Armed Forces Command and Staff College Advances Nigerian Air Force Operational Adaptation To Emerging Drone Warfare Challenges

Armed Forces Command and Staff College Advances Nigerian Air Force Operational Adaptation To Emerging Drone Warfare Challenges

The Department of Air Warfare (DAW), Armed Forces Command and Staff College (AFCSC), Jaji, has reinforced the Nigerian Air Force’s (NAF) drive towards innovation and operational adaptation through the successful conduct of the Air Operations Seminar 2026 for participants of Senior Course 48. Held from 2–3 July 2026, the seminar, themed “The Increasing Role of Unmanned Aerial Systems in Contemporary Warfare: Adapting NAF CTCOIN Air Operations to Emerging Operational Realities,” provided a strategic platform for examining the transformative impact of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) on contemporary warfare and their implications for NAF counterterrorism and counterinsurgency (CTCOIN) operations. The seminar brought together senior military officers, operational commanders and subject matter experts to deliberate on emerging trends in drone warfare and generate practical recommendations aimed at enhancing NAF operational effectiveness in an increasingly technology-driven battlespace.

Declaring the seminar open on behalf of the Chief of Operations, Headquarters Nigerian Air Force, the Director of Operations, Headquarters NAF, Air Vice Marshal AO Bamidele, described the seminar’s theme as timely and highly relevant to current operational realities. He noted that UAS have become indispensable tools for intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, precision strike and battle damage assessment, while emphasising that the growing employment of drone technology by both state and non-state actors necessitates continuous adaptation of NAF operational concepts, doctrine, force structure and training. Presentations delivered by distinguished senior officers and subject matter experts examined critical issues including cost asymmetry and operational effectiveness in UAS employment, institutional adjustments required to optimise UAS integration, and strategies for countering insurgent drone threats and safeguarding NAF UAV operations. These discussions underscored the imperative for innovation and adaptability in maintaining the Service’s operational advantage.

Representing the Commandant AFCSC at the closing ceremony, the Deputy Commandant and Director of Studies, Rear Admiral AV Kujoh, commended the Department of Air Warfare for organising a seminar that addressed one of the most significant developments in contemporary military operations. He urged participants to translate the knowledge gained into innovative operational concepts and practical solutions capable of enhancing NAF CTCOIN air operations and strengthening joint operational effectiveness. The successful conduct of the seminar further highlights AFCSC’s commitment to intellectual rigour and professional military education, while reinforcing the Nigerian Air Force’s resolve to continually refine its doctrine, capabilities and human capacity in line with the Chief of the Air Staff’s Command Philosophy of sustaining a highly motivated, professional and mission-ready force capable of delivering decisive air power effects in synergy with surface forces towards the attainment of national security objectives.