Chief Of Air Staff Hosts High-Level Courtesy Visits, Building Synergies To Strengthen Nigerian Air Force Capabilities

Chief Of Air Staff Hosts High-Level Courtesy Visits, Building Synergies To Strengthen Nigerian Air Force Capabilities

The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar, today, 27 November 2024, hosted courtesy visits from distinguished international partners. These engagements are pursuant to the CAS Command Philosophy which seeks to transform the NAF into an agile and resilient force while leveraging strategic partnerships to enhance operational efficiency.

The first visit was by His Excellency, Hadiyet Bayraktar, Ambassador of the Republic of Turkiye, accompanied by the Vice President of ASELSAN, Mr Zekkeriya Sahin, and other executives. Discussions centred on the ASELSAN Air Defence System and strategies to strengthen the existing relationship between Turkiye and Nigeria, fostering cooperation across key areas such as training and technical capacity building as well as research and development to enhance the NAF’s airpower capabilities.

Next, the CAS hosted Mr Arnaud Sobrero, Director of Business Development and Sales at Embraer Defence and Security of Brazil. Discussions explored the advanced capabilities of Embraer aircraft, particularly the C-390 Millennium, and possibilities for a training curriculum on the A-29 Super Tucano, demonstrating NAF’s focus on deliberate training and mission-oriented force development.

The final visit was by Mrs Olga Martyshchenko, CEO of AAL Group Limited. Discussions focused on opportunities and options to revolutionise the maintenance of the NAF’s Mi-35 helicopters. This speaks to the key enabler of proactive logistics support and strong maintenance culture envisioned in the CAS Command Philosophy.

The CAS expressed satisfaction with the productive interactions, reaffirming the NAF’s commitment to leveraging strategic partnerships to bolster its operational effectiveness. He commended the efforts of the visiting executives and NAF Branch Chiefs present, reiterating the importance of robust strategic partnerships in transforming the NAF’s airpower capabilities to meet the demands of Nigeria’s national security in all operational environments.