NAF Commences Depot Maintenance
NAF Commences Depot Maintenance of Alpha Jets,Expects
New Attack Helicopters
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) is constantly seeking innovative
ways to enhance its ability to more effectively and efficiently
employ air power in response to Nigeria’s national security
imperatives. Most recently in this regard, the NAF has commenced
the in-country Periodic Depot Maintenance (PDM) of 3 Alpha Jet
aircraft at the 407 Air Combat Training Group (407 ACTG) Kainji.
The in-country PDM, which commenced on 19 December 2018, is
expected to further boost aircraft availability for the conduct of
air operations, whilst enhancing the capacity of NAF engineers and
technicians involved in the maintenance activity. It would also
further improve the NAF’s self-reliance and prudent management of
resources. It may be recalled that, with the support of the Federal
Government, the NAF is also conducting in-country PDM of one of its
C-130 aircraft, NAF 917, at the 631 Aircraft Maintenance Depot (631
ACMD). The PDM on NAF 917 has reached an advanced stage while the
in-house life extension programme on another C-130H aircraft, NAF
913, was completed earlier this year. These have all contributed to
raising the serviceability status of NAF operable aircraft from
about 36 per cent in 2015 to its current levels of between 78 and
82 per cent.
It is also noteworthy that the NAF recently recovered another
Alpha Jet aircraft, NAF 476, from the United States of America. The
aircraft, which was ferried into Nigeria on 6 December 2018, would
soon be deployed for operations in the Northeast. Furthermore, the
NAF is expecting the delivery of the first batch of Agusta Westland
109 Power attack helicopters, comprising 2 units, ordered from
Italy. The aircraft would be inducted into the Service by the
Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, President
Muhammadu Buhari, in March 2019.
IBIKUNLE DARAMOLA
Air Commodore
Director of Public Relations and Information
Nigerian Air Force