₦airaland Forum

naptu2: 3) NNS THUNDER
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NNS Thunder (F90)

The Nigerian Navy in 2011 acquired the United States Coast Guard cutter, USCGC CHASE (WHEC 718). The 115m ex-USCG ship weighing in at 3,250 tons is one of a flotilla of twelve sister ships which were extensively modernised in the early 1990s. In real terms, though not nearly as heavily armed, the Hamilton-class are roughly the size of Nigeria’s flagship, the MEKO 360 frigate that is NNS Aradu and that says a lot about their potential sea keeping capabilities. The ship has been renamed NNS Thunder (F90).

The ship, whose keel was laid on October 26, 1966 at Avondale Shipyards Inc., New Orleans, Louisiana, was designed as a high endurance cutter, with a crossing range of 9,600 nautical miles (17,800 km) at 20 knots (40 km/h). It also has an 80 foot flight deck, capable of handling Navy helicopters - making it an ideal platform for extended patrol missions.

As far as the acquisition of naval platforms go, Nigeria have been virtually slumbering for twenty years on the bounce. It is hoped that they reach for a minimum of FOUR units of these Hamilton-class warships. Sometime ago, it emerged somewhere that Nigeria need 35 Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPV) and Offshore Patrol Craft(OPC) to effectively police her Exclusive Economic Zone. It is the case that for the price of a new frigate, Nigeria can acquire six of these used but still seaworthy OPVs (three or four when the OPVs are acquired brand-new). Right now, Nigeria’s emphasis should be piling on the numbers.

Nigerian Navy personnel, quoted as being in training in Alaska, will probably steer the ship back to Nigeria. The warship, donated to Nigeria by the United States, on Monday 21st December 2011 began its journey to Nigeria where it will help to boost security in the Gulf of Guinea - a region bedevilled by piracy and robbery at sea.

 

The ship, under the command of Navy Captain Muhammed Baba Nageju, left the US Coast Guard Island in Alameda, Califonia with 150 crew member on board at 2.13pm.

The ship arrived Nigeria in the first week of Janaury 2012, after making stops in five countries - Mexico, Panama, Trinidad and Tobago, Senegal, and Ghana.

 

Its departure was preceeded by a colourful ceremony witnessed by the Minister of State for Defence, Erelu Olusola Obada, Chief of Policy and Plans, Naval headquarters, Rear Admiral James Oladimeji, Command Technical Officer, Western Naval Command, Navy Captain Peter Onwordi, representative of the Nigerian ambassador to US, Mr. Steven Akingbolasan, Defence Attache at the Nigerian Embassy in Washington, Group Captain Aliyu Gaya, Commander of the US Coast Guard Chase Morgenthau, Captain Mathew Bliven, and Deputy Defence Attache, Navy Captain Kayode Adefemi.

 

Speaking with journalists on the significance of the ship to the Nigerian naval fleet, Chief of Policy and Plans, Naval Headquarters, Rear Admiral James Oladimeji, said NNS Thunder "is the only one of its kind in the whole of the Gulf of Guinea."

 

Oladimeji said the ship would play a major role in helping the nation police its territorial waters and ensuring maritime security in the Niger Delta and the Gulf of Guinea - a stretch of nearly 2,000 nautical miles with shipping ports, harbours and transhipment areas that are largely unmonitored, uncontrolled and vulnerable to attacks by terrorist groups, criminals and militants.

 

The naval chief also disclosed that the ship was coming at a time when the Nigerian Navy was re-appraising it operational tools in the light of the evolving security challenges confronting the nation's maritime industry.

 

Obada, in her address at the ceremony, commended the efforts of the US government to help Nigeria police its waters effectively. She recalled that US Coast Guard had in the past transferred four 180 foot buoy tenders to the Nigerian Navy. Noting that, "today marks an important day in the history of relations between Nigeria and United States", Obada  expressed hopes that the transfer of the ship to Nigeria would further cement the bond of friendship between both countries.

 

The captain of the ship, Navy Captain Muhammed Baba Nageju, in his own remarks at the ceremony, said, "My joy cannot be quantified. First is to see the Thunder dream come true and that she will be departing today". Noting that the ship was initially billed to depart US last July and arrive in Nigeria in September, Nageju said. the departure was delayed till now because it was moved to "dry dock"  for refurbishment, which include repainting the ship in Nigerian Navy colour and installation of new communication equipment according to "our specification".

 

The increasing wave of piracy and robbery at sea had been a major concern of the various states in the Gulf of Guinea and the international community.

 

In August 2010, The US dispatched a specialised team of Coast Guards to Nigeria to train Maritime Law Enforcement Agents on how to effectively secure the region.

naptu2: 2) NNS ARADU
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NNS Aradu (F89)

The need to have a modern sophisticated frigate to complement and eventually replace Nigerian Navy's long serving frigate, NNS Nigeria (now Obuma) became apparent to naval planners in the mid seventies. The old lady, as NNS Nigeria, was popularly known then was fast becoming irrelevant in the fast changing world of naval technology. Nigerian Navy needed to reach blue waters with the appropriate ships in terms of firepower, extended operational range and enhanced surveillance capability. NNS Aradu became the answer to these aspirations.

The ship initially named The Republic was ordered in 1978. Her keel was laid in December 1978 and she was launched on 25 January 1980. In November of the same year, following a new policy of the Nigerian Navy was renamed Aradu (Aradu means thunder in Hausa). It was commissioned on 22 February 1982. Aradu was acquired by the regime of former President Shehu Shagari. She was recently refitted, refurbished and equipped after being alongshore for over 12 years. The ship proved it was still seaworthy by taking part in celebrations commemorating the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar by sailing to Great Britain in 2005. The ship, which carries a crew of about 250 officers and men, requires 500,000 litres of petrol per voyage.

 

Aradu is the first of the MEKO 360 General Purpose frigates built by the German Blohm + Voss company of Hamburg.

The 125.6 m ship is the biggest in the Nigerian Navy. She is a multi-purpose frigate with capabilities for anti-air, anti-surface and anti-submarine warfare effectively. The ship also possesses capability for naval fire support and electronic warfare. Additionally, she carries a ship-borne helicopter for anti-submarine warfare, search and rescue, and enhanced surveillance/detection

The ship is unique in the adoption of the modular approach in the design of the hull and the containerization of armaments. By the modular design concept, various sections of the hull of Aradu are built to specific measurements separately and then assembled at a shipyard. The advantage of this style of construction is that every section of the ship can be produced independent of the other sections. In case of damage, it is thus easier to replace the affected section of the ship separately and then fixing it back at a shipyard. This same flexibility is adopted in the armament of the ship. These are kept in containers and can be tested ashore independent of the various stage of construction. Once the hull is ready, the containerized armaments are then easily fitted into the hull the same procedure adopted in case of major repair or replacement.

 

The MEKO class of ships is thus able to proceed on other missions while defective units are left for repairs at workshops. This is different from other designs where the ship for example has to sacrifice other missions in order to repair or replace a unit of her armament. Another advantage is that with the Meko concept, whole sections of the ship can be produced and stored as spares. In case of emergency, the ship simply enters a dockyard to replace whatever section that is needed. Modernization of armaments and systems can thus take place with minimum interruption to the ships' program.

 

Aradu is an all-purpose fighting ship capable of undertaking the following missions alone or in concert with other units:

*) Sustained and independent blue water patrol over a range of 6500 miles.

*) Gunfire support to friendly forces operating up to 16 km from the coast.

*) Air defense of self and cooperating forces over a range of 155km,

*) Anti-submarine warfare (short range or extended range using helicopter borne torpedoes.

*) Electronic warfare (intercepting and jamming).

*) Missile attack against surface units up to a range of 80 km.

*) Mine laying.

*) Airborne or surface Search and Rescue

Since she entered naval service, NNS Aradu has taken part in major naval exercises, fleet reviews and diplomatic cruises. She played a prominent part in "Operation Seadog" in 1985 and "Operation Odion" in 1987. The ship has undertaken extensive diplomatic visits to countries like Gabon, Congo, Zaire, Equatorial Guinea and numerous European countries. She has also participated in joint exercises with visiting ships of the German, Indian, French and the Brazilian Navies. Aradu played a major role in peace keeping operations in Liberia and Sierra-Leone and was also involved in border skirmishes between Nigeria and Cameroun. She had a total of two groundings and a major collision in 1987 She ran aground again early in 1994 during post refit trials, and was assessed as beyond economical repair in 1995, but then managed to go to sea again in early 1996, and again in 1997 when she broke down for several months in Monrovia. She then steamed back to Lagos on one engine in 1998.

In August 2005, Aradu participated at the International Fleet Review to mark the Centenary of the Battle of Trafalgar in memory of Admiral Lord Nelson at Portsmouth with other 100 warships from 36 navies. It also participated in two major exercises in 2005 and 2006, called "Igbochi" and "Idabo".

In a bid to strengthen Nigeria/Brazil military cooperation, 2 naval ships, NNS Aradu and NNS Nwamba, departed Nigeria on 3 August 2007 to take part in Brazil BiCentenary Celebrations. The ships arrived in Monrovia, Liberia, on 9 August to a rousing welcome by Liberians and Nigerians resident in the West African country. They were received by the Chief of Defense Staff of Liberia, Major General Abdurahman of the Nigerian Army.

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NNS Aradu and NNS Nwamba in Brazil.

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Sailors aboard NNS Aradu prepare to salute Queen Elizabeth during ceremonies marking the bi-centenary of the battle of Trafalgar.

naptu2: 1) [size=14pt]NNS OBUMA[/size]

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NNS OBUMA (F87)

Obuma means thunder in Efik.

 

NNS Obuma was originally named NNS Nigeria and is Nigeria’s first frigate. This private-design frigate was ordered from Wilton-Fijenoord shipyards in the Netherlands to serve as the Nigerian Navy’s flagship. It was constructed in Holland, launched on 12 April 1965 and commissioned on 16 September 1965. The ship’s first commander was Captain Nelson Bossman Soroh (who retired with the rank of Rear Admiral and served as Chief of Naval Staff).

Following the collapse of the bloody January 15th “Majors mutiny”, coup suspects were initially kept aboard the detention cell on NNS Nigeria before being transferred to land based prisons (It was rumoured that Major General Ironsi, the Supreme Commander, slept aboard NNS Nigeria every night and returned to State House Marina in the mornings, for fear of being killed by either northern soldiers or Nzeogwu’s loyalists). During the last weekend of July 1966, it was NNS Nigeria under Soroh that provided offshore refuge to the late Brigadier B Ogundipe when discipline broke down completely following the “Northern counter coup”. Ogundipe subsequently transferred to the MV Aureol and left for the United Kingdom as Nigeria’s new High Commissioner, by sea.

 

The NNS Nigeria overcame several serious attempts by secessionist sympathizers to sabotage it during the run up to hostilities in early 1967. This ship saw heavy use during the Biafran War, both as a blockade ship and as a makeshift transport. It subsequently took active part in the naval blockade of the Eastern Region in June and July 1967, during the opening phase of the civil war and the joint amphibious assaults on Bonny (July 1967) and Calabar (October 1967). On 5 January 1967, NNS Nigeria was loaded with marines who were landed via the ship’s boats and other small craft in the area, to support Nigerian troops outside Bonny. This reinforcement was viewed as a critical success by the Nigerian army. Other ships involved were the NNS Penelope, NNS Lokoja, NNS Ogoja, NNS Benin, NNS Enugu, MV Bode Thomas and MV King Jaja. The NNS Nigeria in particular was credited with beating back a determined Biafran attempt to retake Bonny in late September 1967. She also gained international spotlight when she seized the Dutch ship MV Jozina (which became the NNS Kwa River). MV Jozina had unsuccessfully attempted to penetrate the blockade. In 1968, Nigeria was attacked by B-26 Invaders of the Biafran Air Force. The ship was not damaged. Nevertheless, at one difficult point during the breakout phase of the Calabar landing, the ground force commander, then Lt. Col. Benjamin Adekunle, stopped responding to signals from the NNS Nigeria requesting situation reports. In response to frantic inquiries from higher-ups in Lagos, then Captain Soroh sent a controversial signal to Supreme Headquarters that simply stated, “I wish I knew”.

 

Only four years after commissioning, the ship was in bad shape and from 1970-1971 underwent an overhaul by Cammell Laird in the UK. By 1977 the ship was again in poor condition and underwent a second overhaul, this time in the Netherlands. The ship’s name was changed at the 1980 launch of NNS Aradu as the Nigerians did not want a second-line frigate to bear the country’s name.

In 1982 NNS Obuma was decommissioned but recommissioned shortly thereafter, following an austere repair period at Lagos in Nigeria. All the anti-submarine weapons (ASW) systems were deleted at this time. By 1986 Obuma had been reduced to a training vessel, again in poor condition. From then on out the ship’s condition progressively deteriorated. Obuma had largely been abandoned by 2001, with the 40mm guns having been stripped off. The ship was last seen flying the Nigerian ensign in late 2005 and has not been mentioned since, except for once in 2008 when a senior naval officer suggested the ship might be refitted and restored to service. As of 2011 this has not happened and Obuma will likely be scrapped soon.

The Nigerian navy had several planned upgrades for this ship that were never carried out. In 1979 plans were drawn up to replace the Squid with ASW torpedo tubes and modernize the radars, this was cancelled early on due to lack of funds. In 1983, a very ambitious comprehensive refit was planned that would have replaced the Squid with ASW torpedo tubes, replaced the main gun with a OTO-Melara 76mm Rapid, added a EO/FLIR sensor, modernized the sonars, added SCLAR countermeasures launchers, and refurbishment of the engines and hull. It was also hoped to buy an additional Lynx helicopter. Although the project was approved in 1983, the money was siphoned off elsewhere and by 1987 the project had been abandoned. During the brief 1993-1994 return to democracy the Nigerian navy restarted the effort however when the Abacha regime took over in 1994 the effort was blocked as Abacha wanted to limit spending in the Lagos shipyards which he viewed as a potential centre of political opposition.

 

 

 

 

 

Displacement: 1724t standard, 2000t full Dimensions: 360’2”x37’x11’5” Machinery: Diesel-reduction: 4 Burmeister & Wain V9V24/30B diesels, 2 reduction gearboxes, 2 shafts w/5-bladed props Max speed: 26kts Range: 3500NM @ 15kts Complement: 216

AIRCRAFT

Helipad only (Lynx Mk.89 almost never embarked)

WEAPONS-Guns

x2 (1 twin) Vickers Mk.XVI 4”                  9NM surface / 6 ½ NM AA

x4 Bofors 40mm                                         3NM AA/surface

x2 Oerlikon 20mm                                      1NM AA/surface

WEAPONS-ASW

x1 Squid                                                      1NM sub

SENSORS-Radar

AWS-4 (E/F)                                               55NM large/high / 44NM small/high / 25NM small/low 2D air search

Decca 1226 (I)                                            24NM navigation (range, bearing)

SENSORS-EW

Oerlikon EO gunsight for 4” guns              Visual horizon (range, bearing, altitude)

RDF loop

SENSORS-Sonar

Type 177 hull                                              3 ½ NM passive (bearing, class)

                                                                    3NM active (range, bearing, depth)

Type 162 hull                                              1NM active (range, bearing, depth, Squid targeting)

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naptu2: [size=14pt]NIGERIA'S THUNDER CLASS FRIGATES[/size]

[size=14pt]Nigeria celebrates first home-made warship[/size]

By Will Ross

Nigeria correspondent

7 June 2012 Last updated at 13:07

After nearly five years in the making, the Nigerian navy ship or NNS Andoni was launched with a colourful event.

At 31m (100ft) long, this is no giant of the seas, but the fact that it was designed and built in Nigeria, by Nigerian engineers, is a great source of pride.

"We are all happy and elated," said Commodore SI Alade, one of Nigeria's senior naval officers.

"This is the first time this kind of thing is happening in Nigeria and even in the sub region."

Moments after stepping on board NNS Andoni, sailor FL Badmus said: "I feel on top of the world.

"I'm proud to have been picked by the naval authorities to serve on this ship.

"We hope this is the beginning of very good things to come and we thank God for it."

The warship was named after the Andoni people of south-eastern Nigeria - and several chiefs travelled to Lagos to witness the launch - including his Royal Highness NL Ayuwu Iraron Ede-Obolo II, wearing a top hat, a sequin-adorned velvet gown and a brightly coloured necklace.

The ceremony also featured multi-faith prayers, with an imam asking God to "protect and preserve this ship from the dangers of the day and the violence of the enemy", and a Christian praying: "May she sail with success like the Ark of Noah."

The event had an interesting twist of symbolism for the guest of honour, Nigeria's leader, Goodluck Jonathan.

Anti-pirate ship

He is from a family of canoe makers - and that he is now the president launching a warship is a sign of how far he has risen.

"This is the beginning of the transformation... and I believe in another 10 to 15 years, we can be thinking about starting a project to take Nigerians into the air," President Jonathan said.

The NNS Andoni could be key in the fight against militants operating near Nigeria's oil fields as well as the growing threat of piracy in the Gulf of Guinea.

Piracy in Nigerian waters is on the increase and incidents are happening over a wider area, according to the International Maritime Bureau.

There were 10 piracy attacks off the 780km (485 miles) of Nigeria's coastline during the first quarter this year - the same number reported for the whole of 2011.

"While the number of reported incidents in Nigeria is still less than Somalia… the level of violence against crew is dangerously high," according to a recent IMB report.

The NNS Andoni is equipped with an advanced radar system and firepower.

"With a speed of up to 25 knots (46km/h), this can quickly go to intercept the pirates," said Commanding Officer Adepegba standing on the bridge pointing out the ship's three machine guns and the automatic grenade launcher.

Foreign orders

The Nigerian navy reportedly wants to acquire 49 more vessels over the next 10 years. But how many will be home built?

Orders are already in - for three from a French shipbuilder, and six from Singapore.

President Jonathan recently approved the acquisition of two large patrol vessels from China Shipbuilding and Offshore International, a mainly state-owned company.

In an effort to boost local industry, one of the Chinese vessels is meant to be 70% built in Nigeria.

NNS Andoni was dwarfed when a 105m-long frigate steamed past during the ceremony - with all the officers cheering on deck.

NNS Thunder, a veteran of the Vietnam War, arrived at the beginning of the year, a gift from the US.

Eyebrows were raised when it was announced that the monthly fuel bill of the 45-year-old ship would be $1m (£650,000).

When this year's navy's $450m budget was discussed at the House of Assembly in January, one senator described the donated ships as hand-outs that could become liabilities rather than assets.

There were also calls for corruption to be plugged.

"Corruption has sucked the blood out of our system. So we have to depend on hand-outs," one senator lamented.

NSS Andoni's fuel bill will certainly be lower than NNS Thunder.

'No indigenous touch'

After parading on the deck, the naval officers took photos of each other with mobile phones - clearly delighted with the new ship.

"It's a great day. It's taken over five years but it's worth it," said a smiling Kelechi, one of the engineers.

"We came up with the design, the expertise and about 60% of the materials were locally sourced. The engines, generators and navigation equipment came from outside."

Nigeria is one of Africa's biggest oil producers, but this has not so much helped as hampered the development of local industries because the country has relied so heavily on imported goods.

As he launched NNS Andoni, President Jonathan lamented the decline of industries that had been strong not long after independence in 1960.

"We had Nigerian Airways, the Nigerian shipping line and a number of investments that were doing well. But because there was no indigenous touch, all these died," the president said.

"We are told that some countries that were on par with us are now building aircraft, choppers and other things," he said, adding that Nigeria had for a long time not embraced technology.

The president suggested sending the brightest students of engineering to the best universities in the world.

"Then let them come back and work in Nigeria because we cannot continue to be importing. We have a very large market and even what we consume alone is enough to support an industry."

"We have this market, we must use it," President Jonathan said - before laying the keel to mark the start of work on the second "Made in Nigeria" warship.

gbadexy: If so then their method is working well because I for one and several many others have already lost hope in buhari.
I think buhari's camp and APC should come out openly to refute all the allegations made on his person so as to clear his name and salvage his reputation and image.
It would also help him to reach out to the south easterners genuinely because he is sending the wrong signal perhaps maybe the right signal that he intends to neglect them if he becomes president.

gbanikiti: just like berem too okwa ya? Maybe obiageli is married to a yoruba man just like berem. Smh

Aro Okigbo: (late) General Adisa.

Obiagelli: Massively and he got just over a million votes

shadelek: I commend ur effort but it does nt sound as if this man really said this coz d movement of his mouth does nt correspond with the statement

Obiagelli: You are getting everything wrong, we are talking about rochas not gej

naptu2: Patricia Etteh's English.

1) On the day the National Assembly was inaugurated, Mrs Etteh reminded House of Representatives members of the need to register their names, warning that any person who failed to do so would have their name “striking out”. Slip of tongue? Perish the thought. The following day she repeated the phrase “striking out” several times.


2) When a motion was tabled, she asked the member who was speaking, “are you in support of favour?”


3) Any time the ayes have carried the day on the floor, she wastes no time in announcing, “the hayes has it”.


4) Giving her defence before the David Idoko panel, Etteh informed the nation that she spoke to the management of the national assembly if due process was followed and each person “answered in the affirmation action”.


5) When the German ambassador in Abuja visited her, the speaker enthusiastically announced that the first place “I visited as a young parliamentarian was a German”


6) When the Spanish ambassador paid her a courtesy visit with a fairly large delegation, an impressed Etteh spared no effort to “welcome the strangers”.


7) When officials of FERMA visited the House, speaker Etteh urged them to urgently “make our roads habitable”.


8 ) To demonstrate the urgency of fixing major roads nationwide, she did not fail to make the point of the “deploration state of our roads”


9) When a House member tabled a motion on the unenviable condition of Kaduna Airport, Etteh called attention to the “two run-aways of our airport”.


10) Concerned about the increasing wave of vices, such as occultism on university campuses, excessive drinking, smoking and womanising by our youth, she has set for herself the task of reducing, if not, eradicating these social vices, which she colourfully calls “social devices”.


11) In far-away South Africa, at a meeting of the African Parliamentary Union, speaker Etteh stated that Nigeria has vast land where agriculture could thrive so much, that it could serve as an alternative source of foreign exchange, or in her own words, “Nigeria has fast land where agriculture is alternate”


12) To Etteh, the comity of nations can sometimes be referred to as “international countries”.


13) The office of the speaker has regained its aura as, not just an exalted place, but an “exotic office”.


14) The House has become respected as “a hollow chamber”, rather than just a hallowed chamber.

Gaffes by other Nigerian politicians in the past.


1) Chief (Alhaji) Adegoke Adelabu: Penkelemes (Peculiar mess)


2) First Republic minister was asked a question in New York on his stand on a controversial international issue and feeling that the Nigerian government had an open mind on this matter, he replied, “I have an empty mind as far as this issue is concerned”.


3) Anambra moneybag politician, Okechukwu Odunze, who contested the SDP primaries for the post of Governor of Anambra state boasted that, “if Arthur Nzeribe has money, I also has money”. When a reporter asked for his view on a hot national issue, he replied “no commentary”.


4) Alhaji Barkin Zuwo, who stated that Kano “has surplus minerals like Fanta, Coca cola, Sprite, Mirinda and even Tango” while voting for massive use of derivation as a means of sharing national revenue, whereas Kano state, which he was representing in the senate, did not produce mineral resources. Legend has it that Barkin Zuwo once saw a number of car marts and concluded they all belonged to one person known as Saleh, because they all had the inscription, “for sale”.

tchidi: 1: this post is a joke!
2: Dame Patience didn't say d suicide thingy!! It was a politician in South Africa or something..