₦airaland Forum

Nigerian Air Force @NigAirForce

NIGERIA–US DEFENCE PARTNERSHIP ADVANCES AS NAF EARNS PRAISE FOR AH-1Z PREPAREDNESS

The United States Government has commended the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) for its high level of preparedness ahead of the delivery of the AH-1Z helicopters to Nigeria, including the readiness of designated NAF facilities where the aircraft will be domiciled. The commendation was conveyed during a three-day high-level engagement between the US Government delegation from PMA-276, led by Robert Galan, and senior NAF stakeholders at Headquarters Nigerian Air Force, Abuja. The meeting focused on the comprehensive Programme and Support Plan designed to ensure seamless integration, sustainment, and operational effectiveness of the incoming fleet.

The Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, was represented at the engagement by the Chief of Policy and Plans, Air Vice Marshal Abubakar Abdullahi, who reaffirmed the Service’s unwavering commitment to aligning all operational, technical, and logistical requirements to guarantee immediate operational readiness upon delivery of the aircraft.

The engagement underscores the steady advancement of Nigeria–United States defence cooperation, anchored on mutual trust, shared security objectives, and institutional professionalism. The commendation reflects international recognition of the Nigerian Air Force’s meticulous planning, strategic foresight, and disciplined modernization drive under the leadership of the Chief of the Air Staff. Beyond fleet acquisition, this collaboration strengthens Nigeria’s airpower capability, reinforces national security architecture, and contributes meaningfully to broader national stability and sustainable development.

#NigerianAirForce #USNigeriaPartnership #DefenseCooperation #AirPower

source

I wrote this in June 2025.



Brazil - Tucano, Israel - Cobra

The Nigerian military was set up to fight conventional wars, it was not set up for asymmetric warfare. It needed equipment for counter insurgency operations, especially slow moving aircraft that had great loiter time for ground attack operations.

The Goodluck Jonathan Administration tried to buy Tucano war planes from Embraer of Brazil and Cobra helicopters from Israel. The US Government blocked both sales. Supporters of Goodluck Jonathan were livid. What was the US' business with our dealings with Brazil and Israel?

(This is one of the reasons that supporters of Goodluck Jonathan say that Barrack Obama was opposed to Goodluck Jonathan).

Actually, it all had to do with the Leahy Law.

Firstly, Cobra attack helicopters are made in the US and, as with most arms suppliers, the US has a say in who they are eventually sold to. I'll give you an example with Nigeria.

NNS Aradu was built for Nigeria by a German shipyard. I had a friend in the Navy who told me (in the 1980s) that the West Germans stated in the contract that we could not sell NNS Aradu to the Soviet Union. They stated that they would not sell even a rifle to Nigeria ever again if we sold the Aradu to the Soviet Union.

I believe it was because the Aradu was the first of the MEKO 360 ships and the Germans did not want the Soviets to get the MEKO technology.

So the United States sold Cobra helicopters to Israel and they had a say over who the Israelis eventually sold it to. The fact that the helicopters had US technology in them made them subject to the restrictions in the Leahy law. There's another reason which you'll see in the case of the Tucanos.

Embraer is a major Brazilian aircraft company and we wanted to buy the Tucano from them, but the US blocked the deal. Why and how?

Well, it's just like the sanctions that Nigeria imposed on South Africa during the apartheid era. Those sanctions had third party implication. It meant that Nigeria did not conduct business with any company or entity that conducted business with South Africa.

Embraer was negotiating a deal to sell Super Tucano aircraft to the US Air Force and US Marines. In fact, they had set up a factory in America to produce the aircraft and US Air Force officials had made some changes to the Tucano to produce the Super Tucano. That deal would have been cancelled if Embraer sold Tucano planes to Nigeria. Of course Embraer would make more money from the US than they would make from Nigeria and so they refused to deal with the Nigerian Government.

South African debacle

The GEJ Administration tried to get around the ban by loading a plane with cash and trying to buy arms on the black market, but the plane was detained in South Africa.

The reason for the sanctions

The sanctions were not against Nigeria in general or the Nigerian military. They were specifically against the Joint Task Force (JTF) in the North-East. They were imposed because of reports that JTF troops had detained people at random, they had detained people without trial for long periods of time, they had tortured people, etc. In fact, so many people had been detained that the detention facilities at Giwa Barracks were too full.


Trump

These sanctions were in place during the Jonathan Era and the beginning of the Buhari Era. They were the reason why some supporters of Goodluck Jonathan said that Barrack Obama was against GEJ. They led to some very interesting exchanges on social media.

Senator Leahy, who originally sponsored the law, condemned the Nigerian military. His supporters expressed surprise that the Nigerian Government and its supporters were against the Leahy Law. They said that the law was meant to guaranty human rights and everybody should support it.

Senator Leahy had an amazing exchange with Femi Fani-Kayode. The senator insulted the Nigerian Army and Femi Fani-Kayode insulted him. In fact, FFK wrote an article about Patrick Leahy.

SENATOR PATRICK LEAHY: WITH FRIENDS LIKE THIS (SEASON ONE)
https://femifanikayode.org/senator-patrick-leahy-with-friends-like-this/

However, Donald Trump became president of the US and he often boasts that he is capable of making any deal work. He began working on a deal that would allow Nigeria to get the Super Tucanos. These were the elements of the deal that made it work.

1) The Super Tucanos that Nigeria would buy would be made in the United States, not Brazil. (This follows Donald Trump's idea that he is making money for the US and doing deals to benefit the US).

2) The aircraft can only be used in certain places (if I remember correctly, the aircraft can only be used in the North-East and North-West). This is to satisfy people like Patrick Leahy. There are other conditions that were put in place to ensure that the planes are only used against Boko Haram.

3) The deal includes training, ammunition and the upgrade of the air force base in Kainji where the Super Tucanos are based.

That was how Nigeria was able to get the Super
Tucanos. However, we have still not got the helicopters.

The helicopter request was upgraded from Cobra helicopters to Vipers. Negotiations are still ongoing (the former chief of air staff was in the US a few months ago to continue negotiations for the helicopters).

Nigeria, my Fatherland.

More power to the military!
More zeal to protect us against all forms of aggression.

God bless our Democracy.
God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

I wrote this in November 2025.


Donald Trump and Nigeria.

When Donald Trump was elected, some ig norant people believed that he would he opposed to President Buhari. Some of these people wrote all kinds of messages to Trump that he should punish Buhari (as if Buhari was a kindergarten pupil).

But Trump instead invited Buhari to the White House. Why?

(I'm going to try not to repeat my old post and to summarise the historical context).

The Nigerian military had to completely change the way that it operated after 2009. It was designed to fight conventional wars, but the greatest challenge to Nigeria became asymetric warfare.

The army was not fighting against fixed massed ranks opponents, instead they were fighting against opponents that used Volkswagen Golf and motorcycles to conduct hit and run at tacks.

The air force was not fighting against fighter jets and bombers, but against well disguised moving targets on the ground.

The thinking, methods and equipment had to change.

The Jonathan Administration tried to buy COIN planes (Super Tucano) from Brazil and COIN helicopters (AH-1 Cobra) from Israel, but the United States blocked the deal. What does it have to do with the US?

The US usually signs agreements that state that they have a say in who you sell weapons to if those weapons have American components. Furthermore, the US will impose sanctions on you if you sell weapons to a country that it has imposed sanctions on.

We had a similar deal with Germany. NNS Aradu was built by a German company and it utilised MEKO 360 technology. This was during the Cold War (1982) and embedded in the deal was a clause that the Germans would not sell anything to us again if we sold NNS Aradu to the Soviets.

Brazil was trying to sell Super Tucanos to the US and US Air Force officers had suggested upgrades to the aircraft. The Cobra was an American made helicopter that the Americans had sold to Israel.

So the US could block the deal.

Why did the US block the deal.

Well, there was a law that the US State Department must provide human rights report to Congress and Congress would impose sanctions on any military forces that violated human rights.

As I have previously told you, the JTF in the North-East in the early days (2011 - 2014) had arrested and detained a lot of innocent people. Any time that soldiers were killed, their angry colleagues would go on a rampage and arrest and torture innocent people. So the US Congress imposed sanctions on the JTF. That's why they blocked the aircraft deal.

The GEJ Administration made things worse by later trying to bypass the sanctions when they put cash in a plane and tried to use a third party to by the equipment. The plane was arrested in South Africa.

Trump and Buhari

Trump likes to think of himself as the ultimate deal maker and his first interest is in what will make money for the US.

That's why he invited Buhari to the White House. He made a deal through which he bypassed the sanctions (some members of Congress, especially the senator that originally proposed the law, were not happy) and Nigeria got Super Tucanos.

Obviously it was about money for the US. Embraer is a Brazilian multi-national aircraft manufacturer. They had established a factory in the US to manufacture Super Tucano for the US Air Force. Trump made sure that the Super Tucano that Nigeria bought was manufactured in the US, not Brazil. The deal also included spare parts, munitions and training for Nigerian Air Force personnel. The US Air Force also upgraded the Nigerian Air Force base at Kainji.

Anger

It wasn't all sweet and sugar. Having made one deal, Trump tried to make another. He tried to get Buhari to buy US agricultural products, but if you are Nigerian you must know how Buhari feels about that. He rejected the deal. Trump wasn't happy about that, but he was satisfied that he at least got one deal done.

Trump and Tinubu

But there's still another deal that is pending. Nigeria still hasn't gotten the helicopters. The chief of air staff recently went to the US to continue negotiations. If the Tinubu Administration wants to get on Trump's good side all they need to do is pursue that helicopter deal.

Trump is all about the deals.

I see the helicopters attacking and striking Amoda Yekini Lamidi,

This I have seen!

This US no sabi the kind of sabo wey dey Nigeria arm forces.

Well they will find our the hard way.

naptu2:
I wrote this in November 2025.


Donald Trump and Nigeria.

When Donald Trump was elected, some ig norant people believed that he would he opposed to President Buhari. Some of these people wrote all kinds of messages to Trump that he should punish Buhari (as if Buhari was a kindergarten pupil).

But Trump instead invited Buhari to the White House. Why?

(I'm going to try not to repeat my old post and to summarise the historical context).

The Nigerian military had to completely change the way that it operated after 2009. It was designed to fight conventional wars, but the greatest challenge to Nigeria became asymetric warfare.

The army was not fighting against fixed massed ranks opponents, instead they were fighting against opponents that used Volkswagen Golf and motorcycles to conduct hit and run at tacks.

The air force was not fighting against fighter jets and bombers, but against well disguised moving targets on the ground.

The thinking, methods and equipment had to change.

The Jonathan Administration tried to buy COIN planes (Super Tucano) from Brazil and COIN helicopters (AH-1 Cobra) from Israel, but the United States blocked the deal. What does it have to do with the US?

The US usually signs agreements that state that they have a say in who you sell weapons to if those weapons have American components. Furthermore, the US will impose sanctions on you if you sell weapons to a country that it has imposed sanctions on.

We had a similar deal with Germany. NNS Aradu was built by a German company and it utilised MEKO 360 technology. This was during the Cold War (1982) and embedded in the deal was a clause that the Germans would not sell anything to us again if we sold NNS Aradu to the Soviets.

Brazil was trying to sell Super Tucanos to the US and US Air Force officers had suggested upgrades to the aircraft. The Cobra was an American made helicopter that the Americans had sold to Israel.

So the US could block the deal.

Why did the US block the deal.

Well, there was a law that the US State Department must provide human rights report to Congress and Congress would impose sanctions on any military forces that violated human rights.

As I have previously told you, the JTF in the North-East in the early days (2011 - 2014) had arrested and detained a lot of innocent people. Any time that soldiers were killed, their angry colleagues would go on a rampage and arrest and torture innocent people. So the US Congress imposed sanctions on the JTF. That's why they blocked the aircraft deal.

The GEJ Administration made things worse by later trying to bypass the sanctions when they put cash in a plane and tried to use a third party to by the equipment. The plane was arrested in South Africa.

Trump and Buhari

Trump likes to think of himself as the ultimate deal maker and his first interest is in what will make money for the US.

That's why he invited Buhari to the White House. He made a deal through which he bypassed the sanctions (some members of Congress, especially the senator that originally proposed the law, were not happy) and Nigeria got Super Tucanos.

Obviously it was about money for the US. Embraer is a Brazilian multi-national aircraft manufacturer. They had established a factory in the US to manufacture Super Tucano for the US Air Force. Trump made sure that the Super Tucano that Nigeria bought was manufactured in the US, not Brazil. The deal also included spare parts, munitions and training for Nigerian Air Force personnel. The US Air Force also upgraded the Nigerian Air Force base at Kainji.

Anger

It wasn't all sweet and sugar. Having made one deal, Trump tried to make another. He tried to get Buhari to buy US agricultural products, but if you are Nigerian you must know how Buhari feels about that. He rejected the deal. Trump wasn't happy about that, but he was satisfied that he at least got one deal done.

Trump and Tinubu

But there's still another deal that is pending. Nigeria still hasn't gotten the helicopters. The chief of air staff recently went to the US to continue negotiations. If the Tinubu Administration wants to get on Trump's good side all they need to do is pursue that helicopter deal.

Trump is all about the deals.

You are a Conspiracy theorist.

Tenses:
You are a Conspiracy theorist.

You're a Conspiracy denier.

At least, the security situation in the country is improving even though more need to be done in clearing the miscreants across the country

Those NAF miscalculated attacks are now reducing

Tenses:
You are a Conspiracy theorist.

Nobody cares what you think. It's totally unimportant.

Na so them go sit down doing nothing...paparazi gan fe ya picture 😀

Assholes. You lacked one thing but bought another. Tucanos.

Okay, kudos coming from the Nigerian Airforce

naptu2:
Nobody cares what you think. It's totally unimportant.

That makes the both of us.

As if the airforce will utilise them. The ones they got already how many times have they been used?

That thing way no go leave hanger

No be only prepared ness

Dude stop.
Any trained army can destroy hundreds of terrorists invading with motorcycles.

Stop defending the ineptitude of Nigerian government.

There is no combat readiness on the side of the military. The ranks and files have been infiltrated with jihadists. Many of those in government are sympathetic to the jihadists causes so all these grammars will not go anywhere

jmoore:
Dude stop.
Any trained army can destroy hundreds of terrorists invading with motorcycles.

Stop defending the ineptitude of Nigerian government.

Leave them. Dem think say na children them dey put story for. If na Israeli dey tackle all these terrorists, by now dem for don dey their paradise dey rock their 72 virgin's

🤣 These people have never heard of the Toyota War, the Vietnam War, etc.

They have no idea what COIN warfare or asymmetric warfare is about.

They remind me of the people that were arguing with me on Nairaland that the Super Tucano was a World War 2 aircraft (because it has propellers).

The details of sales to Nigeria is even captured here.

Anyway, just as I did with the Tucano thread, I'll be back to bombard this thread with information after my workout.

Tenses:
You are a Conspiracy theorist.

All of you jerking off and ecstatic like kids in a candy store that trump loves Nigerian xtians more than he loves himself,una don see am........you have all been tossed over the cliff,the Nigerian govt has been drifting away from the US for a while now and Trump doesn't like that, the biggest black nation and a potential african power house drifting out of the US sphere of influence.......thays the key ambition of the US and not sone leah shuaibu or one el baba in northern Nigeria.

Please put it to use.... Bandits and terrorist have over taken most of our territory.

If the yeye govt are really serious in this fight, we would have finished these evil people for long. But no, the govt are indeed cashing out of it. It could only happen in a DISGRACED COUNTRY, under the watch of a DISGRACED President, from a MUMU party, cheered by MUMU supporters.

I saw those helicopters on air while transporting them yesterday. Good one

Always stories but nothing to show from NAF. If this was how Israeli air force works, they wouldn't have defeated hamas. This shows that boko haram, Isis, lakurawa and other terrorists organisations are bigger and stronger than our military.

Kudos to you bro
🤝
You nailed it 📌

sirchim:
If the yeye govt are really serious in this fight, we would have finished these evil people for long. But no, the govt are indeed cashing out of it. It could only happen in a DISGRACED COUNTRY, under the watch of a DISGRACED President, from a MUMU party, cheered by MUMU supporters.

Tenses:
This US no sabi the kind of sabo wey dey Nigeria arm forces.

Explain now, we're listening.

Well they will find our the hard way.

Because we don't have attack helicopters before, this is the first time Nigerian government is going to possess attack helicopters for the military

Long story.
Attack helicopters and Tucano jet can never help if those who will handle it doesn't do the right thing.
Remember that guns can not kill, except a man makes it to kill.

naptu2:
The reason for the sanctions

The sanctions were not against Nigeria in general or the Nigerian military. They were specifically against the Joint Task Force (JTF) in the North-East. They were imposed because of reports that JTF troops had detained people at random, they had detained people without trial for long periods of time, they had tortured people, etc. In fact, so many people had been detained that the detention facilities at Giwa Barracks were too full.

These and other related facts have always been in the open. People just refuse to pay attention. It's the twenty-first century and human rights is not a footnote.

TimeMachine2:
The details of sales to Nigeria is even captured here.

Mehn, these choppers look wicked. If were a bandit, I'd resign today and head for the nearest border.