₦airaland Forum

I totally agree with you my brother. I was simply speaking 'tongue -in-cheek' when referring to Nigeria getting it's own millitary 'sugar parents'- lol!

Seriously though, we should get over our 'fixation' on acquiring western millitary equipment (with the attendant strings attached/exposure to possible sanctions or embargos etc ) and look East towards countries like China and Russia for the acquisition of capital millitary platforms.

The recent purchase of the JF-17 block 2 fighter aircraft from Pakistan and the two P-18N Ocean Patrol Vessels and subsequent VT-4 Main Battle Tanks from China are a good case in point. Provided you have your money, these countries will supply you with comparatively good millitary equipment - no strings attached.

As the late Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe once said- 'the Sun RISES in the East [/b]and [b]SETS [/b]in the [b]West'

Egypt's millitary 'sugar daddies' in the form of UAE and Saudi Arabia? Boy I'm cracking up with laughter!!!

Serioulsy though I'm green with envy - and looking forward to Nigeria one day hopefully acquiring such helpful millitary 'sugar daddies/mummies'- lol!

Gentlemen, in an earlier post I had stated that:

'The Algerian variant (currently under construction) as well as the versions purchased by Bangladesh are armed with missiles for ASuW

Someone (who had not taken the trouble to read my post properly) responded by saying that I was quite 'ill-informed' because 'Algeria does not have the Type-056 in service, Algeria has C28A corvettes in service'

I would respectfully refer that 'someone' to the tag below:

https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2020/06/lloyds-register-to-certify-chinese-built-corvette-for-algeria-and-lpd-for-thailand/

The Algerian Navy will take delivery of two Type 056 Corvettes (similar to our P-18N corvettes but much better armed) in 2022.

I am all for vigorous debates and having one's views and ideas challenged- but could the same be done in a mature manner without insults. Let's 'play the ball and not the man'. Thank you.

Ogas Odunayaw and Luker4Long- I hail you. Confirmed Yagz and Yagazie are one and the same person. No imposter- lol!

My brother Covert 1, I concede that you do make some very valid and solid points on the present state of the Nigerian Navy and it's recapitalization programme and agree with most of what you say.

To recap:

[[b]i]''It is an aberration to say Nigeria has no Navy but a Coast Guard. Nigeria does have a viable Navy the largest in West Africa by number of ships, tonnage and personnel with more importantly increased hours at sea and the necessary assets for contemporary threats which reflects positively on its leadership, capacity building, priorities, planning and manpower resources.

It should be accurate to say the Nigerian Navy begun a recapitalization programme from inside out rather than from outside in. Having missile Frigates or submarines is prestigious but it is not exactly what defines a Navy. The Nigerian Navy is following apace on its modernization programme with available resources at its disposal and doing so in my estimation decently with recent acquisitions of modern vessels in their class and if the trend continues will have the [assets in place to put it in an enviable position in sub-saharan Africa something Senegal with its potential FACs can't match and don't have the resources to do so.

Contrast this with the South African Navy which without capacity went for prestigious Valour Frigates without ASW capabilities and Subs without the necessary skilled set leaving you a near moribund Navy more in port than at sea. The South African Navy is now following on the heels of Nigeria's acquisition choices though not too decently whilst the Nigerian Navy is on course for the attainment of its geo-strategic and national security imperatives in the Gulf of Guinea.''[/i][/b]

However, that said, in my humble opinion, the main purpose of having a navy is to ensure the protection of a Country's maritime domain/EEZ and project power within it's sphere/area of influence.

(1)- Firstly let me begin by paying tribute to the brave officers and ratings (men/women) of the Nigerian Navy. They are a bunch of brave professional operatives doing a great and hazardous job in very challenging circumstances.

(2) - The Piracy situation in the Gulf of Guinea is currently spiraling out of control. The majority of these attacks occur in Nigeria's territorital waters especially between Brass and Bonny and are undertaken by pirates operating out of Nigeria. The Nigerian navy (with all it's numerous inshore Patrol Craft of different variants)- has so far been unable to stem the tide. KUDOS however to our elite Special Boat Service (SBS) personnel for the great work they are doing.

(3)- The pirates are now becoming emboldened to the extent that they can now undertake attacks on ships situated up to 200 nautical miles off Nigeria's coast. This is where the need for well armed long range OPVs (in sufficient numbers) come in. It is now so bad that Denmark (a country of about 4-5 million people) will soon be sending a Frigate to the Gulf of Guinea to protect it's merchant vessels transisting the GoG. Note - they are sending a Frigate, not an OPV.

(4)- Hopefully with NIMASA's much vaunted Intergrated National Security and Waterways Protection Infrastructure programme aka 'Maritime Deep Blue Project', Nigeria should soon be better able to police it's maritime domain- if the political will exists to allow this project take off and the project is implemented in it's entirety.

(5) - Whilst I agree that the Nigerian Navy is following apace on it's mordenisation programme, from 'inside - out' as opposed to 'outside - in' - the brutal truth is that 'to whom much is given, much is expected'. In the West African sub-region, Nigeria (by virute of its economic clout and vast pool of trained /skilled human resources), has no peer- and I say this with all sense of respect to our fellow West African brethren.

(6)- Thus Nigeria should thus be comparing itself to it's 'peers' on the African Continent, namely Egypt, Algeria, Morroco and South Africa and consequently at the same time as purchasing in-shore patrol craft and OPVs, we should also be purchasing Frigates and Corvettes- both with helicopters equipped for ASW, missile capable FACs, LPDs and most importantly fleet replenishment vessels - to support our ships on extended deplyments at sea. Unlike what obtains with Morrocco, Egypt, Algeria or South Africa, can you recall the last time that a Western (i.e. American, French, German, Italian, British, Dutch or Spanish) naval power or indeed the Chinese navy conducted real naval excercises with the Nigerian navy? Please I am not talking of the annual OBANGAME EXPRESS where Western navies send 'token' vessels to have 'exercises' with a motely collection of vessels from West African navies.

(7)- This is all the more cogent because Nigeria has in the past had/operated missile capable FAC, Corvettes, ASW helicopters (Lynx MK1) and a General Purpose Frigate- in effect real capital naval platforms that were all manned by capable Nigerian officers and ratings. It was simply mismanagement/corruption and years of millitary rule that degraded our capacity to maintain same. Thus the comparison with South Africa is not really appropriate as we have always had competent personnel to man our Frigates, Corvettes and Fast Attack Craft. Recall that NNS Aradu and before that one of our corvettes (NNS Dorina?) had undertaken Atlantic crossings on good will visits to Brazil in South America.

(- South Africa purchased Four Meko 200 'Valour Class' frigates and 3 Type 209 submarines in the early 1990's. The truth is that South Africa had the capability to maintain and operate these vessels but because of 'BEE' (i.e. black empowerement ) issues the capable 'white' officers and men who could have operated these vessels pending the gradual training of black personnel, where eased out of the navy. Recall that during the 'Apparthied' era, the South African Navy operated submarines and Frigates. Thus in my humble opinion, South Africa's problems as far as the operations/ maintenance of their capital platforms are concerned, are self-inflicted.

(9)- Our OPVs are not capable of undertaking aerial or underwater warfare as they not equipped for same. They have no surface to air missiles capability nor do they have towed array sonar or mines/depth charges for sub-surface operations. The embarked helicopters - AW109s are not equipped for anti-submarine operations. The main armament - 76mm naval gun could engage surface targets, but would have difficulty coming up against a missle armed vessel.

(10)- Thus I am still respectfully of the view that the Nigerian Navy in it's current state has attained the status of a reasonably well equipped Coast Guard service and with the incoming Hydrographic Vessel - NNS Lana and Damen 100 LST being built in the UAE etc may well be on it's way to reclaiming it's former glory as a true 'blue water' navy that it once was.

Greetings Tochex 101. I hail you!

Joscoflex - respectfully neither NNS Centenary or NNS Unity have missile capabilities.

Nigeria in it's 'penny wise pound foolish' wisdom, purchased the very basic export version of the Chinese Type 056 Corvette armed with only a 76 mm naval gun, 30mm and 20mm cannons. In Nigerian service they are classed as OPVs (P-18N).

The Algerian variant (currently under construction) as well as the versions purchased by Bangladesh are armed with missiles for ASuW. I guess you get what you pay for!

Why does the Nigerian Govt like buying capital millitary platforms peicemeal and in insufficient numbers?

Case in point - South Africa bought 4 Meko Valour Class frigates and 3 Type 209 submarines in one transaction. Egypt is buying FREMM Frigates and Mistral LPDs for fun ..not to talk of Gorwind and Meko Class corvettes. Algeria buys MEKO Class Valour frigates from Germany and corvettes from China in substantial numbers.

Nigeria is making noise over a sole destroyer as it's replacement Flagship? Haba!

There are 3 operational naval commands (Western, Eastern and Central). The Nigerian Navy should be given the funds to purchase at least 6 well armed OPVs (with missile capabilites), 3 Meko 200 'Valour' Class frigates with similar armaments as those purchased by Algeria and at least 2 Type 52D frigates from China.

Let's be absolutely clear- Nigeria currently has no navy, just a well equipped Coast Guard with a number of in-shore patrol craft (Shaldags, and OCEA PF72 patrol boats etc).

The hand-me-down Hamlilton Class ex -Us Coastgaurd long patrol vessels - NNS Thunder and NNS Okpbana, have no missile or ASW /ASuW capabilities whatseover. The OPVs purchased from China - NNS Century and NNS Unity have no missile, ASW or AsuW capabilies either- and these are supposed to be our capital ships NNS Aradu (our current Flag ship) for all intents and purposes has been reduced to a training vessel with all it's missile capabilites removed. The newly acquired NNS Lana is a Hydrographic Survey Vessel and is not armed.

Senegal is currently in the process of building naval vessels in France will soon (by 2022) have FACs with missile capabilites and thus become the only navy in West Africa with such vessels...and the Nigerian Navy ..sorry Coast Guard will then be caught napping!