By MOLLY KILETE, Abuja

The Nigerian Air Force(NAF), Friday commissioned six new helicopter pilots with a charge on them to imbibe the doctrine of jointness and espirit de corps in curbing the insecurity bedeviling the country.

This is just as the Chief of the Air Staff(CAS), Air Marshall Adebayo Amao, has assured that the counter insurgency war would soon be over with the arrival of the six new Tucano aircrafts in the next few days.

He said that with the aircrafts fully on ground, the NAF would be better positioned to effectively counter both domestic and foreign threats to the nation’s security and the wellbeing of her people.

Amao, said this at a winging ceremony in Abuja. He charged the new pilots to pursue excellence and professionalism as operational pilots while working with their colleagues across other specialties in the Service.

Amao, while noting that the NAF must have the right numerical strength and quality manpower to operate effectively in protecting the nations airspace, said a total of 195 officers and airmen/airwomen are currently undergoing training on various courses abroad cutting across several specialties and trades.

The NAF chief while noting the importance of training which he said is in line with his Vision of “enhancing and sustaining critical airpower capabilities required for joint force employment in pursuit of our national security imperatives, said the NAF under his leadership have accorded high priority to purposeful training as a major tool for human capacity development.

He said “The winging of these 6 pilots is yet another step towards the actualization of. In my view, the most critical airpower capability, that must be enhanced and sustained for effective and efficient performance, is the human being that operates the air platforms.

"It is against this background that the pursuit of purposeful training and human capacity development was specifically selected as one of the key drivers of my Vision.

"Accordingly, this is based on the premise that, for the NAF to function efficiently, both as a highly technical Service and as a fighting force for the effective defence of Nigeria’s territorial integrity, it must have the right numerical strength and, more importantly, the right quality of manpower in all relevant competencies.

“As we speak, many other pilots as well as personnel from other specialties are attending various training courses both at home and abroad. These efforts are expected to place the Service in a dominant position to more effectively deliver on its constitutional role, especially in the light of our involvement in several internal security operations across the country.

“Currently, the NAF has a total of 195 officers and airmen/airwomen undergoing various training courses abroad cutting across several specialties and trades. Out of this number, 4 student pilots are currently undergoing similar helicopter training at Draken Europe Helicopter Academy, United Kingdom, the same institution where the pilots winged today graduated.

" In the same vein, 4 other student pilots are in the Czech Republic undergoing basic fighter training on the L-39 aircraft, while 5 student pilots are undergoing helicopter training at United States Army Aviation Facility, Fort Rucker, USA.

"Additionally, there are 17 student pilots in South Africa undergoing Basic Transport Pilot Training. There is also an officer undergoing Helicopter Pilot Training in India. Locally, there are 12 student pilots undergoing Basic Fighter Training at 403 FTS, Kano, while 10 others are undergoing Basic Transport Training at 401 FTS, Kaduna.

"All these courses are aimed at maintaining combat readiness by increasing the number of pilots to man our existing platforms, including the 26 aircraft acquired by the Federal Government in the past 6 years."

He said “The NAF has also continued to build capacity for the several other aircraft types that have been newly acquired and are expected to be delivered before the end of the year.

"For instance, about 60 NAF personnel, comprising pilots, engineers, technicians and other specialists, recently completed their training on the A-29 Super Tucano aircraft in the USA. This is in preparation for the arrival of 6 aircraft that departed United States for Nigeria 3 days ago. They are

expected to arrive Nigeria before the end of the month.

"The other 6 are also expected to arrive Nigeria by September 2021. The overall effect of these efforts is that the NAF, operating in synergy with sister Services and other security agencies, will be better positioned to more effectively counter both domestic and foreign threats to the nation’s security and the wellbeing of our people.

“To the young pilots who have just been winged today, I congratulate you for successfully completing the training. I urge you to be relentless in the pursuit of excellence and professionalism as operational pilots while working with your colleagues across other specialties in the Service.

"You must also strive to imbibe the doctrine of jointness and espirit de corps in the forward lines as you interact with personnel from our sister Services and other security agencies in various theatres of operations nationwide for more enduring results.

“Finally, let me use this auspicious occasion to thank the President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, for his unwavering commitment and support to the development and enhancement of the Armed Forces, in general, and the NAF, in particular. Indeed, Mr President’s continued support has energized us to strive for the peace and stability of our fatherland.” (Daily Sun)

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