Page 53 - Air Forces Monthly - September 2017

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207) Special Mobility Group
at Calabar (its planned
complement of Mi-17/171s
has yet to be assigned) and
209 Executive Airlift Group
(EAG) at Abuja, with around
four King Air 350i turboprops
and a handful of executive
transports, including a Falcon.
The EAG may have been
renumbered as 310 EAG, but this
can’t be confirmed; neither can
a scheduled move to Minna.
Meanwhile it’s unclear if 205
Rotary Group, with one or two
Super Pumas at Ikeja, is still Above: King Air 350i NAF 203 is one of three aircraft acquired in 2014 without electro-optical equipment. It was
active. If so, its new numerical originally planned to use them as maritime patrol aircraft in the restive oil-producing Delta region. Since then at least
designation is unconfirmed. two aircraft – NAF 202 and 204 – have been fitted with what appears to be FLIR Systems EO kit. NAF
with the Air Force Research and assembly and commissioning begin training with the new IPs.
Training Commands Development Centre (AFRDC), of new-build aircraft whose On completion of primary
In mid-July this year, as part trains drone operators. deliveries began in July. instruction, pilots destined for
of its restructuring exercise By July this year, UAV With its aerobatic capability further training locally go on
the NAF announced it had operations had resumed after and electronic flight instrument to basic flying training on the
split its long-standing Kaduna- a break of seven months and system (EFIS) cockpit, the SMK L-39ZA with 403 FTS at Kano.
based Training Command two grounded training UAVs – was ultimately meant to replace Between 1987 and 2006, the
into two distinct entities – an Chinese-built Mugin 300 series the DA40, although there are school ran three IP courses,
Air Training Command (ATC), vehicles – had been reactivated recent indications that the NAF producing 14 graduates.
headquartered in Kaduna, and by the AFRDC in Kaduna. may “buy more”, according to Since then, two further
the Ground Training Command The NAF says that since the the local dealer for the type. courses have created 21 more
(GTC), headquartered in Enugu. commencement of in-house UAV This suggests a rethink about the IPs, the most recent, in 2016,
No more information has been flying training, nine officers have DA40, which may complement the training a squadron leader
released other than the planned been trained and subsequently Super Mushshaks. It seems the and three flight lieutenants.
establishment of a Central Flying deployed for operational duties, large fleet of locally assembled Each new IP averaged 113
School in Katsina, according although a news report from Van’s RV-6/6As, known as ABT-18 hours of course flying on the
to Air Marshal Abubakar. July 13 says 13 officers have Air Beetles, is no longer in service. L-39ZA through front-seat
After a decade of sporadic been trained as UAV operators. The first batch of four SMK conversion, rear-seat proficiency
flying training activities, the On December 5 last year, 401 instructor pilots (IPs), trained and instructional phases.
NAF has now resumed regular FTS began conversion to the under PAF tutelage, graduated The unit formally set up as 303
programmes. Primary flying Pakistani-built Super Mushshak from 401 FTS on March 2. The FTS in 1985, its initial L-29 Delfin
training is normally conducted at (SMK) aircraft, which it operates NAF simultaneously announced equipment giving way to the
401 (ex-301) Flying Training School alongside five DA40 NGs (and that the graduation marked L-39ZA from November 1986.
(FTS) at Kaduna, relocating to a simulator). These SMKs the type’s final handover, since Between 1985 and early 2016, it
Makurdi when seasonal weather entered service in batches Nigerian pilots could now completed basic flying courses
conditions preclude flying. from March 2015 into 2016. deliver ab initio training on the (BFCs) for 164 pilots, alongside
The unit also delivers conversion Four Super Mushshaks on loan aircraft, and early in March, 30 the 21 NAF IPs and small
training on the Do 228, while from the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) students, including 18 in a first numbers of others for the air
its UAV Wing, in conjunction are in use at Kaduna pending the batch, had been selected to forces of Ghana and Zimbabwe.

Above: ATR 42 MPAs have seen extensive use as overland ISR and airborne command platforms in the operations against
Boko Haram. NAF 930, which was grounded for around two years at Yola after an unspecified accident, re-entered
service in late 2016 or early 2017 painted in desert camouflage. NAF 931, seen here, retains its grey and orange scheme.
Left: The Boeing BBJ presidential transport, also known as ‘Eagle One’, is operated by 011 (ex-101) Presidential Air Fleet
out of Abuja. Though the PAF reports directly to NAF HQ, its operating budget is separate from that of the NAF.

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