numbered:
Exporting elsewhere? won't work,just ask yourself why they (malians,nigeriens,camerounians & Chadians) are trooping into Borno to fight.What is in it for them ( fighters and their foriegn sponsors ),why should they leave Nigeria alone? .Note that Borno has both Uranium and Crude Oil (lake Chad Area) and it's one of the most important markets to the Central African region.

And did you see where I mentioned "acting our size"!. How much deposit of crude oil did Yoweri Kaguta Museveni find before he started buying Su-30 jets. Serious countries or sorry serious leaders don't joke with their national sovereignty, people and natural resources. If you took the pains to tell us the high value resources in the Chad basin couldn't you also imagine that without commensurate defence spending in training of men and purchase of equipment hostile forces may seek to mine it for revenues. This has been the way of the world from time immemorial -- men fight wars for land and resources even water. Today they fight it in more sophisticated ways. Do you think ISWAP is fighting only for religious gains. No one goes to war for nothing or start a revolution in a non-viable economic space. In formulating defence policies geo-strategic countries commonly adopt a policy of deterrence by arming adequately, funding R & D and churning out highly trained forces that makes any would be aggressor or proxy think twice of upsetting the status quo. Why won't minion countries or BHT challenge the state. They know you have the resources but not the muscle in terms of modern armaments to stop them. Right now what Nigeria is doing is a joke for a country its size. BHTs resurgence clearly shows it is again an existential threat to the fatherland and by now we shouldn't be talking of 1 billion dollars but a minimum start-up of 5 billion dollars a year to have a modern military. Could you imagine France is faced with this threat and they would be spending peanuts to prosecute it. Right now we are to a large degree an anaemic fighting force tasked to fight a modern war. Look at us running around in soft skinned technicals.

BHT knows how many planes you have and types and what times they are up in the air therefore exploiting existing gaps. You think it's strange they effectively overrun bases. We should have right now a 24 hour RECCE overflight covering every square inch of the north-east, Chad, Niger & Cameroon and calling in airstrikes. ISWAP couldn't even lift a finger when you do that. Alas! We can't. And without exporting this war to Chad up into southern Libya we should stop talking of ending this war. If Nigeria is truly the giant it claims it is it should be able and rightly so to pacify Libya the conduit and source of all our woes today. Take the fight to the enemy which is the best form of defence. And the core benefit of franchising this war is that Nigerian citizens cease being the casualties of this war which is the first and major responsibility of any power.

Henry240:
60-meters OSV 190 hydrographic vessel (based on the two-vessel same design for the Indonesian Navy) to be delivered by the end of 2019 for the Nigerian navy.

The NN are quitely doing things right,one benefit of having short to long term plans.To cement his legacy the current CAS should do same so that future air chiefs would know what to do.

Covert1:


And did you see where I mentioned "acting our size"!. How much deposit of crude oil did Yoweri Kaguta Museveni find before he started buying Su-30 jets. Serious countries or sorry serious leaders don't joke with their national sovereignty, people and natural resources. If you took the pains to tell us the high value resources in the Chad basin couldn't you also imagine that without commensurate defence spending in training of men and purchase of equipment hostile forces may seek to mine it for revenues. This has been the way of the world from time immemorial -- men fight wars for land and resources even water. Today they fight it in more sophisticated ways. Do you think ISWAP is fighting only for religious gains. No one goes to war for nothing or start a revolution in a non-viable economic space. In formulating defence policies geo-strategic countries commonly adopt a policy of deterrence by arming adequately, funding R & D and churning out highly trained forces that makes any would be aggressor or proxy think twice of upsetting the status quo. Why won't minion countries or BHT challenge the state. They know you have the resources but not the muscle in terms of modern armaments to stop them. Right now what Nigeria is doing is a joke for country its size. BHTs resurgence clearly shows it is again an existential threat to the fatherland and by now we shouldn't be talking of 1 billion dollars but a minimum start-up of 5 billion dollars a year to have a modern military. Could you imagine France is faced with this threat and they would be spending peanuts to prosecute it. Right now we are to a large degree an anaemic fighting force tasked to fight a modern war. Look at us running around in soft skinned technicals.

BHT knows how many planes you have and types and what times they are up in the air therefore exploiting existing gaps. You think it's strange they effectively overrun bases. We should have right now a 24 hour RECCE overflight covering every square inch of the north-east, Chad, Niger & Cameroon and calling in airstrikes. ISWAP couldn't even lift a finger when you do that. Alas! We can't. And without exporting this war to Chad up into southern Libya we should stop talking of ending this war. If Nigeria is truly the giant it claims it is it should be able and rightly so to pacify Libya the conduit and source of all our woes today. Take the fight to the enemy which is the best form of defence. And the core benefit of franchising this war is that Nigerian citizens cease being the casualties of this war which is the first and major responsibility of any power.

The enemy also has a say you know.The moment we "take the fight" to Libya the hidden nails planted in the NW will show themselves .What we can try for are cross border raids to destroy their camps and 1. we don't have enough helicopters 2. the French have obstructed nearly every effort by NAF to strike bh camps in Chad.I agree we dont act our size,always trying to match our neighbours instead of peers like SA and Algeria.

I

Covert1:


And did you see where I mentioned "acting our size"!. How much deposit of crude oil did Yoweri Kaguta Museveni find before he started buying Su-30 jets. Serious countries or sorry serious leaders don't joke with their national sovereignty, people and natural resources. If you took the pains to tell us the high value resources in the Chad basin couldn't you also imagine that without commensurate defence spending in training of men and purchase of equipment hostile forces may seek to mine it for revenues. This has been the way of the world from time immemorial -- men fight wars for land and resources even water. Today they fight it in more sophisticated ways. Do you think ISWAP is fighting only for religious gains. No one goes to war for nothing or start a revolution in a non-viable economic space. In formulating defence policies geo-strategic countries commonly adopt a policy of deterrence by arming adequately, funding R & D and churning out highly trained forces that makes any would be aggressor or proxy think twice of upsetting the status quo. Why won't minion countries or BHT challenge the state. They know you have the resources but not the muscle in terms of modern armaments to stop them. Right now what Nigeria is doing is a joke for a country its size. BHTs resurgence clearly shows it is again an existential threat to the fatherland and by now we shouldn't be talking of 1 billion dollars but a minimum start-up of 5 billion dollars a year to have a modern military. Could you imagine France is faced with this threat and they would be spending peanuts to prosecute it. Right now we are to a large degree an anaemic fighting force tasked to fight a modern war. Look at us running around in soft skinned technicals.

BHT knows how many planes you have and types and what times they are up in the air therefore exploiting existing gaps. You think it's strange they effectively overrun bases. We should have right now a 24 hour RECCE overflight covering every square inch of the north-east, Chad, Niger & Cameroon and calling in airstrikes. ISWAP couldn't even lift a finger when you do that. Alas! We can't. And without exporting this war to Chad up into southern Libya we should stop talking of ending this war. If Nigeria is truly the giant it claims it is it should be able and rightly so to pacify Libya the conduit and source of all our woes today. Take the fight to the enemy which is the best form of defence. And the core benefit of franchising this war is that Nigerian citizens cease being the casualties of this war which is the first and major responsibility of any power.

This is exactly what sensible people have been saying, why can't we pacify Libya?

However, I see a problem with exporting this war, it would begin to attract more active engagement from foreign powers. The greatest mistake will be if France, the US and allies hijack the war for their gains.


If we want to stem the problem, the best thing is to go to Libya with a coalition of Nigerian, Algerian, Egyptian and Moroccan forces under a wider AU mandate. It would be within the context of the planned African Regional Standby Force. Secure that country and install an interim government, and we will begin to see light at the end of this BH/ISWAP tunnel.

frumentius:

The way people are gnashing and wailing leads me to believe they didn't read the articles, so I'll post them again:
https://peccaviconsulting./2018/09/17/battle-of-the-fobs-boko-haram-iswaps-2018-rainy-season-offensive-1/

https://peccaviconsulting./2018/09/27/battle-of-the-fobs-boko-haram-iswaps-2018-rainy-season-offensive-2/

https://peccaviconsulting./2018/11/30/game-changers-in-the-north-eastern-nigerian-security-situation/

This guy made a thorough research

numbered:
The enemy also has a say you know.The moment we "take the fight" to Libya the hidden nails planted in the NW will show themselves .What we can try for are cross border raids to destroy their camps and 1. we don't have enough helicopters 2. the French have obstructed nearly every effort by NAF to strike bh camps in Chad.I agree we dont act our size,always trying to match our neighbours instead of peers like SA and Algeria.

Some point but the enemy isn't exactly caring for diplomatic niceties, they are everywhere wrecking havoc. Cross border raids utilizing the SBS is one good option to feel out and draw out the hidden enemy but it would only suffice in the interim cos as you highlight that enemy would have a contingency plan. So arming up first of all is a prerequisite for credible deterrence and when I say exporting the war it doesn't have to be the Nigerian Army full on ground for an invasion which alerts your enemy (they know even when you are mustering forces) but subtle ways (a job for the intelligence community who know what to do but held back by Nigeria's big brother policy and unwritten non-aggression stance against neighbors) to infiltrate and provoke the enemy which keeps him busy at home (right now ISWAP & its sponsors has no distractions allowing it time and space to strategize, mount and rest after attacks) while you hit with mortal strikes with advisably a limited invasion to create space on the borders neutralizing the flow and source of weapons, men and material that clearly is sustaining this insurgency. If Nigeria wants peace it should wake up to action not what currently obtains making us a joke even to our enemies. Niger just mocked us in their parliament for losing multiple army bases to ISWAP.

EVarn:
I This is exactly what sensible people have been saying, why can't we pacify Libya?

However, I see a problem with exporting this war, it would begin to attract more active engagement from foreign powers. The greatest mistake will be if France, the US and allies hijack the war for their gains.


If we want to stem the problem, the best thing is to go to Libya with a coalition of Nigerian, Algerian, Egyptian and Moroccan forces under a wider AU mandate. It would be within the context of the planned African Regional Standby Force. Secure that country and install an interim government, and we will begin to see light at the end of this BH/ISWAP tunnel.

I like this. Having a coalition is always a plus. But we must begin at home. We can't be teeing up with Egypt and Algeria that fly Rafales and Sukhois with the F-7Ni.
Our defence spending smacks of an unserious nation. A good point but we must bring something to the table.

Nigeria is a huge country and if it arms adequately with a defence budget of 5 billion dollars or more it would be enough deterrent to keep anyone from fighting us.

Covert1:


I like this. Having a coalition is always a plus. But we must begin at home. We can't be teeing up with Egypt and Algeria that fly Rafales and Sukhois with the F-7Ni.
Our defence spending smacks of an unserious nation. A good point but we must bring something to the table.

Nigeria is a huge country and if it arms adequately with a defence budget of 5 billion dollars or more it would be enough deterrent to keep anyone from fighting us.

Of course, we must be well equipped before considering such an ambitious joint venture. We have to increase military spending. $5bln/year might be stretching it considering our current economic realities, but at least, an initial $5bln to kickstart the rearmament programme, and then $3bln annually for the next 10 years will place us somewhere.

Nothing stopping us from stocking up on Sukhois and the latest J-series. Nothing stopping us from partnering with DENEL, Pakistani Aeronautical Complex, and even buying Israeli lavi technology to commenced our own homegrown capabilities.

But it seems something is wrong with our system, because we have been saying these things for years, and I believe the authorities concerned are aware of these realities. Yet no result.

Until we get to the Libyan root of this matter, no solution.

kikuyu1:


Happy new year to our best informed poster! Kids,WTF do you think gave terrorists this ability? Do you think it coincidence? Captainstephen and allexpensive have you encountered these IEDs?

yep, and its not a nice experience.

jteku:
THE PILOT WHO DIED IN THAT HELICOPTER CRASH

Flight Lieutenant Pereowei Jacob got married on the 8th of last month (December, 2018) and he died on the 2nd of January 2019…WHAT A LIFE…..
His wife became a widow after 24 DAYS of the most wonderful day in her life…JUST 3WEEKS and 2 DAYS…KIA

Very sad, rest in piece roomz.

CaptainStephen:
yep, and its not a nice experience.

Fyi,a 6 inch foam mattress on the floor can surprisingly MITIGATE shrapnel effect but ofc not completely.

numbered:
The NN are quitely doing things right,one benefit of having short to long term plans.To cement his legacy the current CAS should do same so that future air chiefs would know what to do.

The CNS should also be considered for the post of the CDS
under his tenure NIGERIA is posting 1.9MBPD + Condensate =2 MBPD of production
there have been some piracy issues and kidnappings but it does not take away from his notable achievements which will also include
* SECOND INDIGENOUS Ship BUILT
* Multiple Epenal

numbered:
The NN are quitely doing things right,one benefit of having short to long term plans.To cement his legacy the current CAS should do same so that future air chiefs would know what to do.

The CNS should also be considered for the post of the CDS
under his tenure NIGERIA is posting 1.9MBPD + Condensate =2 MBPD of production
there have been some piracy issues and kidnappings but it does not take away from his notable achievements which will also include
* SECOND INDIGENOUS Ship BUILT
* Multiple Epenal Ships built locally - proving a good C.S.R. and providing employment for the locals
* Actualization of the Navy University
* The High level of the SBS has not only been maintained but it appears to of increased recent events in the N'EAST and the Gambia attests to that.

LTGEN:

The CNS should also be considered for the post of the CDS
under his tenure NIGERIA is posting 1.9MBPD + Condensate =2 MBPD of production
there have been some piracy issues and kidnappings but it does not take away from his notable achievements which will also include
* SECOND INDIGENOUS Ship BUILT
* Multiple Epenal

Last year i heard from someone who spoke with a captain ( commercial ) that Nigerian waters are relatively safe but when a ship passes into neighbouring waters that's when pirates strike.

Covert1:


Henry let's not be too hard on the boys. Painful losses of men and material is the reality of war. We have already lost so many and that in turn affects the morale of the troops. No one likes bleeding where he bled before like Baga right now. This has been a long drawn out war and the symptoms we see today in the rank and file of the NA are not unique to us alone. It happened to the French and Americans in Vietnam. Overall I don't personally see the Nigerian soldier as the problem (there's always one or two bad eggs), I see the command leadership at the very top the problem.

In my proposal to salvage the situation is to start from the top. Someone should have anticipated this resurgence of BHTs and already prepared counter-offensive strategies. Right now that is non-existent. The Army under Lt. Gen. Buratai is sticking to its guns. Most Generals in Iraq were known to do so with mounting heavy losses until Patraeus showed up.

We need new set of eyes on this war, a different combat mentality. The FOBs combat posture evidently is a sitting duck for ISWAP drug-fueled suicide attacking formation. Since strategy can be open debate I'd propose collapsing the FOBs for a tactical retreat to heavily mined and defended lines in which ISWAP would be drawn into a killing field by heavy artillery and carpet bombing airstrikes. The initiative must be taken back. No commander to my knowledge appears to be thinking along these lines and the High Command clearly are loth to losing territory for fear of political reprisals for the C-in-C in an election year.

But holding ground against a determined enemy that acts like it's got nothing to lose and it doesn't comes at a high price. Collapse the FOBs, draw out ISWAP and disorientate its command leadership, rank and file with scorched earth bombings and then have a highly mobile guerrilla-like AFSF go in with speed to mop up. This might take time but is one option on the table.

I estimate ISWAP with its current strategy should have at least 10,000 fighters or a stream of it to maintain its current offensives on heavily defended bases. And this enemy is not counting the cost and one factor to that is that perhaps a high ranking middle-eastern Amir might be in our midst.

The tactical approach to executing this plan obviously should be top secret. This plan is doable with the current inventory of the Nigerian Armed Forces.

Idk the exact figures but isn't that difficult with 8 or 9 operational alphas;themselves limited to a mere max 2.5T payload?

Covert1:


And did you see where I mentioned "acting our size"!. How much deposit of crude oil did Yoweri Kaguta Museveni find before he started buying Su-30 jets. Serious countries or sorry serious leaders don't joke with their national sovereignty, people and natural resources. If you took the pains to tell us the high value resources in the Chad basin couldn't you also imagine that without commensurate defence spending in training of men and purchase of equipment hostile forces may seek to mine it for revenues. This has been the way of the world from time immemorial -- men fight wars for land and resources even water. Today they fight it in more sophisticated ways. Do you think ISWAP is fighting only for religious gains. No one goes to war for nothing or start a revolution in a non-viable economic space. In formulating defence policies geo-strategic countries commonly adopt a policy of deterrence by arming adequately, funding R & D and churning out highly trained forces that makes any would be aggressor or proxy think twice of upsetting the status quo. Why won't minion countries or BHT challenge the state. They know you have the resources but not the muscle in terms of modern armaments to stop them. Right now what Nigeria is doing is a joke for a country its size. BHTs resurgence clearly shows it is again an existential threat to the fatherland and by now we shouldn't be talking of 1 billion dollars but a minimum start-up of 5 billion dollars a year to have a modern military. Could you imagine France is faced with this threat and they would be spending peanuts to prosecute it. Right now we are to a large degree an anaemic fighting force tasked to fight a modern war. Look at us running around in soft skinned technicals.

BHT knows how many planes you have and types and what times they are up in the air therefore exploiting existing gaps. You think it's strange they effectively overrun bases. We should have right now a 24 hour RECCE overflight covering every square inch of the north-east, Chad, Niger & Cameroon and calling in airstrikes. ISWAP couldn't even lift a finger when you do that. Alas! We can't. And without exporting this war to Chad up into southern Libya we should stop talking of ending this war. If Nigeria is truly the giant it claims it is it should be able and rightly so to pacify Libya the conduit and source of all our woes today. Take the fight to the enemy which is the best form of defence. And the core benefit of franchising this war is that Nigerian citizens cease being the casualties of this war which is the first and major responsibility of any power.

That was actually a prime example of MISMATCHED DEFENSE SPENDING! He spent 5% of GDP in 2011 to buy a mere 7 Sues-to deter who? How many are still flying? What's the CPFH of those heavyweight twin engine deep strike fastbirds? How can a 5th world country keep them airborne in hi tempo ops against a peer to peer engagement or the endless LRA,cross border ops beloved of M7? What's the state of UPDF lift,choppers,MRAPs etc etc? What about the housing and soldiers welfare? I can't confirm but IIRC 2 were written off and only 3 are flyable despite the pics we constantly see here. Ask nemesis8u,the IAF experience with those maintenance heavy birds. Also is it wise when your entire airforce is based at a single airfield:strategic depth?
Imo,the UPDF priority should've been housing! The mass currently inhabit mud walled housing referred to as ''mama,ingia pole pole,''woman,enter carefully! However,the dictator gives zero effs and prioritises his OWN WANTS OVER EVERYBODY ELSES NEEDS! I also hear the biggest source of loss of Sue fliers is not desertion or combat but KQ! As soon as they hit 500 hrs they make a beeline to Nairobi where their multi engine rating in high performance jets is eagerly snapped up by Kenya airways.
That Sue episode caused much laughter here in Nairobi!
Edit:that oil;yet to be sold to pay for the Sues might not even be his!Typically,the Congolese say he played the usual map sleight of hand and the oil fields actually lie ACROSS THE BORDER.

Covert1:


And did you see where I mentioned "acting our size"!. How much deposit of crude oil did Yoweri Kaguta Museveni find before he started buying Su-30 jets. Serious countries or sorry serious leaders don't joke with their national sovereignty, people and natural resources. If you took the pains to tell us the high value resources in the Chad basin couldn't you also imagine that without commensurate defence spending in training of men and purchase of equipment hostile forces may seek to mine it for revenues. This has been the way of the world from time immemorial -- men fight wars for land and resources even water. Today they fight it in more sophisticated ways. Do you think ISWAP is fighting only for religious gains. No one goes to war for nothing or start a revolution in a non-viable economic space. In formulating defence policies geo-strategic countries commonly adopt a policy of deterrence by arming adequately, funding R & D and churning out highly trained forces that makes any would be aggressor or proxy think twice of upsetting the status quo. Why won't minion countries or BHT challenge the state. They know you have the resources but not the muscle in terms of modern armaments to stop them. Right now what Nigeria is doing is a joke for a country its size. BHTs resurgence clearly shows it is again an existential threat to the fatherland and by now we shouldn't be talking of 1 billion dollars but a minimum start-up of 5 billion dollars a year to have a modern military. Could you imagine France is faced with this threat and they would be spending peanuts to prosecute it. Right now we are to a large degree an anaemic fighting force tasked to fight a modern war. Look at us running around in soft skinned technicals.

BHT knows how many planes you have and types and what times they are up in the air therefore exploiting existing gaps. You think it's strange they effectively overrun bases. We should have right now a 24 hour RECCE overflight covering every square inch of the north-east, Chad, Niger & Cameroon and calling in airstrikes. ISWAP couldn't even lift a finger when you do that. Alas! We can't. And without exporting this war to Chad up into southern Libya we should stop talking of ending this war. If Nigeria is truly the giant it claims it is it should be able and rightly so to pacify Libya the conduit and source of all our woes today. Take the fight to the enemy which is the best form of defence. And the core benefit of franchising this war is that Nigerian citizens cease being the casualties of this war which is the first and major responsibility of any power.

I think you just spoke my mind I remember saying we should buy the Sukhoi 34 and lots of them and a Nairalander rebuked me saying we don't have the funds. lol. This insurgency costs us tens of billions of dollars yearly both directly and indirectly. So no amount is too big to spend buying the right armaments to properly fight it.

GeneralFarouq:

This guy made a thorough research

Very very thorough. He has a good mastery of the English language too and puts together convincing arguments like a pro

kikuyu1:


Idk the exact figures but isn't that difficult with 8 or 9 operational alphas;themselves limited to a mere max 2.5T payload?

I thought that was 1.5 tons spread across 5 hard points?

GabrielYulaw:


Very very thorough. He has a good mastery of the English language too and puts together convincing arguments like a pro

That's Peccavi.

Peccavi is an ex-senior British soldiers with tours in Iraq and Afghanistan.

He is the first Nigerian to serve in Iraq. He's now a security consultant.

He's based in the UK.

kikuyu1:


Idk the exact figures but isn't that difficult with 8 or 9 operational alphas;themselves limited to a mere max 2.5T payload?

The C-130s can be utilized for such roles...

kikuyu1:


That was actually a prime example of MISMATCHED DEFENSE SPENDING! He spent 5% of GDP in 2011 to buy a mere 7 Sues-to deter who? How many are still flying? What's the CPFH of those heavyweight twin engine deep strike fastbirds? How can a 5th world country keep them airborne in hi tempo ops against a peer to peer engagement or the endless LRA,cross border ops beloved of M7? What's the state of UPDF lift,choppers,MRAPs etc etc? What about the housing and soldiers welfare? I can't confirm but IIRC 2 were written off and only 3 are flyable despite the pics we constantly see here. Ask nemesis8u,the IAF experience with those maintenance heavy birds. Also is it wise when your entire airforce is based at a single airfield:strategic depth?
Imo,the UPDF priority should've been housing! The mass currently inhabit mud walled housing referred to as ''mama,ingia pole pole,''woman,enter carefully! However,the dictator gives zero effs and prioritises his OWN WANTS OVER EVERYBODY ELSES NEEDS! I also hear the biggest source of loss of Sue fliers is not desertion or combat but KQ! As soon as they hit 500 hrs they make a beeline to Nairobi where their multi engine rating in high performance jets is eagerly snapped up by Kenya airways.
That Sue episode caused much laughter here in Nairobi!
Edit:that oil;yet to be sold to pay for the Sues might not even be his!Typically,the Congolese say he played the usual map sleight of hand and the oil fields actually lie ACROSS THE BORDER.

Almost everyone agrees it was foolish spending for Uganda but the point is the intent. That's the point.

GabrielYulaw:


I think you just spoke my mind I remember saying we should buy the Sukhoi 34 and lots of them and a Nairalander rebuked me saying we don't have the funds. lol. This insurgency costs us tens of billions of dollars yearly both directly and indirectly. So no amount is too big to spend buying the right armaments to properly fight it.

The Su-34 is an excellent platform for counter-air and counter-surface combat roles. Actually Nigeria shouldn't be shy to pick up a few examples especially that Russia is willing to put up the funding but the NAF as a professional organization factors in operational costs in its acquisitions which is why as all evidence points to it is settling for a mix of the JF-17 Thunder & Super-Tucano 4th generation combat aircrafts which delivers the same results for a fraction of the cost of running and maintaining the Sukhois. As much as we hate to love the Tucanos the specifications we are getting are actually highly deadly machines in the sky. The problem with our acquisitions are the numbers are too few for the threats we face, it is still a glass half full. The major problem right now is the Nigerian Army.

New in 2019: Two new US air bases in Africa nearing completion
 

U.S. Africa Command is hoping to finish two new air bases in 2019, one in Niger and one in Somalia, to stage operations against militants in the region.

Niger Air Base 201, a future hub for armed drones and other aircraft , was supposed to be completed this year. The region’s difficult weather and harsh conditions are pushing completion back to the middle of 2019, officials told Air Force Times.

Air Base 201 will eventually house the U.S. armed drone mission in Niger that currently operates out of Niger’s capital, Niamey.

In the Lower Shabelle region of southern Somalia, a former Soviet-built air base called Camp Baledogle is being refurbished and converted to better handle the evolving multinational mission in the country.

“The runway repairs were just contracted this fall, and are not scheduled to be completed until later in 2019,” Air Force Maj. Karl Wiest, an AFRICOM spokesman, said.


AFRICOM confirmed to Air Force Times that it operates the facilities at Camp Baledogle alongside African partners, but remained scant on details regarding what aircraft are planned to fly from there.

Camp Baledogle’s runway will be 10,092 feet long, 140 feet wide and made of asphalt, according to Mike Andrews, the public affairs director for Naval Facilities Engineering Command Atlantic, which executed the military construction contract. Those dimensions will be able to support virtually all aircraft in the U.S. Air Force inventory.

“The runway is still being utilized for limited operations,” Wiest said. “Also, there are some other projects underway at Camp Baledogle, such as mitigation efforts to improve camp drainage as a result of rainfall events, improvements to force protection measures, as well as regular camp refurbishment resulting from normal wear and tear of facilities.”


Somalia has become a growth point for AFRICOM, as the combatant command conducts airstrikes and ground operations against al-Qaida-linked al-Shabab militants in the country.

The U.S. carried out more than 30 airstrikes last year in Somalia, according to FDD’s Long War Journal. American involvement in the country has grown since President Donald Trump early in his term approved expanded operations against al-Shabab. Since then, two U.S. military personnel have been killed in Somalia.

The Pentagon fields about 7,200 troops in Africa, but plans to cut about 10 percent of those forces over the next few years in an effort to realign priorities in an era of great power competition. AFRICOM officials do not expect those cuts to impact the new air bases.

By: Kyle Rempfer. Militarytimes

Covert1:


The Su-34 is an excellent platform for counter-air and counter-surface combat roles. Actually Nigeria shouldn't be shy to pick up a few examples especially that Russia is willing to put up the funding but the NAF as a professional organization factors in operational costs in its acquisitions which is why as all evidence points to it is settling for a mix of the JF-17 Thunder & Super-Tucano 4th generation combat aircrafts which delivers the same results for a fraction of the cost of running and maintaining the Sukhois. As much as we hate to love the Tucanos the specifications we are getting are actually highly deadly machines in the sky. The problem with our acquisitions are the numbers are too few for the threats we face, it is still a glass half full. The major problem right now is the Nigerian Army.

The research done (anon posted here) suggests otherwise. You should read it.

It’s not a question of spending on big ticket items or more air-power.

Henry240:

That's Peccavi.

Peccavi is an ex-senior British soldiers with tours in Iraq and Afghanistan.

He is the first Nigerian to serve in Iraq. He's now a security consultant.

He's based in the UK.

Wow and double wow! Seun suppose pay him just for appearing here. Wow. Combat tours you say? I am highly impressed.

patches689:


The research done (anon posted here) suggests otherwise. You should read it.

It’s not a question of spending on big ticket items or more air-power.

Its the little foxes that spoils the vine

They don't understand that

Covert1:


The Su-34 is an excellent platform for counter-air and counter-surface combat roles. Actually Nigeria shouldn't be shy to pick up a few examples especially that Russia is willing to put up the funding but the NAF as a professional organization factors in operational costs in its acquisitions which is why as all evidence points to it is settling for a mix of the JF-17 Thunder & Super-Tucano 4th generation combat aircrafts which delivers the same results for a fraction of the cost of running and maintaining the Sukhois. As much as we hate to love the Tucanos the specifications we are getting are actually highly deadly machines in the sky. The problem with our acquisitions are the numbers are too few for the threats we face, it is still a glass half full. The major problem right now is the Nigerian Army.

The role I see the Sukhoi 34 playing is to launch from Kaduna with extra fuel tanks and stay on station for up to 24 hours with in-flight refueling. That way it can take care of any insurgents that might appear at any time of the day or night. We can buy the tankers or make them ourselves.
The Tucano is no doubt a lovely aircraft with very low operating costs. However, it can only carry 1.5 tons and its top speed is less than 500 knots, Suppose a base is being overrun and its presence is needed fast, can it make it in time since it lacks mach speed and afterburners? I doubt that.
The JF-17 Thunder is also a lovely plane. But it simply carries too little payload and is not armored like the Sukhoi. Plus we are buying pitiful amounts of both. So pitiful that it makes absolutely no sense. What's needed is a heavy multi role aircraft with long range and heavy payload in the range of 8 tons and up. The Sukhoi 34 carries 12 tons, but the only problem is that it is maintenance-intensive.

patches689:


The research done (anon posted here) suggests otherwise. You should read it.

It’s not a question of spending on big ticket items or more air-power.

I read it. Even ISWAP can anticipate what measures he suggested. I have submitted a more unpredictable one.

I don't agree with everything posted by the author especially with that part of it's "not a question of spending more...". The writer himself identified existing gaps in ISR capacity and his pessimism in closing that. I disagree. When you are faced with an existential threat you do everything you can to overcome it. And in all fairness to the Nigerian Armed Forces there is nothing projected by the writer that has not been done. Furthermore the CDS continues to generate forces for mission purposes the only question is of what quality and though the Military is stretched it is not overwhelmed. The facts on the ground point to the need to adequately fund and equip the Nigerian Army that bears the brunt of the fighting in the north-east.

GabrielYulaw:


The role I see the Sukhoi 34 playing is to launch from Kaduna with extra fuel tanks and stay on station for up to 24 hours with in-flight refueling. That way it can take care of any insurgents that might appear at any time of the day or night. We can buy the tankers or make them ourselves.
The Tucano is no doubt a lovely aircraft with very low operating costs. However, it can only carry 1.5 tons and its top speed is less than 500 knots, Suppose a base is being overrun and its presence is needed fast, can it make it in time since it lacks mach speed and afterburners? I doubt that.
The JF-17 Thunder is also a lovely plane. But it simply carries too little payload and is not armored like the Sukhoi. Plus we are buying pitiful amounts of both. So pitiful that it makes absolutely no sense. What's needed is a heavy multi role aircraft with long range and heavy payload in the range of 8 tons and up. The Sukhoi 34 carries 12 tons, but the only problem is that it is maintenance-intensive.

I concur. Actually I'm sold to the idea of a heavy air-superiority aircraft like the Su-34. It is time to act.

Covert1:


I concur. Actually I'm sold to the idea of a heavy air-superiority aircraft like the Su-34. It is time to act.

The SU 34 will never be able to find and kill Boko Haram as cheaply and effectively as Super Tucano. The Super Tucano can be used proactively, loitering with its boring turboprop engines droning on and looking for insurgents with one pilot scanning sensors poring through sahel savanna brush.
The other scenario of scrambling high flying SU 34s to counter random raids by 500 ISWAP guys on distant Nigerian Army who frequently melt away in many predetermined directions is interesting but far stretched.
I would rather buy 12 more Super Tucanos and save all that operational cost.

I believe SU 34 will be acquired but will purely be a more strategic asset available to warn neighbours that we have the reach to strike insurgent camps in their countries if they don't act to proactively remove them. That's all the usefulness of SU 34 to the COIN effort. SU 34s also give capability to effectivrly police the Gulf of Guinea and threaten possible strikes at Libyan terrorist camps if need be.

SternProphet:


The SU 34 will never be able to find and kill Boko Haram as cheaply and effectively as Super Tucano. The Super Tucano can be used proactively, loitering with its boring turboprop engines droning on and looking for insurgents with one pilot scanning sensors poring through sahel savanna brush.
The other scenario of scrambling high flying SU 34s to counter random raids by 500 ISWAP guys on distant Nigerian Army who frequently melt away in many predetermined directions is interesting but far stretched.
I would rather buy 12 more Super Tucanos and save all that operational cost.

I believe SU 34 will be acquired but will purely be a more strategic asset available to warn neighbours that we have the reach to strike insurgent camps in their countries if they don't act to proactively remove them. That's all the usefulness of SU 34 to the COIN effort. SU 34s also give capability to effectivrly police the Gulf of Guinea and threaten possible strikes at Libyan terrorist camps if need be.

Well said this time. I think we are all on the same page here. Our only draw back now is the military leadership and the political class that can't seem to see the reality.