The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has emphasized the indispensable and unparalleled nature of air power in addressing the dynamic security challenges currently faced in Nigeria.
During the Air Operations Seminar at the Armed Forces Command and Staff College in Jaji, Kaduna State, from 12-13 February 2024, the NAF Chief of Training and Operations (CTOP), Air Vice Marshal Abubakar Abdulkadir, highlighted the critical role of air power in the country’s security landscape.
He emphasized the need for an effective synergy between human expertise and technological capabilities in order to build a resilient and formidable force hence the reason why courses taught at the Department of Air Warfare were painstakingly vetted for relevance and value with nominees restricted to the most qualified. With these and other measures emplaced, he continued, the NAF intends to nurture an air force that is flexible, adaptable, and resilient enough to withstand the ever-evolving trends in air power vis-à-vis an ever-evolving security environment.
Earlier in his opening remarks, the Commandant of the College, Air Vice Marshal Hassan Alhaji noted that the uncertain and complex operational environment has not only rendered airpower critical but also made its effects unmatched. However, according to him, to sustain effectiveness, practitioners in airpower must consistently seek contemporary and innovative strategies to be ahead of the adversaries. According to him, “Our current operational and fiscal realities demand the creative employment of multidomain capabilities with air power as a key enabler.
The need to, however, continually adapt and innovate in the face of rapid technological advancements and creative adversaries is thus critical.
Similarly, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) path to being a resilient force of reckon will be driven by leveraging cutting-edge technology, conceptual revolutions in airpower as well as the key enablers of the Chief of the Air Staff’s command philosophy.
These enablers, some of which harp on force structure optimization and deliberate training/mission-oriented force development, would play critical roles alongside technology to firm up NAF’s ambition of becoming a resilient and agile force. Indeed, the recent upgrade of NAF’s Order of Battle through the induction of platforms such as the T-129 ATAK helicopters were deliberate acquisitions tailored to NAF’s operational needs of aircraft with multirole capabilities and durable with cost-efficient maintenance protocols.
The 2-day Seminar with the theme, “Evolving Character of Air Power in Modern Warfare: Nigerian Air Force Combat Operations in Perspective,” featured several highly ranked scholars drawn from within and outside the military delivering papers germane to NAF’s operational effectiveness and discussing same while proffering workable solutions for consideration.
