The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has completed the local reassembly of its first two H125 helicopters at the NAF Base Ikeja, Lagos.
The NAF disclosed this in a statement on Monday, noting that the helicopters were delivered by Airbus Helicopters and reassembled with the support of Airbus technical personnel.
According to the service, the exercise is expected to strengthen technical collaboration between the Nigerian Air Force and Airbus, facilitate knowledge transfer and provide NAF personnel with practical exposure to the support and maintenance of modern rotary-wing platforms.
Sunday Aneke, Chief of the Air Staff, described the development as a positive step towards strengthening the technical and operational capacity of the service.
Aneke said the acquisition of modern platforms must be complemented by the development of the knowledge, partnerships and support systems required to maximise their operational value and sustain them throughout their service life.
‘Beyond acquiring modern platforms, we are committed to developing the knowledge, partnerships and support systems required to maximise their operational value and sustain them throughout their service life,’ he said.
The NAF said the H125 helicopters would provide additional capability for ongoing air operations, including surveillance, tactical mobility and other operational support missions.
The service also expressed appreciation for the continued support and strategic direction of President Bola Tinubu, saying his administration’s commitment to strengthening national security capabilities continued to support fleet modernisation and operational effectiveness.