NAF
Boss Air Mashal Abubakar
NAF
Boss Air Mashal Abubakar
Air Chief Inspects Alpha Jets under
Maintenance
The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar,
has stated that the ongoing in-country Periodic Depot Maintenance
(PDM) of some Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Alpha Jets, being executed
at the 407 Air Combat Training Group (407 ACTG) Kainji, Niger State
includes significant avionics upgrades that would enhance the
effectiveness and efficiency of air operations conducted with the
aircraft.
The CAS disclosed this yesterday, 21 November 2019, while on an
inspection visit to to assess progress of the PDM as well as other
ongoing projects at NAF Base Kainji.
The CAS, who was accompanied by other senior officers from
Headquarters (HQ) NAF as well as the Air Officer Commanding Air
Training Command (AOC ATC), Air Vice Marshal Mohammed Suleiman, was
briefed on the progress of work by the Commander 407 ACTG, Squadron
Leader Kingsley Igwegbe, who stated that the team of technical
expatriates from Arlington Jets, United State of America, working
jointly with NAF engineers and technicians, had begun work on
preparing some of the parts of the airframe of the aircraft that
had been shipped abroad for repairs and returned to Nigeria for
mounting on the aircraft, while the upgrade of the avionics to meet
current acceptable standards was progressing steadily. He observed
that the avionics upgrade would not only enhance operational safety
but also increase the reliability and effectiveness of the
aircraft. Moreover, he noted that the challenges associated with
unavailability of the spares for the old system would be eliminated
as spares would now be readily available for prompt maintenance. He
pledged that the team would continue to work tirelessly to ensure
the job was completed on schedule.
While addressing the press after the inspection tour, the CAS
expressed delight at the level of work done on the first 3 Alpha
Jets and commended the Commander 407 ACTG as well as the team of
NAF engineers and technicians for their hard work, commitment and
dedication in ensuring steady progress of the job. He urged them
not to relent in their efforts at ensuring excellent and timely
completion of the job. He emphasized that, apart from hastening the
overall timeframe of the maintenance job, the in-country PDM, would
allow the NAF personnel involved in the project to build their
capacity to enable them ultimately carry out major aspects of such
high level maintenance activities on their own in the future. The
CAS therefore urged the personnel to make maximum use of the
opportunity to enhance NAF’s self-reliance. He noted that
completion of the in-country PDM would boost the NAF’s Air Power
employment capability by increasing the number of Alpha Jet
aircraft available for combat operations in the various Theatres of
Operation.
Speaking further, Air Marshal Abubakar recalled that a similar
life extension maintenance had been carried out recently on three
L-39ZA aircraft in Kano, while an in-country PDM was also
successfully carried out on a C-130 Hercules aircraft in Lagos,
with the PDM of another C-130 also currently ongoing. Furthermore,
he disclosed that reactivation work on another Mi-35P helicopter
was also in progress is in Portharcourt. He highlighted that, apart
from building the capacity of NAF personnel, these local
maintenance efforts had also resulted huge foreign exchange savings
for the Nation.
IBIKUNLE DARAMOLA
Air Commodore
Director of Public Relations and Information
Nigerian Air Force