ADF STAFF
The Nigerian Army has inaugurated its long-awaited aviation unit with the addition of two Bell UH-1 “Huey” helicopters. The new air assets will give the Army the ability to evacuate injured Soldiers, conduct reconnaissance and provide aerial support to troops fighting terrorism.
In June 2024, Chief of Army Staff Lt. Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja inspected the helicopters at the Nigeria Police Air Wing of Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja. Lagbaja said the path to establishing the Army Aviation Wing began in 2014. “The journey, as predicted by the initial dreamers, has not been easy but here we are today by the grace of God, realising our dream,” Lagbaja said, according to Politics Nigeria. “We are on our learning curve in the aviation business, and we hope it will be a pleasant experience that will enhance our operational successes.”
Earlier in 2024, the Army announced it would build a
$3.2 million hangar at Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Airport in Minna, Niger State. The hangar will house a number of Army aerial assets, including 12 MD530F Cayuse Warrior series attack helicopters, 10 drones and eight Magnus light attack aircraft. The platforms are expected to boost the Army’s surveillance, reconnaissance and patrol capabilities, according to a Military Africa report.
In preparing to launch the unit, the Nigerian Army has trained pilots, aircraft engineers, technicians and ground support crews. The Army also partnered with the French Army’s Light Aviation unit and the California National Guard in the U.S. to gain insight into what is needed to create an army aviation unit, Military Africa reported.
Observers believe work remains to train pilots and others for a wide range of missions they might face. “The future of the Nigerian Army aviation will require soldiers to increase realistic training that effectively mimics hostile environments,” Ekene Lionel wrote for Military Africa. “As the force shifts from counterinsurgency operations to large-scale combat operations, flexibility will be the Nigerian Army aviation’s greatest strength. Army aviators will be applying hard-earned lessons from 10 years of operations in Nigeria’s northeastern theatre.”