The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) is set to acquire 49 modern aircraft by the end of 2026 to enhance its air power in the ongoing fight against insurgency and other security threats across the country.
Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar, made this known on Wednesday at the opening of the 2025 Aircraft Engineering Conference held at NAF Headquarters, Abuja.
Themed “Enhancing Aircraft Serviceability in the NAF through Strong Maintenance Culture and Strategic Partnerships”, the conference highlighted the force’s push for operational readiness and technical efficiency.
Air Marshal Abubakar revealed that the new additions will include three CASA 295 transport aircraft, 10 AW-109 Trekker Type B helicopters, 12 AH-1Z attack helicopters, and 24 M-346 fighter jets—all high-tech platforms requiring sophisticated maintenance systems.
This follows the delivery of 15 brand-new aircraft in the last two years.
He emphasized the importance of a robust maintenance culture and called on NAF personnel to adopt advanced, data-driven maintenance practices to ensure the effectiveness and serviceability of the expanding fleet.
He also noted that investments had been made in logistics, spare parts, and ground support tools to ensure that all operable aircraft would be fully serviceable by the fourth quarter of 2025.
Air Marshal Abubakar said the rapid growth in the Air Force’s operational capabilities must be matched by equally strong support systems to sustain air power delivery in line with national security objectives.
The Chief of Aircraft Engineering, Air Vice Marshal A.I. Amodu, described aircraft engineering as the backbone of NAF’s mission.
He said the evolving security landscape demands a responsive maintenance strategy and hailed the conference as a platform to share ideas and reinforce engineering excellence within the force.