DEFENCEWEB
The commander of Zimbabwe’s Air Force traveled to Nigeria to ask his counterpart for technical assistance, including in the operation and maintenance of fighter jets and helicopters.
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) reported that Air Marshal Elson Moyo, commander of the Air Force of Zimbabwe, visited NAF’s then-Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Oladayo Amao, at NAF Headquarters in March 2023.
Moyo said he wanted to pursue technical assistance in the areas of research and development, drone technology, and the operation and maintenance of aircraft. The identified areas for collaboration, according to Moyo, are of common interest to Zimbabwe and Nigeria as their air forces operate some similar aircraft.
Zimbabwe’s air chief noted that the Nigerian Air Force has, within a short time, recorded “remarkable feats” in its transformation effort to develop indigenous capacity. This, he said, provides a motivation for the Air Force of Zimbabwe to look inward as part of efforts to address its technical challenges.
Moyo commended the NAF for its support in the past, including training given to the first batch of Zimbabwean pilots in the 1980s, which he said influenced the decision to seek collaboration with the NAF with respect to capacity development.
Amao said the NAF is ready to forge a mutually beneficial partnership with the Air Force of Zimbabwe. He said that the NAF has partnerships with other African countries. Improved cooperation among African countries is the solution to many of the challenges, including security, facing the continent, he added.