The Nigerian Army grew out of the Royal Niger Company Constabulary and the forces of the old Lagos Colony and Niger Coast Protectorate.
When in 1886, the Royal Niger Company received its charter, it organised its constabulary which at first consisted of five British and two African officers and about 400 rank and file, of whom more than half were Fantis (from the Gold Coast). In view of the critical situation that followed French encroachments on the territory of the Niger Company in 1894-1897, the British Government decided to raise a local force and Colonel (later Lord) Lugard was sent out to raise and command it.
By the beginning of 1900, the force had become a thoroughly well-organised and disciplined corps which was called the West African Frontier Force. In that year, the greater part of it under Colonel (later General) Sir William Wilcocks took a very prominent part in the Ashanti campaign.
At the end of 1901, all the colonial military forces in British West Africa were modelled on the same basis and constituted into the West African Frontier Force, each dependency being responsible for the maintenance of its own regiment or battalion. The Northern Nigeria Regiment consisted of two batteries and two battalions, to which was added a third Mounted Infantry Battalion. At the same time, the Lagos Constabulary became the Lagos Battalion and the Niger Coast Protectorate Force, with a portion of the Royal Niger Company Constabulary, became the Southern Niger Regiment.
On the amalgamation of Lagos and Southern Nigeria, the Lagos Battalion became the second battalion of the Southern Nigeria Regiment.
When the Northern and Southern Nigeria were amalgamated on January 1st, 1914 the two Regiments became one, which was designated the Nigeria Regiment.
First World War
On the outbreak of war with Germany in August 1914, steps were immediately taken for the defence of Nigeria and for offensive action against the neighbouring German colony of The Cameroons. The Nigeria Regiment and Police were mobilised and volunteers from the European community were enrolled as members of the Nigeria Marine Contingent and the Nigeria Land Contingent.
An early advance into German territory along the Benue and Cross Rivers met with failure, our troops in the north being driven back from Garua, a strongly defended position and in the south being similarly overpowered by superior forces at Nsanakang, after inflicting very heavy losses on the Germans.
However, a large expedition under Brigadier-General (later General) Sir Charles Dobell compelled Duala, the chief town of the Cameroons, to surrender unconditionally on September 27th 1914. The expedition consisted of African troops from all the British West African Colonies and French African troops. It included two battalions and a battery of the Nigeria Regiment and a large number of civilians were attached as temporary officers and non-commissioned officers. Ships of The Royal Navy and of the Nigeria Marine co-operated with the troops. After the fall of Duala, General Dobells troops secured both lines of the railway, but the heavy rains prevented a further advance till the end of 1915.
Early in 1915 Colonel (later Brigadier-General) Cunliffe. Commandant of the Nigeria Regiment, who had taken over command of the troops on the Nigerian border, had invaded Garua. He was assisted by French troops from the Chad district by a naval gun, the moral effect of which so affected the native garrison that the German commander was compelled to surrender on June 10th, 1915.
Leaving a small force to watch the German garrison at Mora, an almost impregnable mountain position, General Cunliffe then marched south to Banyo, where a powerful German force had deliberately prepared a very strong position on an extended hill feature similar in many ways to Mora Mountain. Cement had been freely used in the construction of fortifications, there was an ample water supply and the Germans had announced their intention of holding out there till the end of the war.
General Cunliffe advanced on the position under cover of darkness and at daybreak became heavily engaged at close quarters. The attack was pressed for two days and nights, but on the third night, under the cover of a heavy tornado, the larger part of the Germans succeeded in making their escape from the hill. However, a considerable number remained and surrendered at daybreak the next day. General Cunliffe continued on his way south to effect a junction with General Dobell’s troops and a simultaneous advance was made by another column from the Cross River.
Towards the end of 1915, a general advance was made on Yaunde, the new German Headquarters.
General Cunliffe’s troops from the north, General Dobell’s from the west and French and Belgium troops from the south-east converging on the town left the Germans no option but to evacuate it and it was entered by our troops on January 1st. 1916. The German troops retired towards Spanish Guinea and in spite of a close pursuit, succeeded in escaping into neutral territory, where they were disarmed. Mora, the last stronghold of the Germans, capitulated on February 18th, 1916 and the conquest of the Cameroons was completed.
In November 1916, a contingent from the Nigeria Regiment proceeded to East Africa under the command of Brigadier-General Cunliffe. It consisted of nearly 200 British and over 3,000 African and later 330 British and 3,000 more Africans were sent to reinforce the contingent. In addition to this, about 4,000 carriers were recruited in Nigeria for service in East Africa and a number of men were also recruited for service with the inland water transport in Mesopotamia. The Nigerian troops took part in some of the severest fighting in East Africa and they suffered heavy casualties, but their gallantry in action and the uncomplaining way in which they bore the hardships of a particularly arduous campaign won for them the highest praise. Over 80 decorations were awarded to the British and about the same number to the African ranks.
The contingent returned to Nigeria in March 1918 and received an enthusiastic welcome. After the return of the contingent from East Africa, it was reorganised as a brigade for further service abroad and was about to proceed to Palestine when the armistice was signed. The brigade was then demobilised and the regiment reduced to its normal size. In recognition of its services during the Great War, His Late Majesty, King George V of Britain awarded Colours to the Regiment, bearing the following honours: Ashanti 1873-1874, Ashanti 1900, Behobeho, Nyangao, East Africa 1916-1918, Duala, Garua, Banyo and Cameroons 1914-1916.
On March 14th, 1928, His Late Majesty King George V approved that the title of the forces be changed to the Royal West African Frontier Force.
The Nigerian Army grew out of the Royal Niger Company Constabulary and the forces of the old Lagos Colony and Niger Coast Protectorate.
When in 1886, the Royal Niger Company received its charter, it organised its constabulary which at first consisted of five British and two African officers and about 400 rank and file, of whom more than half were Fantis (from the Gold Coast). In view of the critical situation that followed French encroachments on the territory of the Niger Company in 1894-1897, the British Government decided to raise a local force and Colonel (later Lord) Lugard was sent out to raise and command it.
By the beginning of 1900, the force had become a thoroughly well-organised and disciplined corps which was called the West African Frontier Force. In that year, the greater part of it under Colonel (later General) Sir William Wilcocks took a very prominent part in the Ashanti campaign.
At the end of 1901, all the colonial military forces in British West Africa were modelled on the same basis and constituted into the West African Frontier Force, each dependency being responsible for the maintenance of its own regiment or battalion. The Northern Nigeria Regiment consisted of two batteries and two battalions, to which was added a third Mounted Infantry Battalion. At the same time, the Lagos Constabulary became the Lagos Battalion and the Niger Coast Protectorate Force, with a portion of the Royal Niger Company Constabulary, became the Southern Niger Regiment.
On the amalgamation of Lagos and Southern Nigeria, the Lagos Battalion became the second battalion of the Southern Nigeria Regiment.
When the Northern and Southern Nigeria were amalgamated on January 1st, 1914 the two Regiments became one, which was designated the Nigeria Regiment.
First World War
On the outbreak of war with Germany in August 1914, steps were immediately taken for the defence of Nigeria and for offensive action against the neighbouring German colony of The Cameroons. The Nigeria Regiment and Police were mobilised and volunteers from the European community were enrolled as members of the Nigeria Marine Contingent and the Nigeria Land Contingent.
An early advance into German territory along the Benue and Cross Rivers met with failure, our troops in the north being driven back from Garua, a strongly defended position and in the south being similarly overpowered by superior forces at Nsanakang, after inflicting very heavy losses on the Germans.
However, a large expedition under Brigadier-General (later General) Sir Charles Dobell compelled Duala, the chief town of the Cameroons, to surrender unconditionally on September 27th 1914. The expedition consisted of African troops from all the British West African Colonies and French African troops. It included two battalions and a battery of the Nigeria Regiment and a large number of civilians were attached as temporary officers and non-commissioned officers. Ships of The Royal Navy and of the Nigeria Marine co-operated with the troops. After the fall of Duala, General Dobells troops secured both lines of the railway, but the heavy rains prevented a further advance till the end of 1915.
Early in 1915 Colonel (later Brigadier-General) Cunliffe. Commandant of the Nigeria Regiment, who had taken over command of the troops on the Nigerian border, had invaded Garua. He was assisted by French troops from the Chad district by a naval gun, the moral effect of which so affected the native garrison that the German commander was compelled to surrender on June 10th, 1915.
Leaving a small force to watch the German garrison at Mora, an almost impregnable mountain position, General Cunliffe then marched south to Banyo, where a powerful German force had deliberately prepared a very strong position on an extended hill feature similar in many ways to Mora Mountain. Cement had been freely used in the construction of fortifications, there was an ample water supply and the Germans had announced their intention of holding out there till the end of the war.
General Cunliffe advanced on the position under cover of darkness and at daybreak became heavily engaged at close quarters. The attack was pressed for two days and nights, but on the third night, under the cover of a heavy tornado, the larger part of the Germans succeeded in making their escape from the hill. However, a considerable number remained and surrendered at daybreak the next day. General Cunliffe continued on his way south to effect a junction with General Dobell’s troops and a simultaneous advance was made by another column from the Cross River.
Towards the end of 1915, a general advance was made on Yaunde, the new German Headquarters.
General Cunliffe’s troops from the north, General Dobell’s from the west and French and Belgium troops from the south-east converging on the town left the Germans no option but to evacuate it and it was entered by our troops on January 1st. 1916. The German troops retired towards Spanish Guinea and in spite of a close pursuit, succeeded in escaping into neutral territory, where they were disarmed. Mora, the last stronghold of the Germans, capitulated on February 18th, 1916 and the conquest of the Cameroons was completed.
In November 1916, a contingent from the Nigeria Regiment proceeded to East Africa under the command of Brigadier-General Cunliffe. It consisted of nearly 200 British and over 3,000 African and later 330 British and 3,000 more Africans were sent to reinforce the contingent. In addition to this, about 4,000 carriers were recruited in Nigeria for service in East Africa and a number of men were also recruited for service with the inland water transport in Mesopotamia. The Nigerian troops took part in some of the severest fighting in East Africa and they suffered heavy casualties, but their gallantry in action and the uncomplaining way in which they bore the hardships of a particularly arduous campaign won for them the highest praise. Over 80 decorations were awarded to the British and about the same number to the African ranks.
The contingent returned to Nigeria in March 1918 and received an enthusiastic welcome. After the return of the contingent from East Africa, it was reorganised as a brigade for further service abroad and was about to proceed to Palestine when the armistice was signed. The brigade was then demobilised and the regiment reduced to its normal size. In recognition of its services during the Great War, His Late Majesty, King George V of Britain awarded Colours to the Regiment, bearing the following honours: Ashanti 1873-1874, Ashanti 1900, Behobeho, Nyangao, East Africa 1916-1918, Duala, Garua, Banyo and Cameroons 1914-1916.
On March 14th, 1928, His Late Majesty King George V approved that the title of the forces be changed to the Royal West African Frontier Force.
A Twitter user in Japan has been banned from using the social networking site for making a death threat against a mosquito.
Tweeting abuse would sometimes get you banned from the platform but Twitter's decision to ban user @nemuismywife has attracted ridicule on social media.
It started on 20 August when he was repeatedly bitten by a mosquito as he was watching TV.
After killing the mosquito, he tweeted: "Where do you get off biting me all over while I'm just trying to relax and watch TV? Die! (Actually you're already dead)." He added a picture of a dead insect to his tweet.
What an epic video! This video made the Wooden Leg popular. It was part of Michael Jackson's movie Moonwalk. Most of the dance steps in P Square's video, Personally were from this video (did you see Pawpaw's attempt to do the Lean? ). Alien Antfarm covered this song (they did a rock version) and I'm not sure which I prefer, the original or the cover version.
Checkout the kid ( "I taught him everything he knows" ).
I was listening to Billie Jean one day in 1983 or '84, when the gardener's kid asked me, "So who really owns the child?" I was confused. "What child"? Then I discovered that he thought that the tennis star Billie Jean King had actually had a child for Michael Jackson and that that was what the song was about. I convinced him that no such thing had happened.
Then he came to me again when the second song was released and said, "I told you!" Lydia Murdoch had released a reply to Billie Jean and he thought that the song was actually by Billie Jean.
Later, c1985, NTA showed a clip of a boy (around 11 years old) dancing to Billie Jean on stage. This guy danced and mimed perfectly. Then months later I saw the kid in a Pepsi advert with Michael Jackson. That kid grew up to act in The Fresh Prince of Bel Air and you might know him as Carlton Banks (Alfonso Ribeiro).
obailala: YEah but you will agree with me that at about $50million dollar per piece, that's an immoral and diabolic rip-off. And I wouldn't want to believe it's the Nigerian Air force inflating the prices (for the usual sinister purposes); this particular transaction has been reported in even foreign media.
I agree with you about the cost (even though I don't have the details about the rockets and bombs that came with the deal), but I also blame the Nigerian Government and NAF.
Like I said earlier, the US Government has had a programme to acquire light attack aircrafts for counter-insurgency operations for a long time, but unlike the Nigerian Government the US Government went about it via a bidding process. Six companies have been competing for that contract and I bet that the US will buy theirs at a much cheaper price than we did.
The Nigerian Government has been single mindedly chasing these planes since 2014/2015 in a way that made it seem like we are desperate. Meanwhile there are other cheaper ground attack turboprop aircrafts (particularly from Eastern Europe).
obailala: Still not sure I understand how super tucano single engine WW2 planes could cost so much; the US has just ripped Nigeria off.
The Super Tucano (made by Embraer of Brazil) made its first flight in 1999 and the US Government is currently considering buying a large number of them (they bought a few for testing a few years ago). It's obviously not a World War 2 plane.
The US Government got involved in the deal because:
1) Some of the components are made in the US
2) The US government is also planning to buy lots of light attack aircraft. Six companies, including Embraer have been competing for the contract since 2015. The US bought a handful of Super Tucanos years ago in order to test them. Embraer did not want to upset the US, who might purchase many times more aircraft than Nigeria, just because Nigeria wanted to buy a handful of aircrafts. Now there are three aircrafts competing for the contract and the Super Tucano (A-29) is still in the race.
Three Planes Will Square Off in the USAF's Light Attack Experiment
SNC-Embraer's A-29 will fly of against Textron's AT-6 and Scropion aircraft, but then what?
By Joseph TrevithickMay 15, 2017
At least three different aircraft will participant in the U.S. Air Force’s light attack experiment, commonly referred to as OA-X, according to the companies involved. All that remains to be seen is just how serious the service actually is about pursuing the concept.
On May 12, 2017, Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) issued a press release on behalf of itself and its partner, Embraer Defense & Security, announcing that they would be sending their A-29 light attack aircraft to the Air Force’s evaluation. On May 15, 2017, Textron Aviation sent out a notice that its AT-6 Wolverine and Scorpion aircraft were slated to take part in the tests. The project would begin in July 2017 at Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico.
OA-X may turn out to be “a more sustainable model for the future that would be less costly [and] that I could entice foreign partners and allies and coalition members to partner with us on,” U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff General David Goldfein explained during a talk at the American Enterprise Institute in Jan. 18, 2017. He added that a proposal by Senator John McCain (R-AZ) earlier than month to buy 300 such aircraft was a “great idea.”
After McCain released his white paper and Goldfein made his comments, The War Zone’s own Tyler Rogoway wrote an in-depth analysis of the possible competitors and the potential future of such a program. At that time, the A-29 and the Scorpion seemed like the most likely contenders. The final decision is hardly surprising given that Boeing and Lockheed Martin both said they were unlikely to participate in the experiment. The decision by the smaller company IOMAX not to compete was also notable, but more on that later on.
As it stands now, Air Force testers at Holloman will be pitting two relatively similar and proven aircraft against each other, while evaluating another, totally new aircraft. The A-29, a variant of Brazilian plane maker Embraer’s EMB 314 Super Tucano, and the AT-6 Wolverine, a version of the Beechcraft T-6 Texan II trainer, are both low-wing, two-place monoplanes with roughly similar dimensions. A single Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A turboprop, the industry standard engine for light aircraft in this class, powers both aircraft to similar cruising speeds of around 320 miles per hour without any weapons or equipment.
At just over 37 feet long and with a wingspan of 36.5 feet, the A-29 is approximately four feet longer and two feet broader than the AT-6. The Brazilian design is also 1,000 pounds heavier. The A-29 can carry missiles, bombs, rockets, gun pods, and other ordnance on five pylons, two in each wing and another under the fuselage centerline. In addition, the aircraft has a .50 caliber machine gun built into each wing. The Wolverine has six under-wing pylons, but no fixed guns. Both planes can carry a sensor turret with day- and night-vision cameras and a laser designator, along with defensive flares.
The inclusion of both types in the OA-X tests makes perfect sense. The Air Force already has a large fleet of T-6A Texan II trainers, which share many of the same components. This means that a not insignificant portion of the service’s logistics pipeline could support units with an attack variant. Certain training and maintenance expertise would translate to the new planes, too. And since 2013, the Air Force has been buying A-29s for foreign partners and training pilots from those countries to fly them.
The similarities between the two aircraft have already brought them into close competition in the past. Between 2010 and 2012, Beechcraft – now part of Textron – and the SNC-Embraer team, along with the political supporters in Congress, fought over a series of disputed contracts to supply aircraft to both the U.S. Air Force and Afghanistan’s air arm.
Despite significant “buy American”-based lobbying on behalf of Beechcraft, the SNC-Embraer offering won out to build what became the A-29. Through the Foreign Military Sales program, the Pentagon has delivered a number of the light attack aircraft to Afghanistan and is working to send more to Lebanon. The U.S. Air Force canceled its parallel project in 2012, nominally due to budget cuts, but in no small part because of institutional reticence bordering on outright sabotage.
“SNC and Embraer will take part in the experiment with the A-29 Super Tucano, which is the only light air support (LAS) aircraft in the world with a USAF Military Type Certificate,” the companies boasted in their press release. “Partnering with Embraer, we’re proud to present the U.S.-made, combat-proven A-29 as part of this experiment,” Taco Gilbert, SNC’s senior vice president for SNC´s Intelligence Surveillance Reconnaissance division, added, clearly trying to get in front of any renewed objections to the aircraft’s Brazilian connection.
It’s this experience that may help explain Textron’s seemingly odd choice to submit two radically different aircraft. The Scorpion is significantly different beast from either of the turboprop entrants, being a two-seat, high-wing jet. Two Honeywell TFE731 turbofans, each generating 4,000 pounds of thrust, gives the aircraft a maximum speed of over 500 miles per hour.
With an empty weight of more than 12,000 pounds and with a wingspan of more than 47 feet, it is significantly larger than either the A-29 or the AT-6 and can carry a variety of weapons on six under-wing stores stations. More importantly, it has a retractable mount in the nose for a sensor turret, as well as an internal payload bay for additional mission systems in the center of the fuselage. This could include more sensors, advanced defensive gear, or other equipment.
According to Textron, the privately-funded design features a low-maintenance composite airframe and modular, plug-and-play avionics that can be upgraded and updated with relative ease. In August 2016, the Air Force already agreed to test the aircraft's airworthiness in a first-of-its-kind arrangement, which the Rhode Island-headquartered defense contractor hoped would encourage foreign sales. After that, it was undoubtedly an easy decision for the service to include the plane in the OA-X trials.
“This is an exciting step forward for these programs, and we are confident the Scorpion and AT-6 are exceptional platforms to fulfill the USAF’s light attack mission,” Textron said in its statement. “Both platforms offer advanced mission systems technology, affordability and adaptability. Designed, sourced and built in the United States, the Scorpion and AT-6 also offer a strong, positive economic impact aligned with the goals of the current administration.”
Noticeably absent is IOMAX’s Archangel or another aircraft in the rapidly expanding category of light attack and surveillance aircraft based on agricultural aircraft. A idea dating back to the 1980s, the North Carolina-based firm has become one of, if not the preeminent company building such aircraft. It has already sold armed aircraft to a number of countries, including Jordan and the United Arab Emirates.
However, unfortunately, IOMAX is currently in the midst of a dispute with the Air Force over a separate deal to sell this type of aircraft to Kenya. The company and its supporters in Congress argue that the service steered the military aid contract to a preferred contractor, L-3, which has limited experience with converted agricultural aircraft and no history of building armed versions, without even considering any competitors.
"They were given a raw deal," representative Ted Budd (R-NC) told Fox News in March 2017. “We want to know why IOMAX was not considered."
But regardless of the participants, it’s still not clear how far the Air Force intends to proceed with OA-X in general. In 2008, a team within Air Combat Command published what became known as the OA-X Enabling Concept, a white paper that outlined the basic parameters for the aircraft in question. The next year, the command, which flies the vast majority of the Air Force’s combat aircraft, proposed a plan to buy four squadrons – at least 176 aircraft, but as many as 204 – for approximately $4.2 billion over the next six fiscal years.
The service dutifully budgeted for what it called the Light Attack / Armed Reconnaissance (LAAR) project, as well as, the parallel Light Air Support (LAS) program for Afghanistan. As already noted, the service simply could not decide how to proceed or even if it wanted to do so, despite contract awards and available funding. Contract disputes and budget cuts known as sequestration were simply the final blows to what already appeared to be a doomed project. The Air Force ultimately dropped out of a partnership with U.S. Special Operations Command and the U.S. Navy on a related effort, known as Combat Dragon II.
On the surface, with statements like those from General Goldfien earlier in 2017, the revived OA-X seems to have significantly more institutional support than it did in the past. The big question is whether that extends beyond simple experimentation.
“We don't think [an experiment] would cost a lot of money, and it's designed just to help us get our arms around [questions like]: What can you actually do? Does it actually contribute? Can it survive in different threat environments?” Lt. Gen. James M. "Mike" Holmes, the Air Force’s deputy chief of staff for strategic plans and requirements, told Defense News in September 2016.
The OA-X experiment will hardly be the first time the Air Force has flirted with a light attack aircraft for conflicts involving enemies with limited air defenses. If one counts both the Cessna A-37 Dragonfly and the A-29 program, the service has gone on to buy significant numbers of the resulting aircraft on exactly two occasions – and only once for itself. And its controversial history with the significantly heavier A-10 Warthog ground attack plane doesn’t necessarily inspire confidence, either. Some immediately worried the new iteration of OA-X was simply a veiled ploy to ditch those blunt-nose attackers for good.
There's always the possibility more companies will get invites, too. So, you can be sure we at The War Zone will be closely watching the OA-X trials to see what, if anything comes of them.
Embraer is actually a Brazilian company, so how come the US Government is involved in the deal? Well there are two reasons:
1) Some of the components are made in the US
2) The US government is also planning to buy lots of light attack aircraft. Six companies, including Embraer have been competing for the contract since 2015. The US bought a handful of Super Tucanos years ago in order to test them. Embraer did not want to upset the US, who might purchase many times more aircraft than Nigeria, just because Nigeria wanted to buy a handful of aircrafts. Now there are three aircrafts competing for the contract and the Super Tucano (A-29) is still in the race.
Three Planes Will Square Off in the USAF's Light Attack Experiment
SNC-Embraer's A-29 will fly of against Textron's AT-6 and Scropion aircraft, but then what?
By Joseph TrevithickMay 15, 2017
At least three different aircraft will participant in the U.S. Air Force’s light attack experiment, commonly referred to as OA-X, according to the companies involved. All that remains to be seen is just how serious the service actually is about pursuing the concept.
On May 12, 2017, Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) issued a press release on behalf of itself and its partner, Embraer Defense & Security, announcing that they would be sending their A-29 light attack aircraft to the Air Force’s evaluation. On May 15, 2017, Textron Aviation sent out a notice that its AT-6 Wolverine and Scorpion aircraft were slated to take part in the tests. The project would begin in July 2017 at Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico.
OA-X may turn out to be “a more sustainable model for the future that would be less costly [and] that I could entice foreign partners and allies and coalition members to partner with us on,” U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff General David Goldfein explained during a talk at the American Enterprise Institute in Jan. 18, 2017. He added that a proposal by Senator John McCain (R-AZ) earlier than month to buy 300 such aircraft was a “great idea.”
After McCain released his white paper and Goldfein made his comments, The War Zone’s own Tyler Rogoway wrote an in-depth analysis of the possible competitors and the potential future of such a program. At that time, the A-29 and the Scorpion seemed like the most likely contenders. The final decision is hardly surprising given that Boeing and Lockheed Martin both said they were unlikely to participate in the experiment. The decision by the smaller company IOMAX not to compete was also notable, but more on that later on.
As it stands now, Air Force testers at Holloman will be pitting two relatively similar and proven aircraft against each other, while evaluating another, totally new aircraft. The A-29, a variant of Brazilian plane maker Embraer’s EMB 314 Super Tucano, and the AT-6 Wolverine, a version of the Beechcraft T-6 Texan II trainer, are both low-wing, two-place monoplanes with roughly similar dimensions. A single Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A turboprop, the industry standard engine for light aircraft in this class, powers both aircraft to similar cruising speeds of around 320 miles per hour without any weapons or equipment.
At just over 37 feet long and with a wingspan of 36.5 feet, the A-29 is approximately four feet longer and two feet broader than the AT-6. The Brazilian design is also 1,000 pounds heavier. The A-29 can carry missiles, bombs, rockets, gun pods, and other ordnance on five pylons, two in each wing and another under the fuselage centerline. In addition, the aircraft has a .50 caliber machine gun built into each wing. The Wolverine has six under-wing pylons, but no fixed guns. Both planes can carry a sensor turret with day- and night-vision cameras and a laser designator, along with defensive flares.
The inclusion of both types in the OA-X tests makes perfect sense. The Air Force already has a large fleet of T-6A Texan II trainers, which share many of the same components. This means that a not insignificant portion of the service’s logistics pipeline could support units with an attack variant. Certain training and maintenance expertise would translate to the new planes, too. And since 2013, the Air Force has been buying A-29s for foreign partners and training pilots from those countries to fly them.
The similarities between the two aircraft have already brought them into close competition in the past. Between 2010 and 2012, Beechcraft – now part of Textron – and the SNC-Embraer team, along with the political supporters in Congress, fought over a series of disputed contracts to supply aircraft to both the U.S. Air Force and Afghanistan’s air arm.
Despite significant “buy American”-based lobbying on behalf of Beechcraft, the SNC-Embraer offering won out to build what became the A-29. Through the Foreign Military Sales program, the Pentagon has delivered a number of the light attack aircraft to Afghanistan and is working to send more to Lebanon. The U.S. Air Force canceled its parallel project in 2012, nominally due to budget cuts, but in no small part because of institutional reticence bordering on outright sabotage.
“SNC and Embraer will take part in the experiment with the A-29 Super Tucano, which is the only light air support (LAS) aircraft in the world with a USAF Military Type Certificate,” the companies boasted in their press release. “Partnering with Embraer, we’re proud to present the U.S.-made, combat-proven A-29 as part of this experiment,” Taco Gilbert, SNC’s senior vice president for SNC´s Intelligence Surveillance Reconnaissance division, added, clearly trying to get in front of any renewed objections to the aircraft’s Brazilian connection.
It’s this experience that may help explain Textron’s seemingly odd choice to submit two radically different aircraft. The Scorpion is significantly different beast from either of the turboprop entrants, being a two-seat, high-wing jet. Two Honeywell TFE731 turbofans, each generating 4,000 pounds of thrust, gives the aircraft a maximum speed of over 500 miles per hour.
With an empty weight of more than 12,000 pounds and with a wingspan of more than 47 feet, it is significantly larger than either the A-29 or the AT-6 and can carry a variety of weapons on six under-wing stores stations. More importantly, it has a retractable mount in the nose for a sensor turret, as well as an internal payload bay for additional mission systems in the center of the fuselage. This could include more sensors, advanced defensive gear, or other equipment.
According to Textron, the privately-funded design features a low-maintenance composite airframe and modular, plug-and-play avionics that can be upgraded and updated with relative ease. In August 2016, the Air Force already agreed to test the aircraft's airworthiness in a first-of-its-kind arrangement, which the Rhode Island-headquartered defense contractor hoped would encourage foreign sales. After that, it was undoubtedly an easy decision for the service to include the plane in the OA-X trials.
“This is an exciting step forward for these programs, and we are confident the Scorpion and AT-6 are exceptional platforms to fulfill the USAF’s light attack mission,” Textron said in its statement. “Both platforms offer advanced mission systems technology, affordability and adaptability. Designed, sourced and built in the United States, the Scorpion and AT-6 also offer a strong, positive economic impact aligned with the goals of the current administration.”
Noticeably absent is IOMAX’s Archangel or another aircraft in the rapidly expanding category of light attack and surveillance aircraft based on agricultural aircraft. A idea dating back to the 1980s, the North Carolina-based firm has become one of, if not the preeminent company building such aircraft. It has already sold armed aircraft to a number of countries, including Jordan and the United Arab Emirates.
However, unfortunately, IOMAX is currently in the midst of a dispute with the Air Force over a separate deal to sell this type of aircraft to Kenya. The company and its supporters in Congress argue that the service steered the military aid contract to a preferred contractor, L-3, which has limited experience with converted agricultural aircraft and no history of building armed versions, without even considering any competitors.
"They were given a raw deal," representative Ted Budd (R-NC) told Fox News in March 2017. “We want to know why IOMAX was not considered."
But regardless of the participants, it’s still not clear how far the Air Force intends to proceed with OA-X in general. In 2008, a team within Air Combat Command published what became known as the OA-X Enabling Concept, a white paper that outlined the basic parameters for the aircraft in question. The next year, the command, which flies the vast majority of the Air Force’s combat aircraft, proposed a plan to buy four squadrons – at least 176 aircraft, but as many as 204 – for approximately $4.2 billion over the next six fiscal years.
The service dutifully budgeted for what it called the Light Attack / Armed Reconnaissance (LAAR) project, as well as, the parallel Light Air Support (LAS) program for Afghanistan. As already noted, the service simply could not decide how to proceed or even if it wanted to do so, despite contract awards and available funding. Contract disputes and budget cuts known as sequestration were simply the final blows to what already appeared to be a doomed project. The Air Force ultimately dropped out of a partnership with U.S. Special Operations Command and the U.S. Navy on a related effort, known as Combat Dragon II.
On the surface, with statements like those from General Goldfien earlier in 2017, the revived OA-X seems to have significantly more institutional support than it did in the past. The big question is whether that extends beyond simple experimentation.
“We don't think [an experiment] would cost a lot of money, and it's designed just to help us get our arms around [questions like]: What can you actually do? Does it actually contribute? Can it survive in different threat environments?” Lt. Gen. James M. "Mike" Holmes, the Air Force’s deputy chief of staff for strategic plans and requirements, told Defense News in September 2016.
The OA-X experiment will hardly be the first time the Air Force has flirted with a light attack aircraft for conflicts involving enemies with limited air defenses. If one counts both the Cessna A-37 Dragonfly and the A-29 program, the service has gone on to buy significant numbers of the resulting aircraft on exactly two occasions – and only once for itself. And its controversial history with the significantly heavier A-10 Warthog ground attack plane doesn’t necessarily inspire confidence, either. Some immediately worried the new iteration of OA-X was simply a veiled ploy to ditch those blunt-nose attackers for good.
There's always the possibility more companies will get invites, too. So, you can be sure we at The War Zone will be closely watching the OA-X trials to see what, if anything comes of them.
An Afghan Air Force A-29 Super Tucano soars over Kabul, Afghanistan, Aug. 14, 2015. LARRY E. REID JR./U.S. AIR FORCE
By DAN LAMOTHE | The Washington Post | Published: February 28, 2017
The U.S. Air Force, faced with a potentially protracted war against the Islamic State, aging fighter jets and a shrinking force of pilots, is examining the adoption of a new fleet of "light-attack" planes that are both a throwback to earlier U.S. operations and a current staple of militaries in South America and the Middle East.
The aircraft would be able to carry out airstrikes against the Islamic State and other militants for less money than the F-16 Fighting Falcon or the F/A-18 Super Hornet. Options available could include Embraer's A-29 Super Tucano propeller plane, which the United States has delivered to Afghanistan and other allies, and Beechcraft's AT-6, a version of which the U.S. military already uses in pilot training.
Air Force generals have discussed the proposal several times in recent weeks, saying that the planes could supplement existing aircraft, including drones, in regions where there is no enemy capable of shooting down U.S. planes. Gen. David Goldfein, the service's top officer, said the proposal is part of an ongoing dialogue that dates back years and could soon include an experiment in which private companies demonstrate what the planes can do.
"I'm not interested in something that requires a lot of research and development here," Goldfein said during a recent appearance at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. "I'm looking for something that I can get at right now, commercial, off the shelf, low-cost, that can operate in an uncontested environment, that can deliver the capabilities that we need, that can also be something that perhaps our allies and partners that are in this fight with us" use.
Goldfein added: "If you assume this fight will be going on for a little bit of time, there is room and time for us to get after this."
The experiment will follow related efforts in Iraq and the United States. In the most recent, U.S. Central Command deployed two Vietnam-era, twin-engine OV-10G Broncos on loan from NASA to Iraq in 2015, flying them in missions against the Islamic State to assess how light-attack planes might help in the air war
The experiment was described by Navy Capt. Andy Walton in an article last year in Proceedings Magazine, a publication of the U.S. Naval Institute. He detailed one mission over Iraq in an OV-10G in which he and a colleague observed militants for hours as they traveled down the Tigris River in canoes, and then fired on them with laser-guided rockets.
The use of the planes was the latest step in a program called Combat Dragon II, which dates back nearly a decade and involves Special Operations Command. Goldfein cited it recently, noting that some testing was carried out when he was the commander of Air Forces Central Command from August 2011 to July 2013. One of his bosses at the time was Marine Gen. Jim Mattis, now defense secretary, who supported the program as chief of U.S. Central Command.
The Air Force published a paper in 2008 that identified the need for a plane that could carry out both attacks and aerial observation. It called the plane "OA-X" and said continued reliance on other aircraft, ranging from the B-1 bomber to the F-16, at "rates that are much higher than planned and programmed" would wear them out.
The Air Force, the paper said, "faces a critical gap in its ability to conduct air support for extended periods in the Long War," a reference to counterterrorism and counterinsurgency operations worldwide. It recommended that the aircraft should have an armored protection for the crew and engine, missile warnings and countermeasures, among other features.
Air Force officials estimate that the cost of flying a propeller plane like the A-29 or AT-6 would be a few thousand dollars per hour. In comparison, it costs about $18,000 per hour to fly the A-10 attack jet. Other hourly costs are: $19,000 for the F-16; $24,000 for the F-15E; $42,000 for the F-35A; $44,000 for the AC-130J; $62,000 for the F-22A; $63,000 for the B-52; $77,000 for the B-1B; and $120,000 for the B-2, according to service statistics.
The light-attack effort has new momentum in part because one of its chief critics in Congress, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, has shifted his opinion on the U.S. military experimenting with the aircraft. In 2011, he criticized research the Navy wanted to do for Combat Dragon as unnecessary because of the existence of the A-10, the slow-moving jet that has long carried out close-air support for U.S. troops in combat. At the time, light-attack planes were seen as a potential replacement for at least some A-10s, which McCain has long championed.
However, the service, which once said it would retire all 283 snub-nose "Warthogs" to save an estimated $4.2 billion, now plans to keep them because of their utility in the fight against the Islamic State. McCain said in a recent report titled "Restoring American Power" that the Air Force should not only keep its A-10s but also buy 300 "low-cost, light-attack fighters that would require minimal work to develop." The planes could carry out counterterrorism operations, perform close-air support and help to season pilots as the Air Force addresses its pilot shortfall, the report said.
The shortfall has become an increasing problem as pilots leave the military at a rate that Goldfein and then-Air Force Secretary Deborah James declared a crisis last summer. Data released to The Washington Post showed there were about 723 fighter pilot vacancies in the service among 3,495 jobs, leaving 21 percent unfilled.
The Air Force has attributed the shortage to recruiting by the commercial airline industry; frequent deployments keeping pilots away from their families; and a reduction in stateside training amid budget constraints. It says it sees the new light-attack plane as an inexpensive way to get entry-level military pilots into planes as quickly as possible.
"When they end their commitment at the end of 10 years, we're losing a lot of them to the airlines," said an Air Force official, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss a sensitive personnel matter. "Just to keep up . . . you have to match that exit every year in the production and seasoning of pilots. You've got to have cockpits for those pilots to go to to get that experience and seasoning after you do initial training."
US Sells N181 Billion Warplanes, Weapons To Nigeria
Reuters reported that the Pentagon communicated the sale of the 12 ground attack aircraft valued at $593m (N181bn) to the US Congress on Monday.
by Punch Newspaper
The Headquarters of the United States Department of Defence, the Pentagon, has informed the US Congress of the sale of 12 Super Tucano A-29 ground attack aircraft and weapons to Nigeria to fight the Boko Haram insurgency.
Reuters reported that the Pentagon communicated the sale of the 12 ground attack aircraft valued at $593m (N181bn) to the US Congress on Monday.
The report quoted Pentagon’s Defence Security Cooperation Agency as having made the announcement to the US legislature.
The Super Tucano A-29, “an agile, propeller-driven plane with reconnaissance and surveillance as well as attack capabilities, is made by Brazil’s Embraer.”
The US had in April, this year, agreed to sell high-tech aircraft to Nigeria to tackle the Boko Haram insurgency in the North-East.
United States officials told the Associated Press that the Congress was expected to receive formal notification within weeks, setting in motion the deal with Nigeria.
They added that the arrangement would call for Nigeria purchasing up to 12 Embraer A-29 Super Tucano aircraft with sophisticated targeting gear.
The purchase will gulp about $600m, said the officials in April. They were, however, unauthorised to discuss the terms of the sale publicly and preferred anonymity on the diplomatic conversations.
The United States had before this new development, blocked Nigeria from acquiring the Super Tucano ground attack aircraft from Brazil in November, 2016 because of allegations of human rights violations against the Nigerian military.
The PUNCH had reportedly exclusively in November 2016 that the US decided to block the acquisition of the ground aircraft because of its dissatisfaction with measures adopted against those accused of human rights violation in the North-East.
In blocking the nation’s moves to acquire arms and ammunition against the Boko Haram, the US had quoted the Leahy Law which prohibits the US defence sector from providing military assistance to countries involved in human rights violations.
The allegations of rights violation made the US to block the move of the Nigerian Air Force to acquire the Super Tucano as a replacement for the ailing alpha jet platform in the ongoing air onslaught against the Boko Haram.
However, indications emerged in August 2015 when US Congressman Darrel Isah disclosed shortly after a meeting with service chiefs in the country in August 2015 that the US had commenced the process of relaxing the embargo on military assistance to the country under the Leahy Law.
The Super Falcons have not played a friendly or trained since the African Women's Nations Cup in December 2016 and this has forced star striker Asisat Oshoala to complain on Twitter.
MasViews: Super Eagles (and all Nigerian sports team) always makes me wonder if Northerners are participating in sports or they're just been marginalized
safarigirl: because Northerners don't cut it on the big stage. Half of the 2013 U17 set were Northerners, but how far their careers now?
Even the Ahmed Musa, na manage we dey manage am pending when we get a better replacement and that day is near
Of course northerners take part in sports and many northerners have represented Nigeria (in all sports). I don't have much time, so I'll only list a few.
Football: Daniel Amokachi, Garba Lawal, Ahmed Musa, Victor Moses, Tijani Babangida, Ibrahim Babangida, Haruna Babangida, Aliyu Mohammed, Ahmed Garba (Yaro Yaro), Manga Mohammed (J5), Dominic Iorfa, Abdul Sule, Abdullahi Shehu, Musa Yahaya, John Zaki, Barnabas Imenger (snr), Barnabas Imenger (jnr), Mohammed Gambo, Dahiru Sadi, Paul Kpoughoul, Amir Angwe, Ezekiel Bala, Musa Mohammed, Zaharaddeen Bello, Sam Pam, etc.
Tennis: Sadiq Abdullahi, Yakubu Suleiman, Aishatu Mohammed, etc.
Athletics: Abbas Mohammed (Nigeria’s marathon record holder), Yohanna Waziri, etc.
Polo: Bello Buba, Hamisu Buba, Mohammed Babangida, Bashir Dantata, etc.
DeRay98: Mfon Udoka has been part of the team since, their set started the rival of Nigeria in international basketball. She was there with this team, if you look at video clip after the tension soaked semifinal against Mali, she was shown in stands. I believe she may have involved in helping convince Nigerian-American players to come play for Nig. This team is the complete and efficient ever...
Mfon Udoka is now the team manager of D'Tigress and Mactabene Amachree is now in charge of player development.
You can see them at the far left and far right of this picture.
One of the things that Mayweather did that completely frustrated McGregor was that he kept his head down, defended himself by putting his gloves in front of his face and kept on charging at McGregor.
McGregor could not land a clean punch when Mayweather was in this posture, but Mayweather could sneak in punches when he got close, because McGregor was not defending himself at all.
Mayweather said that that was his gameplan. He discussed it with his dad. They wanted McGregor to throw all the heavy shots early on. He says that in MMA McGregor throws the heavy shots early on and then tires out. They wanted McGregor to tire out.
Politics › Re: Boris Johnson At The Abuja Memorial (Pictures) by naptu2: 11:59am On Aug 31, 2017
). Alien Antfarm covered this song (they did a rock version) and I'm not sure which I prefer, the original or the cover version.
