In the second and concluding part of AFM’s study of the Nigerian Air Force, M Mazumdar examines post-2014 combat operations, future plans and provides a full air order of battle.
FORCE REPORT
Nigerian Air Force Part Two
AFTER A relative lull in military operations, air and ground campaigns against Boko Haram resumed in earnest by late 2013 due to a dramatic escalation in violence, and continued the following year. Counter-insurgency (COIN) and internal security operations codenamed Zaman Lafiya and Restore Peace spanned a large part of Nigeria’s northern region and were directed against ethnic violence and banditry. The Nigerian military, working quietly with foreign private military contractors (PMCs), managed to turn the tide somewhat against Boko Haram after suffering a series of embarrassing setbacks.
The PMCs included South Africa-based STTEP (Specialised Tasks, Training, Equipment and Protection) with organic helicopters including Gazelle gunships and Bell troop carriers as well as another outfit from Eastern Europe using Georgian-registered Mi-8s. Supporting both operations, by August 2014 the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) had flown 2,468 ground-attack missions with Alpha Jet and F-7NI fighters and M…
