The Pacesetter Frontier Magazine

Tag: Helicopters

  • Nigeria Moves to Acquire 12 US-Made Attack Helicopters

    Nigeria Moves to Acquire 12 US-Made Attack Helicopters

    Precious Nwonu, Enugu

    The Federal Government has moved closer to acquiring 12 AH-1Z Viper attack helicopters from the United States following the signing of an agreement between the Nigerian Air Force and Bell Textron.

    The agreement was formalised during a ceremony held at Bell Textron’s facility in Amarillo, Texas, where the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Aneke, led a delegation from the Nigerian Air Force.

    The development forms part of the ongoing defence cooperation between Nigeria and the United States and is aimed at strengthening the country’s airpower capabilities.

    The Director of Public Relations and Information, NAF Headquarters, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, disclosed the development in a statement on Monday.

    According to the statement, the acquisition is part of the Federal Government’s broader efforts to modernise the Armed Forces and improve Nigeria’s capacity to respond to security threats.

    Speaking at the ceremony, Aneke said the AH-1Z Viper programme would strengthen the operational capabilities of the Nigerian military.

    He described the acquisition as an important step towards building a more capable and mission-ready Air Force.

    “The acquisition of the AH-1Z Viper helicopters represents an important milestone in our continuing efforts to build a more capable, professional and mission-ready Nigerian Air Force,” Aneke said.

    The Chief of the Air Staff said the programme was consistent with his command philosophy of maintaining a highly motivated and professional force capable of delivering airpower in coordination with ground forces.

    He stressed that the new capabilities must translate into improved operational effectiveness and contribute directly to the country’s national security objectives.

    Aneke also commended President Bola Tinubu for what he described as his support for efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s defence architecture.

    He acknowledged the cooperation of the US Government, Bell Textron, Programme Management Air 276 and other stakeholders involved in the helicopter acquisition programme.

    The Air Force chief said continued defence cooperation, technical collaboration and capability development would be essential to the successful implementation of the programme.

    During the visit, the Nigerian delegation also inspected the AH-1Z Viper production line at the Bell Textron facility.

    The development comes less than a week after the Nigerian Air Force received five additional helicopters as part of the Federal Government’s ongoing efforts to expand and modernise the country’s air fleet.

    The five helicopters comprised three AW-109 Trekker B aircraft manufactured by Leonardo Helicopters of Italy and two H-125 helicopters produced by Airbus Helicopters.

    The NAF said the latest acquisitions were aimed at improving the Armed Forces’ ability to conduct operations and respond to security challenges across the country.

  • NAF Takes Delivery of Five New Helicopters for Security Operations

    NAF Takes Delivery of Five New Helicopters for Security Operations

    Precious Nwonu, Enugu

    The Nigerian Air Force has taken delivery of five new helicopters as part of efforts to strengthen its air operations and improve support for ground troops tackling extremist groups and other security threats across the country.

    The newly delivered aircraft comprise three AW109 Trekker B helicopters manufactured by Leonardo Helicopters of Italy and two H125 helicopters produced by Airbus Helicopters.

    The Director of Public Relations and Information, NAF, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday.

    Ejodame said the three AW109 Trekker B helicopters arrived in Lagos on September 15, 2026, as part of 10 aircraft recently acquired by the Federal Government.

    He said the remaining seven AW109 Trekker B helicopters were expected to arrive before the end of the year, while the two H125 helicopters had already been delivered.

    The latest acquisition is part of the Federal Government’s ongoing efforts to modernise the country’s airpower and improve the operational capacity of the Armed Forces in responding to evolving security challenges.

    Reacting to the development, the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, described the delivery as another milestone in the government’s investment in the re-equipment and modernisation of the Nigerian Air Force.

    Aneke said the helicopters would increase the availability of operational aircraft and improve the service’s ability to respond to security situations across different theatres.

    “The arrival of these five helicopters provides greater flexibility in the employment of airpower in support of ground troops in ongoing operations,” he said.

    The Chief of the Air Staff also expressed appreciation to President Bola Tinubu for what he described as his continued support for the Nigerian Air Force and its modernisation programme.

    He said the government’s investment was helping the service develop the capabilities required to carry out its operational responsibilities and respond to the country’s changing security needs.

    The NAF said the new platforms would further enhance its ability to conduct air operations and provide support to troops deployed across various parts of the country.