NAF begins acquisition of 12 AH-1Z Viper helicopters

The Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, has led a Nigerian Air Force, NAF, delegation to Bell Textron in Amarillo, Texas, United States, for a beam-signing ceremony marking a major milestone in the acquisition of 12 AH-1Z Viper attack helicopters for the service.

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

Ejodame said the milestone represented an important step in the implementation of the Nigeria-United States government defence cooperation programme and the Federal Government’s efforts to modernise the Armed Forces.

He said the acquisition reflected the strategic vision of the Federal Government to strengthen Nigeria’s defence and security architecture and provide the Armed Forces with platforms and capabilities to respond to current and emerging security threats.

Aneke expressed appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his leadership and support for efforts to strengthen the country’s defence and security architecture.

Speaking at the ceremony, the CAS said the acquisition demonstrated the Federal Government’s commitment to enhancing the operational effectiveness of the Armed Forces and ensuring that the NAF remained adequately positioned to fulfil its constitutional responsibilities.

He said: “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 programme aligned with his command philosophy of building and sustaining a highly motivated, professional and mission-ready force capable of delivering decisive airpower effects in synergy with surface forces to achieve national security objectives.

He stressed the importance of ensuring that the capabilities being acquired translated into improved operational effectiveness in support of national security.

The Air Chief also acknowledged the continued support and cooperation of the United States Government, Bell Textron, Programme Management Air 276 and other stakeholders involved in the AH-1Z Viper programme.

He said sustained defence cooperation, technical collaboration and capability development remained essential to the successful implementation of the programme, while reaffirming the NAF’s commitment to strengthening strategic partnerships and professional excellence.

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

The service said the milestone underscored the Federal Government’s and NAF’s commitment to developing modern airpower capabilities and strengthening strategic partnerships in support of Nigeria’s national security objectives.