₦airaland Forum

Interesting comments I've seen regarding one of the most precise, poignant and insightful documents regarding the future of the Nigerian State that impacts on the discussions we have here and post here whether by way of pictures or comments of Nigeria's Armed Forces, regional and geo-political permutations.

Regardless of sentiments, that the said policy document or indeed from any of the major candidates who could be president shapes our conversations here whether we like his face or not, should be the grund-norm but yet it may be discarded as some insinuate, again for whimsical narrow orgi.es and or parachocial interests the very same issues that plagues us.

Gentlemen and fellow citizens if we can't show unity on this thread and have basic common intellectual conversation without political acrimony on the usual threads then we are not unlike them that has run Nigeria aground. In the spirit of brotherhood I dare us to rise up above sectional sentiments and posit our genuine thoughts for a nation we love and for which men we post their exploits here die for.

That policy document of Peter Obi is one of the finest I've seen in history and a breath of fresh air in a Nigeria where thinkers, scholars and thought process are shuttered for patronage which invariably has made a great nation a sleeping giant. I hear Atiku has one which proposes to raise GDP to 900 billion US Dollars. Imagine what our military would look like in such an economy. It rests on us to be better. It can start here by respectfully disagreeing to agree. This is what makes great nations not cynicism or myopism as some snide remarks here reflect just because the policy document bears an Obi signature. Don't we have a right to interrogate the next Commander-In-Chief?

At least for the first time we know from Peter Obi he'd set up a Ministry of Homeland Security with a Fusion Centre under its control meaning he's identified the gap that hitherto existed between intelligence gathering, collation, analysis, force employment and deployment — on a need to know basis. I find that a total cracker just as his assertive foreign policy initiatives to re-establish regional influence.

We haven't been used to this open mind for 62 years and if we say no then why not we keep a closed mind [I don't mind heck I simply posted for interrogation and engagement on the progenitors of what we do here - why bother about the effect and not the cause - really are we dunces!] but one day shiny weapons won't be able to keep the peace when the lid opens. The document is on Bidexiii's as well, so be it.

During the twilight of the American Civil War during the Presidency of Abe Lincoln [Photo inset] the secessionist Vice-President of the Confederate States of America asked the fine United States Army Commander General Ulysses S. Grant "if we can't discuss as two nations what can we discuss?", General Grant replied "Terms of Surrender". Perhaps that might be us "If we can't talk perhaps we walk."

My Take: This is very informative & engaging for foreign & national policy, military, defense & security for scholars and academics for what a future Nigeria would like in the short and medium term period of new administration in Abuja. Looking forward to the remit of the other major presidential candidates. What is clear is there would be a major departure from the Muhammadu Buhari national and foreign policy posture in the last 8 years which for most lacked coordination among the Intelligence & Armed Services until recently under the Chief of Defense Staff. What should be built on is acquisitions of deterrence assets like Frigates & Submarines to back up a more robust foreign policy. I repeat apart from Gambia where Buhari succeeded, Mali and now Guinea, Burkina Faso shouldn't have happened. With Obi's manifesto apparently quit notice has been served to France and other subversive foreign powers especially in West Africa.

PUBLIC POLICY, MANIFESTO & WORKING DOCUMENT OF A PETER OBI PRESIDENCY

1. We will offer a new brand of transformative and purposeful leadership. The overall goal of my administration shall be to streamline governance, make it more responsive, transformative, effective, less transactional, and therefore efficient and cost-effective.

2. Thinking through 2023 and beyond, we must think seriously about a leadership that is imbued with competence, capacity, credibility and commitment. Accordingly, we will pursue intangible assets of good governance, rule of law, security of lives and properties; We will ensure that we have these assets in place and stress asset optimization. We will strike a strategic balance that allows us to promote and protect national interest, while meeting our ECOWAS obligations.

3. We will rebuild Nigeria’s military power, promote economic growth, and enhance its technological prowess with a view to improving Nigeria’s diplomatic influence in sub-regional, regional and global affairs. Restoring leadership will require that we reassert proactively, Nigeria’s leadership role in African affairs through constructive engagement, peacekeeping duties, and using existing sub-regional and regional forums as well as bilateral platforms for dialogue on current and emerging challenges.

We will continue to enhance our sphere of influence via peacekeeping, and trade and investment initiatives.

4. We shall ensure that in moving Nigeria forward, no state or community will be left behind. Pursuant to its statutory responsibility to protect, our Government will promote equity in power and resource sharing.

The federating units will enjoy discernible autonomy. Resources will also be shared equitably. A higher derivation paid to oil or solid minerals producing states will not be tantamount to other states not receiving federal allocations that should keep them viable. We must transcend the rhetoric that bedevils a robust debate on some of these national questions.

5. We will respect the principles of federal character, affirmative action and gender balance; but no longer at the expense of merit.

6. We will tweak the security architecture, which will entail reform of the security sector and governance. We will Restructure, Re-equip and Reorient the Nigerian Police: This will include 3 level policing- Federal, state and community.

7. We will build a Compact, Robust and Ready Mobile Police Force with Rapid Response Deployment capabilities; and Legislate the Establishment of State Police based on Community policing. We will raise the population to police officer ratio to a higher level.

8. A properly manned, equipped and technologically driven security system with particular emphasis on re-focusing the military on external threats and border protection and police on internal security threats and law enforcement; swift prosecution of criminals, bandits and terrorists; enhanced coordination among security agencies; and upholding the rule of law.

9. Integrate the activities of the National Intelligence and Security Agencies by establishing a Central Reporting Intelligence loop under the authority the Minister of National & Homeland Security.

10. Establish a National Command and Control Coordination Center for the efficient management of actionable intelligence, resource allocation and force deployment. Membership should consist of representatives of all security agencies on a need to know basis.

11. The oil theft is not petty pilfering. It is organized crime by a syndicate that involves a certain degree of sophisticated intelligence and logistical arrangement. We must admit that oil theft is happening because there is domestic and external collusion.

The government and the people have the collective responsibility to protect national assets. On my watch those responsibilities will be accorded high priority.

12. Foreign and National Security policy initiatives, might in the long term entail rebuilding, repositioning and sustaining ECOMOG, as the arrowhead of a West African Security partnership. This is to counter terrorist threats and international subversion of the sovereignty of the West African region of which Nigeria must re-establish her place as a regional power.

13. We will explore ways of cushioning the forex demands by mainstreaming those components of Diaspora remittances that remain opaque and informal.

14. We are challenged by high youth unemployment, which stands at 33.3%; 54% for the youth; and 20 million out-of-school-children. We must give this country back to the Nigerian youths. Half of our 200 million people are below the age of 30.

15. Harnessing our national youth strength and demographic dividends intelligently, must start with curbing the high youth unemployment and creating funding access to enable our youths to become entrepreneurs and drivers of our Small and Medium Scale enterprises (SMEs).

16. We will have zero tolerance for corruption; block leakages and cut the cost of governance. Our total commitment to transparency and accountability in government business is the only credible way to achieve zero corruption.

17. We will enforce the legal framework protecting foreign investors and their indigenous partners. This is the only way to tamper monopoly and capital flight.

18. As governor of Anambra State, my administration achieved close to a 60-40 gender balance in appointive and elective positions. The national target has hovered around 30-35%. We intend to progressively aim for between 35-40%, with aggressive gender mainstreaming action plan and rigid benchmarks.

19. As part of our monetary policy, we will seek to re-establish the independence of the CBN; and commit to a credible and transparent plan to normalize the exchange rate and bring inflation to single digits.

We will remove import and forex restrictions and insist on a single forex market. The current system penalizes exporters who bring in forex by forcing them to sell at a rate that they are unable to source for forex when they need to purchase forex. This multiple exchange rate regime encourages capital flight and deters investment, which has further worsened Nigeria’s forex situation.

Peter Gregory Obi, CON
Former Governor of Anambra State
Labour Party Presidential Candidate

IRREFUTABLE CONFIRMATION OF NEXT LEVEL ARMED FORCES OF NIGERIA

Rearmament: FG Procures 37 Fighter Jets, Attack Helicopters from US, Italy, China

Nigeria | 7 days ago

*To replace aging alpha jets 

*Says 50 fighter aircraft ready for deployment 

*NAF trains 200 pilots in US, UK, South Africa, Egypt 

*Sustained 75% aircraft serviceability 

*Military: No Nigerian territory under Boko Haram control 

Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja

The federal government has so far procured 37 fighter jets and attack helicopters from United States and Italy, in a renewed bid to boost the fighting capacity of the air component of the military establishment.

Beyond the 12 A-29 Super Tucano fighter planes earlier procured from the United States last year, the State Department had in April, also approved the sale of 14 attack helicopters to replenish the arsenal of the Nigerian Air Force.This comes as military authorities said at the weekend that no Nigerian territory was under the control of terror group, Boko Haram or any other group for that matter.

THISDAY gathered that talks between officials of the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and Italian officials have reached an advanced stage for the procurement and delivery of 24 fighter jets.The attack aircraft are expected to replace aging Alpha jets of the Nigerian Air Force which were involved in recent air mishaps.THISDAY further learnt that Nigeria had taken delivery of 10 J-7 fighter planes procured from China.

The fighter planes are presently being coupled at the Nigerian Air Force Base in Markurdi, Benue State, even as 200 pilots have so far undergone training in United States, United Kingdom, South Africa and Egypt, as part of the capacity building strategy of the Nigerian Air Force.Other aircraft purchased by government include L-39s, JF-17 and C-130.

This comes as spokesman of the Nigerian Air Force, Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet, said the federal government between 2015 and 2022, procured over 40 brand new aircraft with more than 50 fighter aircraft in the arsenal of the air force and ready for deployment.He said the military was prepared for any eventuality.

He stated that under the present administration, “the military has never had it so good,” in terms of rearmament.He stated that under the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Oladayo Amao, the air force had sustained a 75 per cent serviceability status of the NAF air fleet.Gabkwet said the situation had greatly improved the joint operations of the armed forces led by the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Lucky Irabor as well as the response time in emergency calls for air support and air interdiction in the fight against insurgency and armed banditry.

“There is great improvement in joint operations which is key to our operations. Reaction time in the case of ambush has greatly improved.“When there is an ambush from nowhere, the jet fighters will appear. This can be seen in the number of insurgents, who have surrendered,” he said.The federal government had ordered the procurement of 24 M-346 Master aircraft from Italian aircraft maker, Leonardo.

The attack aircraft was worth an estimated €1.2 billion and would see the Italian jets replacing the aging Dassault Alpha Jet A/E in use by the Nigerian Air Force.Leonardo would provide aircraft, training, support, and munitions for Nigeria as part of a sole-source. As a partnership, the Italian Air Force would train the Nigerian Air Force pilots at the International Flight Training School of Galatina (Lecce) and Decimomannu airbase (Sardinia) in Italy.

The United States government had in April approved the sale of advanced attack Bell AH-1Z Viper helicopters worth nearly $1 billion.The State Department had announced the approval of the $997 million sale of 24 Bell AH-1Z Viper helicopters and related equipment to Nigeria.The related equipment included guidance, night vision and targeting systems as well as engines and training support, the department had said in a notice to Congress.

Meanwhile, military authorities said at the weekend that no Nigerian territory is under the control of terror group, Boko Haram or any other group for that matter. It said military firepower was hitting the insurgents hard and forced the terrorists to seek refuge in the forests and other ungoverned spaces including the Lake Chad area.

Speaking in an interview with BBC Hausa Service, the Theater Commander, Operation Hadin Kai, Major Gen. Christopher Musa, said the superior firepower of the military was unleashed on the insurgents resulting in the death of many of them.

“Periodically, those, who managed to escape the firepower come out from hiding to operate and rush back to their base for refuge. Nevertheless, we are working with the police and other security forces to fish them out and soon we would do that.

“However, we have, before now, extended an olive branch to them, to the insurgents that any one that surrenders willingly, we would accept and enlist them for rehabilitation and reintegration programmes but that would not be same experience for anyone we caught in the cause of our operations,” he said.He affirmed that the heat of the firepower which led to death of thousands of the terrorists contributed to the increase in the return of abducted Chibok girls and other women and children held in captivity by Boko Haram.

“This year alone, we have rescued nine of the remaining Chibok girls who were abducted on April 14, 2014. What helped us was that in addition to the sustained firepower unleashed on the Boko Haram fighters the rain has also played a significant role so far. It made their place of abode uncomfortable.

“Before now, responses are always slowed down during the rainy season. But we refused to slow down this time. We have invaded their camps and killed as many as we could and that opened the window of opportunity for the women to escape because these women, originally, were not meant to be there, as they were forcefully abducted from their homes and schools and taken to the camps to serve the insurgents,” he said.

https:///index.php/2022/10/03/rearmament-fg-procures-37-fighter-jets-attack-helicopters-from-us-italy-china/

My Take: The above, informative & engaging for foreign policy, military, national defense & security for scholars and academics for what a future Nigeria would like in the short and medium term period of a new administration in Abuja. Looking forward to the remit of the other major presidential candidates. What is clear is there would be a major departure from the Muhammadu Buhari national and foreign policy posture in the last 8 years which for most lacked coordination among the Intelligence & Armed Services until recently under the Chief of Defense Staff. What should be built on is acquisitions of deterrence assets like Frigates & Submarines to back up a more robust foreign policy. I repeat apart from Gambia where Buhari succeeded, Mali and now Guinea, Burkina Faso shouldn't have happened. With Obi's manifesto apparently notice has been served to France and other subversive foreign powers especially in West Africa and Africa.

MANIFESTO, NATIONAL POLICY & WORKING DOCUMENT OF A PETER OBI PRESIDENCY

1. We will offer a new brand of transformative and purposeful leadership. The overall goal of my administration shall be to streamline governance, make it more responsive, transformative, effective, less transactional, and therefore efficient and cost-effective.

2. Thinking through 2023 and beyond, we must think seriously about a leadership that is imbued with competence, capacity, credibility and commitment. Accordingly, we will pursue intangible assets of good governance, rule of law, security of lives and properties; We will ensure that we have these assets in place and stress asset optimization. We will strike a strategic balance that allows us to promote and protect national interest, while meeting our ECOWAS obligations.

3. We will rebuild Nigeria’s military power, promote economic growth, and enhance its technological prowess with a view to improving Nigeria’s diplomatic influence in sub-regional, regional and global affairs. Restoring leadership will require that we reassert proactively, Nigeria’s leadership role in African affairs through constructive engagement, peacekeeping duties, and using existing sub-regional and regional forums as well as bilateral platforms for dialogue on current and emerging challenges.

We will continue to enhance our sphere of influence via peacekeeping, and trade and investment initiatives.

4. We shall ensure that in moving Nigeria forward, no state or community will be left behind. Pursuant to its statutory responsibility to protect, our Government will promote equity in power and resource sharing.

The federating units will enjoy discernible autonomy. Resources will also be shared equitably. A higher derivation paid to oil or solid minerals producing states will not be tantamount to other states not receiving federal allocations that should keep them viable. We must transcend the rhetoric that bedevils a robust debate on some of these national questions.

5. We will respect the principles of federal character, affirmative action and gender balance; but no longer at the expense of merit.

6. We will tweak the security architecture, which will entail reform of the security sector and governance. We will Restructure, Re-equip and Reorient the Nigerian Police: This will include 3 level policing- Federal, state and community.

7. We will build a Compact, Robust and Ready Mobile Police Force with Rapid Response Deployment capabilities; and Legislate the Establishment of State Police based on Community policing. We will raise the population to police officer ratio to a higher level.

8. A properly manned, equipped and technologically driven security system with particular emphasis on re-focusing the military on external threats and border protection and police on internal security threats and law enforcement; swift prosecution of criminals, bandits and terrorists; enhanced coordination among security agencies; and upholding the rule of law.

9. Integrate the activities of the National Intelligence and Security Agencies by establishing a Central Reporting Intelligence loop under the authority the Minister of National & Homeland Security.

10. Establish a National Command and Control Coordination Center for the efficient management of actionable intelligence, resource allocation and force deployment. Membership should consist of representatives of all security agencies on a need to know basis.

11. The oil theft is not petty pilfering. It is organized crime by a syndicate that involves a certain degree of sophisticated intelligence and logistical arrangement. We must admit that oil theft is happening because there is domestic and external collusion.

The government and the people have the collective responsibility to protect national assets. On my watch those responsibilities will be accorded high priority.

12. Foreign and National Security policy initiatives, might in the long term entail rebuilding, repositioning and sustaining ECOMOG, as the arrowhead of a West African Security partnership. This is to counter terrorist threats and international subversion of the sovereignty of the West African region of which Nigeria must re-establish her place as a regional power.

13. We will explore ways of cushioning the forex demands by mainstreaming those components of Diaspora remittances that remain opaque and informal.

14. We are challenged by high youth unemployment, which stands at 33.3%; 54% for the youth; and 20 million out-of-school-children. We must give this country back to the Nigerian youths. Half of our 200 million people are below the age of 30.

15. Harnessing our national youth strength and demographic dividends intelligently, must start with curbing the high youth unemployment and creating funding access to enable our youths to become entrepreneurs and drivers of our Small and Medium Scale enterprises (SMEs).

16. We will have zero tolerance for corruption; block leakages and cut the cost of governance. Our total commitment to transparency and accountability in government business is the only credible way to achieve zero corruption.

17. We will enforce the legal framework protecting foreign investors and their indigenous partners. This is the only way to tamper monopoly and capital flight.

18. As governor of Anambra State, my administration achieved close to a 60-40 gender balance in appointive and elective positions. The national target has hovered around 30-35%. We intend to progressively aim for between 35-40%, with aggressive gender mainstreaming action plan and rigid benchmarks.

19. As part of our monetary policy, we will seek to re-establish the independence of the CBN; and commit to a credible and transparent plan to normalize the exchange rate and bring inflation to single digits.

We will remove import and forex restrictions and insist on a single forex market. The current system penalizes exporters who bring in forex by forcing them to sell at a rate that they are unable to source for forex when they need to purchase forex. This multiple exchange rate regime encourages capital flight and deters investment, which has further worsened Nigeria’s forex situation.

Peter Gregory Obi, CON
Former Governor of Anambra State
Labour Party Presidential Candidate

IRREFUTABLE CONFIRMATION OF NEXT LEVEL NIGERIAN ARMED FORCES OF NIGERIA

Rearmament: FG Procures 37 Fighter Jets, Attack Helicopters from US, Italy, China

Nigeria | 7 days ago

*To replace aging alpha jets 

*Says 50 fighter aircraft ready for deployment 

*NAF trains 200 pilots in US, UK, South Africa, Egypt 

*Sustained 75% aircraft serviceability 

*Military: No Nigerian territory under Boko Haram control 

Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja

The federal government has so far procured 37 fighter jets and attack helicopters from United States and Italy, in a renewed bid to boost the fighting capacity of the air component of the military establishment.

Beyond the 12 A-29 Super Tucano fighter planes earlier procured from the United States last year, the State Department had in April, also approved the sale of 14 attack helicopters to replenish the arsenal of the Nigerian Air Force.This comes as military authorities said at the weekend that no Nigerian territory was under the control of terror group, Boko Haram or any other group for that matter.

THISDAY gathered that talks between officials of the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and Italian officials have reached an advanced stage for the procurement and delivery of 24 fighter jets.The attack aircraft are expected to replace aging Alpha jets of the Nigerian Air Force which were involved in recent air mishaps.THISDAY further learnt that Nigeria had taken delivery of 10 J-7 fighter planes procured from China.

The fighter planes are presently being coupled at the Nigerian Air Force Base in Markurdi, Benue State, even as 200 pilots have so far undergone training in United States, United Kingdom, South Africa and Egypt, as part of the capacity building strategy of the Nigerian Air Force.Other aircraft purchased by government include L-39s, JF-17 and C-130.

This comes as spokesman of the Nigerian Air Force, Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet, said the federal government between 2015 and 2022, procured over 40 brand new aircraft with more than 50 fighter aircraft in the arsenal of the air force and ready for deployment.He said the military was prepared for any eventuality.

He stated that under the present administration, “the military has never had it so good,” in terms of rearmament.He stated that under the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Oladayo Amao, the air force had sustained a 75 per cent serviceability status of the NAF air fleet.Gabkwet said the situation had greatly improved the joint operations of the armed forces led by the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Lucky Irabor as well as the response time in emergency calls for air support and air interdiction in the fight against insurgency and armed banditry.

“There is great improvement in joint operations which is key to our operations. Reaction time in the case of ambush has greatly improved.“When there is an ambush from nowhere, the jet fighters will appear. This can be seen in the number of insurgents, who have surrendered,” he said.The federal government had ordered the procurement of 24 M-346 Master aircraft from Italian aircraft maker, Leonardo.

The attack aircraft was worth an estimated €1.2 billion and would see the Italian jets replacing the aging Dassault Alpha Jet A/E in use by the Nigerian Air Force.Leonardo would provide aircraft, training, support, and munitions for Nigeria as part of a sole-source. As a partnership, the Italian Air Force would train the Nigerian Air Force pilots at the International Flight Training School of Galatina (Lecce) and Decimomannu airbase (Sardinia) in Italy.

The United States government had in April approved the sale of advanced attack Bell AH-1Z Viper helicopters worth nearly $1 billion.The State Department had announced the approval of the $997 million sale of 24 Bell AH-1Z Viper helicopters and related equipment to Nigeria.The related equipment included guidance, night vision and targeting systems as well as engines and training support, the department had said in a notice to Congress.

Meanwhile, military authorities said at the weekend that no Nigerian territory is under the control of terror group, Boko Haram or any other group for that matter. It said military firepower was hitting the insurgents hard and forced the terrorists to seek refuge in the forests and other ungoverned spaces including the Lake Chad area.

Speaking in an interview with BBC Hausa Service, the Theater Commander, Operation Hadin Kai, Major Gen. Christopher Musa, said the superior firepower of the military was unleashed on the insurgents resulting in the death of many of them.

“Periodically, those, who managed to escape the firepower come out from hiding to operate and rush back to their base for refuge. Nevertheless, we are working with the police and other security forces to fish them out and soon we would do that.

“However, we have, before now, extended an olive branch to them, to the insurgents that any one that surrenders willingly, we would accept and enlist them for rehabilitation and reintegration programmes but that would not be same experience for anyone we caught in the cause of our operations,” he said.He affirmed that the heat of the firepower which led to death of thousands of the terrorists contributed to the increase in the return of abducted Chibok girls and other women and children held in captivity by Boko Haram.

“This year alone, we have rescued nine of the remaining Chibok girls who were abducted on April 14, 2014. What helped us was that in addition to the sustained firepower unleashed on the Boko Haram fighters the rain has also played a significant role so far. It made their place of abode uncomfortable.

“Before now, responses are always slowed down during the rainy season. But we refused to slow down this time. We have invaded their camps and killed as many as we could and that opened the window of opportunity for the women to escape because these women, originally, were not meant to be there, as they were forcefully abducted from their homes and schools and taken to the camps to serve the insurgents,” he said.

https:///index.php/2022/10/03/rearmament-fg-procures-37-fighter-jets-attack-helicopters-from-us-italy-china/

Tinfoil:
Europeans are showing themselves to be very primitive in their thinking, when Russians are killed and their bridge is blown up they celebrate in the west and when Ukraine gets bombed they celebrate in the east.

It's very morbid to celebrate death and destruction

That is eh the hypocrisy stinks to high heavens

They should wait for what's coming. They know you don't poke the bear and nothing ominous doesn't happen. The Germans are the ones really styming this fight with their advanced air defence systems especially with another set of mid range ones to be rushed to Ukraine however they won't still deploy the best of their best systems for fear it would make Russia escalate hostilities to the point Ukraine would bend faster than anticipated plus the concomitant effects on the global economy. Putin's been bidding his time, this whole thing has been carefully planned for years by the Kremlin with response for every NATO action.

Operational commanders know the best troops and hard combat assets are always kept in reserve for the final punch. With Russia finally calling up reserves and recruiting and firing salvos of precision missiles on Ukrainian cities, I'm afraid something very ominous is going to happen. I think Kiev is in sight. Fasten your seat belts. I repeat again as I've often said leave Russia alone. That is what will end this war.

Nigeria @62 Independence Anniversary & impressive display of the Armed Forces

Confirmation of acquisition of the M346 FA,
2x Beechcraft King Air 360I, 3x DA-62 ISR,
12x AH-1Z. Daring stunts by the JF-17 Thunder on full after-burners introduced as the Guardian of The Sky & first line of air defence
[Audio confirmation, agile and versatile NAF fighter aircrafts performance from 32mins -- Where's the naysayers & doubting Thomases]

Plus The News Agency of Nigeria [NAN] did justice to the coverage of the celebrations at Eagle Square compared to other networks

Sub-saharan Africa isn't even playing catch up to the Armed Forces of Nigeria and with a new Administration in Abuja next year, Africa in general in few years should do Abuja's bidding


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0Stfkw8V7o

Nigeria @62 Independence Anniversary & impressive display of the Armed Forces

Confirmation of acquisition of the M346 FA,
2x Beechcraft King Air 360I, 3x DA-62 ISR,
12x AH-1Z. Daring stunts by the JF-17 Thunder on full after-burners introduced as the Guardian of The Sky & first line of air defence
[Audio confirmation, agile and versatile NAF fighter aircrafts performance from 32mins -- Where's the naysayers & doubting Thomases]

Plus The News Agency of Nigeria [NAN] did justice to the coverage of the celebrations at Eagle Square compared to other networks

Sub-saharan Africa isn't even playing catch up to the Armed Forces of Nigeria and with a new Administration in Abuja next year, Africa in general in few years should do Abuja's bidding


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0Stfkw8V7o

Nigeria @62 Independence Anniversary & impressive display of the Armed Forces

Confirmation of acquisition of the M346 FA,
2x Beechcraft King Air 360I, 3x DA-62 ISR,
12x AH-1Z. Daring stunts by the JF-17 Thunder on full after-burners introduced as the Guardian of The Sky & first line of air defence
[Audio confirmation, agile and versatile NAF fighter aircrafts performance from 32mins]

Plus The News Agency of Nigeria [NAN] did justice to the coverage of the celebrations at Eagle Square compared to other networks

Sub-saharan Africa isn't even playing catch up to the Armed Forces of Nigeria and with a new Administration in Abuja next year, Africa in general in few years should do Abuja's bidding


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0Stfkw8V7o

Exnavyboy62:
Although there were reports that the US department of defence denied honouring Pakistan's invitation to count it's F-16s physically and by the way you can't blame the downed pilot for the loss, MiG 21 is an obsolete aircraft but the leadership of Indian airforce did not deem it fit for retirement and scrapping.
Nevertheless I'm just happy it was a JF-17 that shot down a Russian aircraft so for those ones who thinks Chad can r@pe our airforce with their MiG-29s, let's see that happen on the watch of our JF-17s or maybe not

Chad does not have an Air Force. Only Nigeria actually has a first rate Air Force in West and Central Africa and south of the Cape. Let us quit this shoring up of inadequate armies with dated equipment or relies on mercenaries for everything including flying their planes or even as mundane as repairing trucks. No one factors majority of African Countries in today's modern battle space. They simply don't count.

Before we see now the underbelly of most sub-saharan African armies exposed to defeat I have been educating folks here as I'm wont to do that having shiny weapons alone does not win wars. So many factors go into play even as nondescript as the quality of your NCOs can mean if troops will follow orders or flee. Something benign as intelligence gathering capabilities on all sphere or the lack thereof means a win or lose situation in a war and many of these countries have zero to none and only shooting blindly mostly with obsolete weapons and poorly led and trained troops.

However in a dedicated war numbers can matter for saturation attack that is one reason the Indian Air Force has not completely scraped its MIG-21s which might surprise you is a very good nimble aircraft for point air defence though modern versions now exist in the F-7s with better avionics an upgrade which the Indians have done on their MIG-21s. It has not yet covered for the yawning gaps the absence of the MIG-21s would provide if deleted too quickly in its ORBAT but getting there quickly with modern platforms though not yet in sufficient numbers for the kind of neighborhood and threats it faces daily.

The Americans did go in and verify those F-16s were complete because the Indians claimed with wreckage they shot down a Pak-F-16.

For the record no Pak F-16 was shot down by Indian Mig-21. It wasn't a movie. The Pakistan Air Force won the recent air war with India and there exists empirical evidence to support these facts. It is one sided Indian propaganda that says otherwise. All US made Pak F-16s are accounted for which contradicts indian lies. Also it was a Pakistani J-17 that shot down the Indian Mig-21 from within Pakistani Airspace.

MiddleDimension:
I do not know if any of you are already aware of this channel on youtube, I think it is a brilliant alternative point of view. He is a former US marine.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0cZLquO2QTE

Good detailed analysis, lot of work. This alternative point view of the war existed though with some here already. If you see Russia built in the context of war with NATO then it's no gainsaying Ukraine will bite the dust. I repeat again Zelensky should be brought out and given a good spanking for succumbing to NATO pressure to use his kinsmen as cannon fodder for their own national interests and not signing on the dotted lines of neutrality. 200 Ukrainian soldiers dead a day are conservative estimates some reports have at 500 a day, that's cataclysmic for a nation not just the military. That's why Putin from the beginning said Ukraine is only destroying its statehood. Now Ukrainian territory has irretrievably shrunk and what no one is saying is Putin might have another go at Kiev as a response to NATO enlargement and there's no stopping him.

Germany after WW11 had to basically import Italian and Turkish men to rebuild and replenish the country and to this day have special funding for women to encourage child birth to bolster its population numbers. That's what war does to you and many other things.

kabe1:
Another excellent post.

However I will go for the latest iteration of the F-15 over the latest iteration of the SU-35.

Americans generally build better aircrafts, with better avionics than Russians.

No doubt but the politics is irritating for a regional power like Nigeria, its a no go no go.

Except of course we redefine and recalibrate our domestic and foreign policy and Nigerians being extremely proud people I don't see that happening now or the future. I think a mixture of things works, an F-15 here an SU-35 there. This has worked well for Nigeria previously.

RiceProducers:
Very good and accurate discourse.
I only disagree on SU27s and their derivatives. They are not showing good performance in Ukraine in terms of good sensors, self protection systems and counter measures

That's arguable in favor of Russia. There's been no real dogfights, none was expected and any purported air-air engagement Russia prevailed convincingly. The Su-27s that made contact with enemy ground fire or air defense systems were flown very low not at altitude and attrition was extremely low, in fact the Russians continue to make those low flights with planes and helicopters. Ukraine has lost its airspace irretrievably. Russian gear especially in Russian hands or say any intelligent armed forces like the Nigerians works excellently just like western weapons. No one should underestimate the impact of western weapons supply to Ukraine though limited in the overall scheme of things it has popped up one surprise here or there which of course the Russians find and destroy.

MiddleDimension:
I would apprecite it very much if you do justice to this topic:
F15/F16 vs SU35 in an all out war, which would you prefer is fighting for you? Which onedo you think is a better air superiority fight?
@Algerian @Flnker @jl115 @covert1 nd everyone else.

It's a good question. Aircrafts have roles. Bottom line is in today's modern air warfare, in the context of air-air combat, air superiority fighters are not up there programmed for first line of action Within-Visual-Range engagement (WVR) rather the F-15 or F-16 is programmed or suited for Beyond-Visual-Range (BVR) engagement. Simply put it is set up to detect at longer ranges and out of sight enemy aircrafts and light them up. That is why today the USAF incorporates 5th generation subsystems into the F-16s. I believe a portion of current US F-16 inventory have now AESA radars same which they have on the F-35s giving it the advantage to detect more targets at longer ranges and light them up. So in effect in the context of BVR combat its more about what you have on the aircraft than about the platform itself. The difference in platform in this instance is either a two engine fighter or single engine fighter, single seat or dual. In a practical warfare scenario an Tactical Air Combat Command would send aircrafts up for the roles they are best suited and for which they are built.

Now for the Su-35, generally the Flanker family aircrafts are built to be super maneuverable which gives it an edge in Within-Visual-Range (WVR) engagements. Here the Russian aircraft excels the F-15. Except for the USAF F-22 no other known fighter aircraft arguably can super maneuver as the Sukhoi aircrafts. However nations pour money into stealth and BVR technologies because in a peer warfare you might be dead in the air before you blink, it's more about who sees first shoots first. However the SU-35 an excellent non-stealthy aircraft has been used by the Russians to go up against the F-22 or F-35 both stealthy aircrafts and detected them at greater ranges so that would put it above the F-15 and certainly above the F-16. It is a deadly fighter. The Americans still don't have an answer for the SU-27 in the F-15 except for the stealthy F-35. Also of note is other factors that can play a role, aircraft availability which brings in maintenance, here western aircrafts have an edge as they are easier and cheaper to maintain and more reliable jet engines which produce more thrust.

I stress in the end pilot training, air combat hours, pilot agility and skill play a crucial role. A Saudi fighter pilot for instance can not be compared in proficiency to an Irainian fighter pilot. So having a shiny bird is one thing and having a nationalistic loyal skilled pilot is another factor in an adrenaline air combat.

Ground based systems or air borne systems like AWACS also can give an advantage. For everything developed there is a counter development. The Germans already excel in detection of stealth aircraft from ground based systems and reports have it the Iranians have once picked up the signature of USAF Lockhead-Martin Stealth F-35 aggressors with Russian supplied ground based radar.

I will choose an SU-35 as a sovereign nation with no inhibitions whatsoever in deployment and access to every code in its weapon suite to optimize employment of the fighter jet. JF-17s are now being optimized with AESA radars too.

Omofaye99:
Nobody knows bro, until they both engage each other anything can happen..even the hyped Raptor might get shot down by JF17 miraculously

Nothing like "miraculously" in Air Combat in the context of putting in the good work, systems & platforms: air training hours, re-training, air combat hours, BVR, stealth, EW, ECM, doctrine, pilot skill, discipline, exposure with counter forces to pick up radar signatures, pay & incentives, motivation, logistics, satellites, AWACS, ground based systems and a host of other factors including allies play into inevitable or predictable outcomes other than that combat pilots attribute unseen forces as an "act of God" which can be bird strike or generally uncontrollable acts of nature.

Nigeria's 4 Star General On The Armed Forces & Contemporary Security Challenges



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGHrh7ewR-w

Nigeria's 4 Star General On The Armed Forces & Contemporary Security Challenges


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGHrh7ewR-w

Everyone has a price. There are always foreign agents backed with hard currency, beautiful women and trained in recruiting spooks to spy on their own government & military. The world of espionage, military intelligence, foreign-intelligence and counter-intelligence networks. Its success or failure can determine the economic wealth of the state, geo-political relevance, military superiority, technological advantage or vulnerability in the event of war.


US ARMY PILOT CAUGHT SPYING FOR CHINA
Ex-Army pilot turned defense contractor sold aviation secrets to China

By Rachel Nostrant

 Jun 24, 05:29 PM

A former Army helicopter pilot with more than 20 years of service has pleaded guilty to working as an agent for the Chinese government after he was caught selling information concerning defense and military aviation projects between 2017 and 2020.

Shapour Moinian, 67, pleaded guilty June 23 to one count of acting as an agent on behalf of a foreign government and two counts of false statements for lying on security clearance documents.

He faces a maximum of 10 years in prison for acting as an agent for China and up to five for the false statements, as well as fines of up to $250,000.

Moinian was recruited in 2016 after messaging with a supposed recruiter at LinkTek Technical Services, in Zhejiang, China, court documents revealed. At the time, he was employed in San Diego by a defense contractor that was permitted to work on projects involving classified information.

Court records did not state the company’s name.

Moinian first met with the Chinese recruiter and her associates in Hong Kong in March 2017, and again in September of that year in Shanghai during a layover on his way to visit his stepdaughter and wife’s family in South Korea. It was during this September visit that Moinian handed over a flash drive with proprietary information from the defense contractor where he was employed.

Moinian agreed to provide information and materials related to multiple types of aircraft designed and manufactured in the U.S. in exchange for money, according to the Justice Department. Moinian also acknowledged in his plea agreement that he knew the individuals he met with were working on behalf of the Chinese government.

Thousands of dollars in payments were made to Moinian through his stepdaughter’s South Korean bank account, which were then transferred over to his U.S. accounts for what Moinian told his stepdaughter were “consulting” fees.

During this time, court documents show Moinian may have also had a romantic relationship with the Chinese national — or Moinian was at least led to believe that was the case.

Messages were exchanged between the two stating that they missed each other and had plans to visit and have her “host him” in her city. Shortly following the discussion about visiting each other, Moinian emailed his contact to let her know he was divorcing his wife.

Later, after returning from another trip to Hong Kong in 2018, Moinian made open source internet searches for “sabotage vs spying,” “espionage vs sabotage,” and “selling military information to foreign country is considered as,” an affidavit revealed.

Court documents also show that Moinian’s now ex-wife claimed he had met with associates in Bali, Taiwan, China and South Korea multiple times between 2017 and 2019. On one occasion, Moinian and his wife smuggled approximately $22,000 in cash back into the U.S., records stated.

In multiple questionnaires Moinian was required to fill out for his security clearance, he was asked, “do you have, or have you had, close and/or continuing contact with a foreign national within the last seven years with whom you, or your spouse, or cohabitant are bound by affection, influence, common interests, and/or obligation?” Moinian answered no.

In a separate question, regarding “Foreign Business, Professional Activities, and Foreign Government Contacts,” Moinian was asked if he “has any foreign national in the past seven years offered you a job, asked you to work as a consultant, or consider employment with them?” He again answered no.

He later acknowledged in his plea agreement that both responses were false statements.

“Mr. Moinian sold information to the Chinese government, and lied repeatedly to cover up his crimes,” NCIS’s Office of Special Projects Special Agent in Charge Michelle Kramer said in a press release. “Now he is being held to account for his actions. NCIS and our partners remain unwavering in our commitment to protecting the U.S. military and rooting out criminality that threatens the superiority of the U.S. warfighter.”

Moinian served in the Army in the U.S., Germany, and South Korea from approximately 1977 through 2000 before entering the defense contracting world.

He was a AH-64 pilot in the Army Reserve from November 1977 to December 1984 and the regular Army from November 1987 to October 2000, said Heather J. Hagan, an Army spokeswoman. He has no combat deployments, Hagan added.

Moinian’s awards included two Meritorious Service Medals, five Army Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal, the Army Good Conduct Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Humanitarian Service Medal, the Army Service Ribbon, three Overseas Service Ribbon and the Master Army Aviator Badge.

Sentencing for Moinian has been scheduled for Aug. 29, 2022.

https:///news/your-army/2022/06/24/ex-army-pilot-turned-defense-contractor-sold-aviation-secrets-to-china/

Fynline:
https://twitter.com/ICPC_PE/status/1540283588159184896?t=Lds8O8-TdH0bDpOiVhsOoQ&s=19

ICPC has come out to clear the air on this. However, is it possible that the real person arrested (a military contractor) has some relationship with Buratai hence the misinformation?

You made the purported answer to your question in same statement. There's no fire without smoke. The earthquake the story would provoke if confirmed officially would reverberate for generations. It would be a massive betrayal of his men in harms way while he held the reins as COAS. Piecing paper and audio trail evidence makes it highly likely grand corruption existed under the last military leadership. The ONSA is on record saying weapons budgeted for can't be accounted for and the late COAS himself before the whole world didnt miss a breath in confirming things were missing and referred the House committee to his predecessor, sadly shortly after that "he died in a plane crash". The strange thing here is the silence of the C-in-C who looks the other way each time Buratai's name is mentioned in graft matters.

Let me give you a brief hiding in plain sight. Amaechi actually has control over Buratai. That connection brought Buratai who served as commander in Rivers State while Amaechi was Governor to Abuja as COAS. The political class have their boys they controlled from different levels of government over the years in sensitive positions. Buratai was on Amaechi's presidential campaign before he lost in the APC primaries. Nigeria's corruption system is so murky it cuts across all sectors. The current APC candidate has his boys too deep within.

Lieutenant General Buratai (rtd) cannot have his name mentioned all the time in association with corruption and something don't stick. Secure calls put through Abuja and Kigali where the president is presently attending CHOGM can see the ICPC promptly come up with a cover story. The Buhari administration is wounding down and may just want to go home without another scandal on its hands. Where is the political opposition parties to do there job.

Intelligence conversation with one of Nigeria's former foreign service covert agent of the NIA



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxMsJ3PoGV0

Intelligence conversation with one of Nigeria's former foreign service covert agent of the NIA


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxMsJ3PoGV0

While goodmen died fighting suicidal ISWAP terrorists in soft skin vehicles money meant for weapons acquisition and troops welfare where been siphoned off by leading generals. What is it with every set of Service Chiefs after they leave office we hear of humongous amounts of defence money stolen. If this is confirmed to be true this Burutai deserve to be court martialed and shot in broad day light. What a betrayal of his men. Who knows how many more is hidden by him and the other Generals, Admirals and Air Marshals that served with him.

Gentlemen, frankly I guess I'm getting more and more tired of Nigeria. What happens here continue to abuse the mind. While we are commending Buhari's administration for its massive support for the military official corruption still plagues the sector in fact all sectors in Nigeria. This Buhari reincarnation is not the one we used to know because under his inept presidency the worst forms of corruption are taking place under his nose.

We desperately need a modern thinking administration in Abuja 2023 and discard all this old set of analogue leaders. Deep inside me I fume at the modest pace of our military modernization because I know if the right guy is in Aso Rock the NAF could be flying the 5th Gen. US Lockheed Martin F-35 Aggressors.

https://gazettengr.com/just-in-icpc-recovers-multibillion-naira-cash-rolex-watches-stockpiled-in-ex-army-chief-buratais-abuja-property/?utm_source=ReviveOldPost&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=ReviveOldPost

While goodmen died fighting suicidal ISWAP terrorists in soft skin vehicles money meant for weapons acquisition and troops welfare where been siphoned off by leading generals. What is it with every set of Service Chiefs after they leave office we hear of humongous amounts of defence money stolen. If this is confirmed to be true this Burutai deserve to be court martialed and shot in broad day light. What a betrayal of his men. Who knows how many more is hidden by him and the other Generals, Admirals and Air Marshals that served with him.

Gentlemen, frankly I guess I'm getting more and more tired of Nigeria. What happens here continue to abuse the mind. While we are commending Buhari's administration for its massive support for the military official corruption still plagues the sector in fact all sectors in Nigeria. This Buhari reincarnation is not the one we used to know because under his inept presidency the worst forms of corruption are taking place under his nose.

We desperately need a modern thinking administration in Abuja 2023 and discard all this old set of analogue leaders. Deep inside me I fume at the modest pace of our military modernization because I know if the right guy is in Aso Rock the NAF could be flying the 5th Gen. US Lockheed Martin F-35 Aggressors.

https://gazettengr.com/just-in-icpc-recovers-multibillion-naira-cash-rolex-watches-stockpiled-in-ex-army-chief-buratais-abuja-property/?utm_source=ReviveOldPost&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=ReviveOldPost

The SANDF a bloated army of cowardice

"The authors’ description of the battle that followed will take your breath away. South African deaths were inevitable. The equipment they requested and needed was out of commission in South Africa, helicopters and fighter aircraft were broken, and more booze was sent up for the troops than ammunition."

- David Smith Covered The Failed SANDF Battle of Bangui Against Seleka Rebels To Whom They Surrendered For The Mail & Guardian

Nigerian Army Snipers In Theater

Show of Military Might

Saluting the Flag of the African Giant for which honorable and decent men are willing to die

Omofaye99:
Some drowning military can't afford this


Even if you give them for free, they will be grounded in weeks

You forgot the Cubans might help and yet they'd still predictably end up grounded

kabe1:
Do you mean the C-17? That's currently out of production, but if you actually mean the C-5, we will never get that.

I'm not a fan of the C-295 either, I don't think it has the tonnage to be useful in Nigerian military service. C-130J on the other hand is just perfect.

One fighter capability, I think we should stick with the JF-17 for fighter capability or if we can the J-10. My problem with the J-10 is, I don't believe the US will allow Nigeria purchase the J-10 is when we also have the AH-1Z Viper.

I meant the C-5, the US tend to look the other way when it comes to surplus equipment not in active production. The C-130J though makes a lot of sense for the NAF having mastered the Aircraft needing no certifications for its pilots.

Except you mean pressures directly from the US as they do with some nations. That has apparently not been the case with Nigeria that actually takes its non-aligned status seriously. I think purchasing the J-10 won't be a problem, worse we use a third party Pakistan. But who knows in this treacherous world of geo-politics and the fight to remain relevant you might be right, just dunno anymore because as we can see shortly after Pakistan got the J-10 Prime Minister Imran Khan was removed and he says himself intelligence points directly to the US as the culprit that bribed lawmakers to oust him.