff , who is subordinate to the Nigerian Defence Minister . With a force of more than 230,000 active personnel, the Nigerian military is one of the largest uniformed combat services in Africa. According to Global Firepower, the Nigerian Armed Forces are the fourth-most powerful military in Africa , and ranked 35th on its list, internationally. The Nigerian Armed Forces were established in 1960 as
5547-532: The AFVG, Germany was expressing a serious interest in the Jaguar, and thus the design became more oriented towards the low-level strike role. With the cancellation of both the BAC TSR-2 tactical strike aircraft and Hawker Siddeley P.1154 supersonic V/STOL fighter, the RAF were looking increasingly hard at their future light strike needs and realizing that they now needed more than just advanced trainers with some secondary counter insurgency capability. At this point,
5676-500: The Adour, a two-shaft turbofan engine with afterburner . Twin engines were selected for survivability. Ease of maintenance was major consideration, an engine change being possible within 30 minutes. For the Jaguars it needed a low bypass capable of high thrust for take off, supersonic flight and low level "dashes". When the first prototype Jaguar flew on 8 September 1968, it was also
5805-735: The Agave radar system, purposely for maritime strike. India later developed the DARIN system in its Jaguar fleet, with a modern 1553 databus. Although in operational theatres such as the Gulf War the Jaguar proved to be mechanically more reliable than the Panavia Tornado , the aircraft's avionics were a hindrance to conducting missions. Owing to the Jaguar A's shortcomings in navigation and target acquisition, French Jaguars had to be escorted by Mirage F1CR reconnaissance aircraft to act as guides. The Jaguar provided
5934-542: The Air Force had a strength of 10,000. It flies transport, trainer, helicopter, and fighter aircraft. By 2021, the number of Air Force personnel had increased to 18,000. The Air Force sponsors the Air Force Military School, Jos, Nigeria and the Air Force Institute of Technology . Nigeria also has pursued a policy of developing domestic training and military production capabilities. Nigeria has continued
6063-462: The Bosnian operations, a Jaguar of 41 Squadron carried out the first RAF bombing raid in Europe since the end of the Second World War fifty years before. Following the success of the GR1B/T2B upgrade, the RAF launched a plan to upgrade its Jaguar fleet to a common standard, incorporating improvements introduced to some aircraft during the Gulf War, together with adding the ability to use TIALD and new reconnaissance pods. The upgrade came in two parts;
6192-451: The Buhari administration. In November 2018, Sierra Nevada was officially awarded the contract for the 12 Super Tucano aircraft for the NAF, with an estimated completion date by 2024. On 2 January 2019, one Mi-35M attack helicopter from the Nigerian Air Force helicopter squadron crashed in Damasak, Borno State while providing close-air support for troops of the 145 Battalion combating Boko Haram insurgents, killing all on board. The Mi-35 in
6321-440: The Chief of Defense Staff, on air-related defense matters. The Nigerian Air Force headquarters is responsible for establishing long and short-term mission objectives and articulating policies, carrying out plans and procedures for the attainment of peace and stability. Also, HQ Nigerian Air Force liaises with the Nigerian Army and Nigerian Navy on joint operational policies and plans. The headquarters Nigerian Air Force consists of
6450-577: The French and British would themselves accept the aircraft into service. India already had its Marut fighter-bomber, and tried to upgrade it with new engines, until the new project collapsed. A decade later IAF became the largest single export customer, with a $ 1 billion order for the aircraft in 1978, the Jaguar being chosen ahead of the Dassault Mirage F1 and the Saab Viggen after a long and difficult evaluation process. The order involved 40 Jaguars built in Europe at Warton , and 120 licence-built aircraft from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) under
6579-450: The French government did not assign any Jaguars for use in the Force de frappe , France's strategic nuclear deterrent. Nuclear armed Jaguars were instead assigned the "Pre-Strategic" role, to clear a path for the Strategic strike force. The AN-52 nuclear bomb was retired from service in September 1991, when the formerly nuclear-armed squadrons of Escadre de Chasse 7 then concentrated on conventional attack. French Jaguars also performed in
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#17328547574936708-421: The Government of President Muhammadu Buhari presented a budget to the National Assembly that included N5bn for three JF-17 aircraft. On 28 March 2018, 'The Diplomat' reported Pakistan as confirming the sale of three JF-17s to Nigeria. In March 2020, NAF Chief of Air Staff announced the delivery schedule of three JF-17 Thunder to be affected in November 2020. It is understood that the Buhari administration will expand
6837-408: The Gulf War, including CRV7 high-velocity rockets and American CBU-87 cluster bombs . Finally, the Jaguar was equipped with either a pair of 30 mm autocannon - the French DEFA cannon , or British ADEN cannon . The Jaguar International had the unusual option of overwing pylons, used for short-range air-to-air missiles, such as the Matra R550 Magic or the Sidewinder. This option freed up
6966-411: The International Institute for Strategic Studies estimated that NAF had 7,000 personnel and 32 combat aircraft: six Ilyushin Il-28 medium bombers, eight MiG-17 , eight Aero L-29 Delfín jet trainers, and 10 P-149D trainers. Other aircraft included six C-47 , 20 Do-27 / 28 , and eight Westland Whirlwind and Alouette II helicopters. During the 1970s, Nigeria bought Lockheed C-130 Hercules from
7095-411: The Iraqi invasion of Kuwait , on 9 August 1990 the British government assigned an initial 12 Jaguar GR1A and 12 Tornado F3 aircraft to the Middle East in Operation Granby , these aircraft operated from bases in Oman and Bahrain . On 23 August 1990, a squadron of Tornado GR1 interdictors were dispatched to the region as well, but the Tornado GR1 was difficult to keep operational in
7224-470: The Jaguar S) with No 54 (F) squadron in 1974. These were supplemented by 35 two seat trainers, the Jaguar T2 (previously Jaguar B ). The Jaguar S and B had a more comprehensive nav/attack system than the A and E models used by the French Air Force, consisting of a Ferranti/Marconi Navigation and Weapon Aiming Sub System (NAVWASS) and a Plessey 10 Way Weapon Control System. RAF Jaguars were used for rapid deployment and regional reinforcement, and others flew in
7353-404: The Jaguar into an active nuclear platform because of its lack of ground clearance for deploying India's gravity-dropped nuclear bombs. As the aircraft aged, the avionics were viewed as lacking suitable components for the ground attack mission, such as terrain-following radar, GPS navigation or modern night-flight systems; consequently, several upgrades were carried out in the mid-1990s, including
7482-416: The Ministry of Defence, which is responsible for the management of the military and its personnel. The operational head of the AFN is the Chief of the Defence Staff , who is subordinate to the Nigerian Defence Minister. The current chief is General Christopher Gwabin Musa . The National Defence Council has been in existence since 1979 and advises the President on matters relating to the armed forces. The NDC
7611-431: The Mk.102 engine, mainly featuring better afterburner-throttle control over the Mk.101. The RAF later had its Jaguars re-engined around 1981 with the improved Adour Mk.104, and again in 1999 with the Mk.106, each providing greater performance. The Adour was developed into both afterburning and non-afterburning models; the Hawk, which had beaten the Jaguar to fulfill the Air Staff Target 362 trainer requirement, also used
7740-408: The NAF 917 which it brought back to life with the support of U.S. Air Forces Africa and 118th Airlift Wing. The NAF has subsequently further improved its domestic capacity with the increase in the serviceability of a good number of its transport aircraft. The NAF designed and built its first indigenous UAV, the "Gulma," which was unveiled by former president Goodluck Jonathan in Kaduna, who said that
7869-438: The NAF was engaged in combat operations against the secessionist state of Biafra , during the Nigerian Civil War from 1967 to 1970. At this point, the Nigerian military ballooned in strength from 85,000 personnel in 1967 to more than 250,000 troops by the war's end. In the years following the civil war, the Nigerian Armed Forces were halved in size from its post-war height to approximately 125,000 men. Despite this contraction in
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#17328547574937998-399: The Nigerian Armed Forces have committed to a number of wide-ranging modernization programs to bolster the discipline and firepower of its troops. This includes the acquisition of new armored vehicles, combat aircraft and aerial reconnaissance drones, and the refurbishing of naval vessels, which had suffered from prolonged periods of poor or minimal maintenance. These trends in the development of
8127-779: The Nigerian troops once again to Liberia, at the appeal of the United States , to provide an interim presence until the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) arrived. Charles Taylor was subsequently eased out of power and exiled to Nigeria. In October 2004, the Nigerian troops were deployed to Darfur , Sudan, to spearhead an African Union force, to stop the genocide in Darfur. Nigeria has contributed more than 20,000 troops/police to various UN missions since 1960. The Nigerian Police Force and troops have participated in: Nigerian officers have served as Chiefs of Defence in other countries, with Brigadier General Maxwell Khobe , serving as Sierra Leone Chief of Staff in 1998–1999, and Nigerian officers acting as Command Officer-in-Charge of
8256-545: The North Western region of Nigeria along the Kaduna-Zamfara state boundaries, an Alpha Jet piloted by Flight Lieutenant Abayomi Dairo was shot down by "armed bandits" in Zamfara State . Flight Lieutenant Dairo successfully ejected from the plane, evaded capture and made his way to a Nigerian Armed Forces base in the area with minor injuries. He was given a "hero's return" by the Chief of Defense Staff and other top officers, Armed Forces of Nigeria, General Lucky Irabor, alongside other military top brass. On 14 July 2023, while on
8385-672: The Persian Gulf. The RAF's detachment of 12 Jaguars flew 612 combat sorties, with no aircraft being lost. XZ364 "Sadman" flew 47 missions; the highest number of missions of any aircraft. In 1994, in order to meet an urgent need to increase the number of aircraft able to designate targets for laser-guided bombs , 10 GR1As and two T2As were upgraded with the capability to carry the TIALD laser designator pod and redesignated as Jaguar GR1B and T2B respectively. TIALD equipped Jaguar GR1Bs were deployed to Italy in August to take part in Operation Deliberate Force against Bosnian Serb forces, being used to designate targets for RAF Harriers. During
8514-448: The RAF Jaguar force to its peak strength of six squadrons plus the OCU, each of twelve aircraft equipped with eight WE.177s. Two further squadrons, 2 Squadron and 41 Squadron based at RAF Laarbruch and RAF Coltishall respectively, were primarily tasked with tactical reconnaissance. From 1975 the OCU's wartime role was as an operational squadron in the front line assigned to SACEUR with 12 Jaguar aircraft, eight WE.177 nuclear bombs, and
8643-404: The RAF's proposed strike fleet was to be the American General Dynamics F-111s plus the AFVG for lighter strike purposes. There was concern that both F-111 and AFVG were high risk projects and with the French already planning on a strike role for the Jaguar, there was an opportunity to introduce a credible backup plan for the RAF's future strike needs – the Jaguar. As a result, by October 1970,
8772-399: The RAF's requirements had changed to 165 single-seat strike aircraft and 35 trainers. The Jaguar was to replace the McDonnell Douglas Phantom FGR2 in the close air support , tactical reconnaissance and tactical strike roles, freeing the Phantom to be used for air defence. Both the French and British trainer requirements had developed significantly, and were eventually fulfilled instead by
8901-695: The Republic of Ghana Air Force at the inception of the West African Monitoring Group (ECOMOG) operations in Liberia. A subsequent attempt to expand the fleet by acquiring 27 more in 1991 was not executed. In 2005, under the administration of President Olusegun Obasanjo, the Nigerian Parliament appropriated US$ 251 million to purchase 15 Chengdu F-7 fighter aircraft from China. The deal included 12 F-7NI (NI-Nigeria) single-seat fighter variant, and 3 FT-7NI dual-seat trainer aircraft. The $ 251 million package included $ 220 million for 15 aircraft, plus $ 32 million for armaments: live PL-9C AAM, training PL-9 rounds, unguided rockets, and 250/500 kg bombs. The pioneer NAF pilots on
9030-492: The Super Étendard, claiming that it was a simpler and cheaper development of the existing Étendard IV, and in 1973, the French Navy ordered it instead of the Jaguar. However, rising costs meant that only 71 of the planned 100 Super Étendards were purchased. The M was cancelled by the French government in 1973. The Jaguar is an orthodox single-seat, swept-wing, twin-engine monoplane design, with tall tricycle-type retractable landing gear . In its original configuration, it had
9159-459: The United Kingdom, the first kit being shipped to India in May 1981. In the following phases more aircraft were built in India with less European content. A total of 80 aircraft were built by HAL. Indian Jaguars were quite different from the RAF ones. The Adour Mk 811 engines were soon adopted in the HAL production line (the previous Jaguars made in UK had the earlier Mk 804), giving 8,400 lbf each. There were R-550 Magic 1 or 2 in rails over
9288-676: The United States. Six were acquired at a total cost of $ 45 million. 25 Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21MFs and six MiG-21UM were delivered in 1975 upon the advent of the Murtala-Obasanjo administration that replaced the regime of General Yakubu Gowon . Most of these aircraft were deployed, making the NAF one of the most formidable air forces in Africa during this period. Jimi Peters wrote: "...the 1975-1980 NAF development plan restructured NAF formations" into group (air force) level units that reported to air force headquarters. That structure, he went on,
9417-1078: The addition of the Litening targeting pod. India placed an order for 17 additional upgraded Jaguar aircraft from Hindustan Aeronautics in 1999 and a further 20 in 2001–2002. The IAF plans to upgrade up to 125 Jaguars starting in 2013 by upgrading the avionics (including multi mode radar, auto-pilot and other changes) as part of the DARIN III programme and is considering fitting more powerful engines, Honeywell F125IN , to improve performance, particularly at medium altitudes. The latest upgrade program DARIN III (Display Attack Ranging Inertial Navigation) has also been approved. In addition to new avionics and equipment installed as part of DARIN II upgrade, DARIN III featured modified avionics architecture, new cockpit with dual SMD, solid state flight data recorder and solid state video recording system, auto pilot system, integration of new multi-mode radar on Jaguar IS (currently only Jaguar IM are fitted with radars). Major structural modification
9546-455: The advanced BAC-Dassault AFVG aircraft, with France to buy 75 "E" trainers ( école ) and 75 "A" single-seat strike attack aircraft ( appui ). Dassault favoured its own Mirage G aircraft above the collaborative AFVG, and in June ;1967, France cancelled the AFVG on cost grounds. This left a gap in the RAF's planned strike capabilities for the 1970s; at the same time as France's cancellation of
9675-530: The aircraft themselves would be assembled on two production lines; one in the UK and one in France, To avoid any duplication of work, each aircraft component had only one source. The British light strike/tactical support versions were the most demanding design, requiring supersonic performance, superior avionics, a cutting edge nav/attack system of more accuracy and complexity than the French version, moving map display , laser range-finder and marked-target seeker (LRMTS). As
9804-682: The aircraft trained in China in 2008, while delivery of the aircraft began in 2009. (Nigeria had previously considered a $ 160 million deal to refurbish its fleet of MiG-21s by Aerostar/Elbit Systems, IAI, and RSK MiG). However, it was considered more cost-effective to opt for acquiring the F-7s which were brand new. Nigeria also caused a modification of its variant of the F7, including installing some western equipment and avionics and hence its official designation as "F7-Ni" to reflect that its variant differs in some respects from
9933-462: The airframe; the aerodynamic instability improved manoeuvrability and the test data was used in the development of the Eurofighter . The French Air Force took delivery of the first production Jaguar in 1973, one of an eventual 160 single-seat Jaguar As. For type conversion training, France also took 40 of the two-seat Jaguar E . While the Jaguar was capable of carrying a single AN-52 nuclear bomb,
10062-448: The armed forces as a fighting force, as well as efforts to combat corruption within the ranks of military personnel and government bureaucracy, have been critically important in the ability of Nigeria to confront challenges to its national security and stability in the wider region of West Africa as a whole. The President of Nigeria functions as the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, exercising his constitutional authority through
10191-694: The armed forces. In December 1983, the new Major General Muhammadu Buhari regime announced that Nigeria could no longer afford an activist anti-colonial role in Africa. Anglophone ECOWAS members established ECOMOG , dominated by the Nigerian Army in 1990, to intervene in the civil war in Liberia . The Army has demonstrated its capability to mobilize, deploy, and sustain brigade-sized forces in support of peacekeeping operations in Liberia . Smaller army forces have been previously sent on UN and ECOWAS deployments in
10320-655: The attempts were unsuccessful. France committed military assets to the Gulf War coalition; in October 1990, eight Jaguar A aircraft along with several Mirage F1CR reconnaissance aircraft were sent to the Middle East. The Mirages, which had more advanced avionics, acted as guides for the Jaguars. Owing to obsolete navigational systems being unable to provide the accuracy required, both French and British Jaguars were quickly modified with GPS receivers, RAF Tornados also required adaption to
10449-523: The backbone of the Economic Community of West African States Cease-fire Monitoring Group (ECOMOG) in Liberia and Sierra Leone . It has also seized power twice at home ( 1966 & 1983 ). Nigeria's armed forces would continue to remain an active element in combat operations throughout the African continent over the proceeding decades, with notable engagements including its 2017 involvement as part of
10578-406: The city of Maiduguri against a Boko Haram onslaught, so it appears likely that the CH-3 in question was flying reconnaissance and fire support missions for the military when it crashed. The use of armed drones by Nigerian forces in combat makes Nigeria one of the first five countries to do that in combat history. On 28 September 2018, a fatal air collision involving two F-7 aircraft occurred during
10707-568: The combat area for Coalition forces. Both nations' Jaguars were withdrawn from the region in March 1991, at the end of Desert Storm. In Operation Deliberate Force in 1995, six Jaguars based in Italy conducted 63 strike missions. The last Jaguars in French service were retired in 2005, being replaced in the ground attack roles by the Dassault Rafale. The RAF accepted delivery of the first of 165 single seat Jaguar GR1s (the service designation of
10836-505: The crippled jets. The two pilots who were on the F-7Ni ejected and landed with minor G-force injuries, and the third pilot on the F-7 ejected and sustained head injuries due to the problems from the parachute as it deployed. The pilot died on the way to the hospital as emergency services rushed to the scene of the crash. The Nigerian Air Force was notified and responded with search and rescue for all three pilots, while witnesses helped in evacuating
10965-624: The development of the supersonic airliner Concorde . Whilst the technical collaboration between BAC and Breguet went well, when Dassault took over Breguet in 1971 it encouraged acceptance of its own designs, such as the Super Étendard naval attack aircraft and the Mirage F1 , for which it would receive more profit, over the Anglo-French Jaguar. The initial plan was for Britain to buy 150 Jaguar "B" trainers, with its strike requirements being met by
11094-804: The early 1960s, in response to a British requirement (Air Staff Target 362) for an advanced supersonic jet trainer to replace the Folland Gnat T1 and Hawker Hunter T7 , and a French requirement (the École de Combat et d'Appui Tactique , ECAT "tactical combat support trainer") for a cheap, subsonic dual role trainer and light attack aircraft to replace the Fouga Magister , Lockheed T-33 and Dassault Mystère IV . In both countries several companies tendered designs: BAC, Hunting , Hawker Siddeley and Folland in Britain; Breguet, Potez , Sud-Aviation , Nord , and Dassault from France. A Memorandum of Understanding
11223-552: The engines due to budget problems. As part of technology transfer agreement with Israeli Aerospace Industries (IAI) for 54 EL/M-2052 AESA radar to be manufactured by HAL Avionics Division, the first production version will be ready by March 2021 to be fitted on Jaguar IS as part of DARIN III UPG standard. In 2018, India cannibalised 31 airframes purchased from France, 2 airframes from UK and Oman each, few engines and several hundred types of critically needed spares for optimum squadron serviceability. Indian Air Force plans to retire
11352-399: The first MiG-17s from Egypt to Kano IAP, simultaneously sending a large shipment aboard a Polish merchant ship. Initially two MiG-15UTI (NAF601 and NAF 602), and eight MiG-17 (NAF603 to NAF610) were supplied to Nigeria. Later six Il-28 bombers, initially flown upon deployment by Egyptian and Czech pilots, were delivered from Egypt and stationed at Calabar and Port Harcourt. In July 1971,
11481-457: The first flight for the engine. In its initial development the Adour engine had complications with the stability of the afterburner system, and shipboard testing showed slow throttle response times, problematic in the situation of an aborted landing; engine improvements rectified these problems prior to the Jaguar coming into service. In French service, the Jaguars were introduced using the original Mk.101 engine. RAF Jaguars entered service using
11610-807: The first republic till date. The Nigerian Navy (NN) is the sea branch of the Nigerian Armed Forces. The Nigerian Navy command structure today consists of the Naval Headquarters in Abuja as well as three other operational commands with headquarters in Lagos , Calabar and Bayelsa . The training command headquarters are located in Lagos, the commercial capital of Nigeria, but with training facilities spread all over Nigeria. There are five operational bases; five forward operational bases (with two more soon to come on stream), two dockyards located in Lagos and Port Harcourt and two fleets based in Lagos and Calabar. The Nigerian Navy
11739-481: The fleet of JF-17 fighter aircraft upon an expression of satisfaction by NAF Generals, with the performance of the initial batch procured. In December 2017, NAF formally announced that the United States of America had agreed to sell the A-29 Super Tucano attack aircraft to Nigeria after the deal had previously stalled. The success of this transaction is credited to the persistent agreement and diplomatic skills of
11868-526: The fleet of the NAF is the top-of-the-range model acquired in the life of the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari that had also ordered several Mi-171 and Agusta 109 helicopters from both Mil Moscow Helicopters of Russia and Italy's Leonardo Aerospace for the service. On 15 October 2019, the NAF winged its first female combat fighter jet pilot, Flight Lieutenant Kafayat Sanni, and its first female combat helicopter pilot Lieutenant Tolulope Arotile . They were amongst thirteen other pilots also winged on
11997-433: The government's revenue. Compounding this state of affairs is the role corruption plays in the ongoing attempts to strengthen the armed forces. Corruption has historically weakened the Nigerian military's capacity to face internal security threats and is cited as being responsible for the continued longevity of rebels and terrorists operating throughout the nation. In spite of these challenges to its operational readiness,
12126-511: The high temperatures. Blackburn Buccaneers were dispatched in January 1991 to act as laser designators for the ground strike aircraft. The RAF's Jaguars gained several new weapons during the Persian Gulf War, including CRV7 high-velocity rockets and American CBU-87 cluster bombs which were used because the RAF's existing BL755 bombs were designed for low-level release, and therefore unsuitable for higher-altitude operations common over
12255-507: The incident. One fatal error happened in December 2023, when the Nigerian forces accidentally hit a village with an armed UAV in northwestern Nigeria killing 85 civilians celebrating a Muslim festival. The army said they thought the people were rebels. The rank insignia of commissioned officers . The rank insignia of non-commissioned officers and enlisted personnel . Nigerian Armed Forces The Nigerian Armed Forces (NAF) are
12384-427: The interim GR3 ( Jaguar 96 ) upgrade added a new HUD , a new hand controller and stick top, integrated GPS and TERPROM Terrain Referenced Navigation. It was delivered in two standards, for recce and TIALD. The further upgraded Jaguar GR3A (also known as Jaguar 97 ) introduced fleet-wide compatibility with TIALD and the new EO GP1 (JRP) digital reconnaissance pod, a helmet mounted sight, improved cockpit displays,
12513-434: The largest among the armed forces. Its major formations include the 1st Division , 2nd Division , 3rd Armoured Division , 81st Division , 82nd Division and the newly formed 8th, 7th and 6th Divisions. The Nigerian army is headed currently by Lieutenant General Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja , who was appointed by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. The Nigerian Army has been playing a major role in defence of Nigerian Democracy since
12642-734: The latter half of the Cold War and beyond. In the Gulf War , the Jaguar was praised for its reliability and was a valuable coalition resource. The aircraft served with the French Air Force as the main strike/attack aircraft until 1 July 2005, and with the Royal Air Force until the end of April 2007. Its role was replaced by the Eurofighter Typhoon in the RAF and the Dassault Rafale in the French Air Force. The Jaguar programme began in
12771-441: The local name Shamsher ("Sword of Justice"). As an interim measure, 18 RAF Jaguars were loaned to the IAF with the first two loaned aircraft operational with Western Air Command on 27 July 1979. The second batch of aircraft for the IAF were 40 Jaguar Internationals built at Warton , the first aircraft being delivered in March 1981. The third batch was the assembly of another 45 aircraft by HAL of kits shipped from
12900-459: The military's nearly first-among-equals status within Nigerian society, and the linked decline in military effectiveness. Olusegun Obasanjo , who by 1999, had become president, bemoaned the fact in his inaugural address that year: "... Professionalism has been lost... my heart bleeds to see the degradation in the proficiency of the military." Today, the NAF faces a number of domestic challenges which continue to undermine stability within Nigeria and
13029-690: The newly established Air Force Mobility Command in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State as being part of the Federal Government's strategy to protect its socio-economic interest in the Niger Delta, affirming that the presence of the command's headquarters would bring about security and calm to the people of the State. On 9 December 2011, the Nigerian Air Force commissioned its first female pilot, Blessing Liman , following
13158-653: The non-afterburning Adour engine. Other applications include the McDonnell Douglas T-45 Goshawk , the Mitsubishi T-2 , and derived Mitsubishi F-1 . From the outset the Jaguar was equipped with a navigation and attack system. While A versions had a reliable double gyroscopic system and a Doppler radar derived from the Mirage IIIE, the GR1s had a totally new digital system with an inertial navigation system and
13287-466: The north of Iraq, but Turkey refused access to its airbases and the northern attack was cancelled. Demands by the UK Treasury to cut the defence budget led to Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon detailing plans on 21 July 2004 to withdraw the Jaguar by 2007. An expected out of service date of October 2007 was brought forward at just five days notice to 30 April 2007. On 20 December 2007,
13416-695: The now defunct Kaduna-based Training Command – the Air Training Command (ATC) with its HQ at Kaduna and the Ground Training Command (GTC) with its HQ at Enugu; and the Lagos-based Logistics Command. Every command has several subordinate groups, each of which has at least one wing – and each wing includes one or more squadrons. Wings are not always co-located with their parent unit, and while the numerical designations of some flying wings are known, information on current flying squadrons
13545-518: The office of the Chief of the Air Staff and 8 staff or branches namely; Policy and Plans Branch, Operations Branch, Air Engineering Branch, Logistics Branch, Administration Branch, Accounts and Budget Branch, Inspections Branch and Air Secretary Branch respectively. Each of these branches is headed by an Air Vice Marshal as branch chief. In 2017, Key Publishing/Air Forces Monthly wrote that NAF commands included: ..two new training commands derived from
13674-503: The perception of an imminent amphibious invasion to liberate the country. On the 30th, two RAF Jaguars destroyed a Polnochny -class landing ship with rockets and cannon. The Iraqi Republican Guard , entrenched on the Kuwait-Saudi border, were subjected to a continuous intensive bombing campaign for weeks to demoralise them, allied Jaguars forming a portion of the delivering aircraft. The Jaguars also performed valuable reconnaissance of
13803-520: The pilots from their stricken planes. On 31 March 2021, an Alpha Jet crashed near Borno State in North Eastern Nigeria, after it was conducting an air interdiction on Boko Haram. At about 5:08 p.m., the jet was reported to have stopped pinging on radar and presumed to have crashed. The wreckage was reported missing and found nineteen months later by Nigerian Army troops. On 18 July 2021, while returning from an air interdiction mission in
13932-471: The region as a whole. Some of these threats include the ongoing conflict against the jihadist rebel group , Boko Haram in northeastern Nigeria , which has been in effect since July 2009. Likewise, Nigeria has been engaged in a long-running anti-piracy campaign in the Niger Delta , which has threatened the vital petroleum industry in the country, which is the source of 90% of Nigeria's exports and 35% of
14061-609: The role of electronic counter measures (ECM) aircraft, bearing the Martel anti-radiation missile , capable of staying airborne to suppress enemy defences for long periods of time through mid air refuelling. In French service, the Jaguar was frequently deployed in defence of national interests in Africa during the 1970s, a policy sometimes referred to as "Jaguar diplomacy" ( la diplomatie du Jaguar ). Jaguars made their combat debut against Polisario Front forces in Mauritania in December 1977, as part of Opération Lamantin . In August 1978
14190-467: The same day. In April 2020, Embraer reported the completion of the first set of Super Tucanos out of the 12 on order, with an expected full delivery in 2021. The Air Force includes a service headquarters, 6 principal staff branches, 4 direct reporting units, and 4 operational commands. The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS) is the principal or lead adviser to the President and also the Minister of Defense and
14319-547: The size and funding of its armed forces, Nigeria would boast the only military in West Africa capable of engaging in foreign military operations, such as during its intervention in Liberian civil war in 1990. The great expansion of the military during the civil war further entrenched the existing military hold on Nigerian society, carried over from the first military regime. In doing so, it played an appreciable part in reinforcing
14448-524: The successor to the combat units of the Royal West African Frontier Force stationed in the country, which had previously served as the British Empire's multi-battalion field force , during Nigeria's protectorate period . Since its creation, the Nigerian military has fought in a civil war – the conflict with Biafra in 1967–70 – and sent peacekeeping forces abroad, both with the United Nations and as
14577-517: The survivors numerically strong enough to deliver the allocated stockpile of 56 nuclear bombs. From December 1983, 75 Jaguar GR1s and 14 T2s were updated to the GR1A and T2A standards with FIN1064 navigation and attack systems replacing the original NAVWASS. At about the same time, most were also re-engined with Adour 104 engines and were fitted with the ability to carry Sidewinder air to air missiles or AN-ALQ-101(V)-10 electronic countermeasures pods under
14706-520: The tactical nuclear strike role, carrying the WE.177 bomb. Beginning in 1975 with 6 Squadron , followed by 54 Squadron based at RAF Coltishall , and a ' Shadow squadron ', 226 OCU based at RAF Lossiemouth , Jaguar squadrons were declared operational to SACEUR with the WE.177. 14 Squadron and 17 Squadron based at RAF Bruggen followed by 1977. 20 Squadron and 31 Squadron also based at RAF Bruggen brought
14835-510: The throttle response in case of an aborted landing. The shipboard testing also revealed problems with the aircraft's handling when flying on one engine, although planned engine improvements were to have rectified these problems. The "M" was considered a suitable replacement for the Etendard IV but the Aeronavale would only be able to afford 60 instead of 100 aircraft. In 1971, Dassault proposed
14964-543: The time. Prior to Operation Deliberate Force , the 1995 NATO bombing campaign in Bosnia and Herzegovina , a dozen Jaguars were upgraded with the capability to carry the TIALD laser designator pod and redesignated Jaguar GR1B or T2B respectively. Shortly afterwards, the RAF upgraded its Jaguar fleet to a common standard, incorporating TIALD and the ability to use new reconnaissance pods. The interim GR3 ( Jaguar 96 ) upgrade added
15093-476: The under-wing pylons for other weapons and stores. RAF Jaguars gained overwing pylons in the buildup to Operation Granby in 1990, but French Jaguars were not modified. The SEPECAT Jaguar is powered by the Rolls-Royce Turbomeca Adour turbofan engine, which was developed in parallel with, and primarily for the Jaguar. A separate partnership was formed between Rolls-Royce and Turbomeca to develop
15222-447: The wings. The RAF Jaguar force was altered in late 1984, when 17 Squadron, 20 Squadron and 31 Squadron exchanged their Jaguars for Tornado GR1s , although their assignment to SACEUR and their wartime role remained unchanged. The two other RAF Germany units, 14 Squadron and 2 Squadron, followed suit in 1985 and 1989 respectively, which left the operational Jaguar force concentrated in 6, 41 and 54 Squadrons at RAF Coltishall. Following
15351-486: The wings. But more importantly, the NAWASS, even if very modern in conception, was replaced because it was found quite unreliable. The RAF was already upgrading the system with the modern Ferranti Type 1024 INS, but India was offered the 1024E export, less powerful version. So IAF instead pursued the development of new nav-attack system, called DARIN, that combined several technologies from France, UK and other sources. This system
15480-534: Was Zungeru Primary School, with its destination set for Kaduna state . However, it was later determined that the helicopter had suffered a crash in the proximity of Chukuba Village, situated within the administrative jurisdiction of the Shiroro Local Government Area in Niger State . The number of passengers or crew members could not be ascertained. Meanwhile, Islamic Jihadists claimed responsibility for
15609-409: Was carried out on the air frame to accommodate the radar. Initial Jaguars delivered to the IAF were powered by two Adour 804E; further deliveries were powered by Adour Mk811. All the current IAF Jaguars are powered by Adour Mk811. DARIN III upgrade will cause additional weight problems due to addition of new avionics and radar, resulting in it becoming underpowered. Later IAF took decisions not to upgrade
15738-557: Was formally established on 18 April 1964 with the passage of the Air Force Act 1964. The Act stated that the "Nigerian Air Force shall be charged with the defense of the Federal Republic by air, and to give effect thereto, the personnel shall be trained in such duties as in the air as well as on the ground." The NAF was formed with technical assistance from West Germany (now Federal Republic of Germany ). The air force started life as
15867-422: Was found too cumbersome, and thus two intermediate commands (military formations) were formed in 1978: NAF Tactical Air Command and NAF Training Command. From 1984, 18 SEPECAT Jaguar fighters (13 Jaguar SNs and 5 Jaguar BNs) were delivered and operated from Makurdi. They retired in 1991. Nigeria purchased 24 Aero L-39 Albatros armed jet trainers in 1986–87, having retired its fleet of L-29 that were donated to
15996-578: Was more reliable and more precise than the older NAWASS and all the IAF Jaguars had it as standard. The Jaguar was found to be a long-range, fast, stable and effective strike aircraft in IAF service. Another important upgrade was the Maritime Strike version, fitted with a radar (the French Agave) and powerful British anti-ship missiles, produced in a very limited number (12). The only real issue with Jaguar
16125-524: Was originally proposed in 1958, many lawmakers preferred to rely on the United Kingdom for air defense. But during peacekeeping operations in Congo and Tanganyika , the Nigerian Army had no air transport of its own, and so in 1962, the government began to recruit cadets for pilot training in various foreign countries, with the first ten being taught by the Egyptian Air Force . The Nigerian Air Force
16254-579: Was shot down and the pilot, Captain Michel Croci, was killed. The "Manta" forces were withdrawn in 1984, as part of a de-escalation agreement, whereby both Libyan and French forces were to be withdrawn from Chad. The Libyans did not respect the agreement, and Jaguars returned to Chad in 1986, as part of Operation Epervier , this time with a more forceful role. On 16 February 1986, 11 Jaguars, escorted by Mirage F1 fighters and supported by Boeing C-135F tankers and Breguet Atlantic aircraft, launched
16383-421: Was shot down, but the pilot was recovered by helicopter. In support of the further military action in the region, known as Operation Manta , Jaguars were deployed to Bangui , Central African Republic , in 1983, before being rebased inside Chad at N'Djamena International Airport . On 25 January 1984, Jaguars attacked a rebel column that was withdrawing after raiding the town of Zigey . One aircraft
16512-455: Was signed in May 1965 for the two countries to develop two aircraft, a trainer based on the ECAT, and the larger AFVG (Anglo-French Variable Geometry). Cross-channel negotiations led to the formation of SEPECAT ( Société Européenne de Production de l'Avion d'École de Combat et d'Appui Tactique – the "European company for the production of a combat trainer and tactical support aircraft" ) in 1966 as
16641-567: Was thus established with the formation of the Nigerian Air Force headquarters at the Ministry of Defense. The NAF did not acquire combat capability until several Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17 aircraft were presented by the Soviet Union in support of Nigeria's war effort during the Nigerian Civil War. On 13 August 1967, following several damaging attacks by Biafran aircraft, the USSR started delivering
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