Nigeria has signed an agreement with the United States to acquire 12 AH-1Z Viper attack helicopters for the Nigerian Air Force (NAF).
The agreement was formalised during a beam-signing ceremony at Bell Textron in Amarillo, Texas, where the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sunday Aneke, led a NAF delegation to mark the milestone.
This followed the federal government’s delivery of five new helicopters to the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) as part of efforts to strengthen air operations.
The platforms comprise three AW-109 Trekker B helicopters manufactured by Leonardo Helicopters of Italy and two H-125 helicopters produced by Airbus Helicopters.
In a statement, NAF spokesperson Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame said the acquisition is part of the Nigeria-United States defence cooperation programme and is expected to strengthen Nigeria’s airpower capabilities in tackling current and emerging security threats.
He described the acquisition as a ‘major milestone in the NAF’s efforts to build a more capable and mission-ready force.’
He said, ‘The acquisition of the AH-1Z Viper helicopters represents an important milestone in our continuing efforts to build a more capable, professional and mission-ready Nigerian Air Force.’
The CAS said the acquisition reflected the Federal Government’s commitment to enhancing the operational effectiveness of the Armed Forces and ensuring that the NAF remained adequately positioned to fulfil its constitutional responsibilities.
He said the programme also aligned with his command philosophy of sustaining a highly motivated and professional force capable of delivering decisive airpower effects in synergy with surface forces to achieve national security objectives.
Aneke stressed the need to ensure that the capabilities being acquired translated into enhanced operational effectiveness in support of national security.
He expressed appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his ‘strategic leadership, unwavering support and commitment’ to strengthening Nigeria’s defence and security architecture.
The CAS also acknowledged the support of the United States Government, Bell Textron, Programme Management Air 276 and other stakeholders involved in the AH-1Z Viper programme.
He said sustained defence cooperation, technical collaboration and capability development were essential to the successful implementation of the programme, while reaffirming the NAF’s commitment to strengthening strategic partnerships and professional excellence.
The NAF delegation also inspected the AH-1Z Viper production line at the Bell Textron facility as part of the visit.
‘The acquisition marked another step in the Federal Government’s efforts to modernise the Armed Forces and expand the NAF’s capacity to provide air support for ongoing and future military operations,’ the statement said.