Wednesday, September 16, 2026 -The Nigerian Air Force, NAF, has taken delivery of five new helicopters as the Federal Government steps up efforts to modernise the country’s airpower capabilities and strengthen military operations against security threats.
The platforms comprise three AW-109 Trekker B helicopters
manufactured by Leonardo Helicopters of Italy and two H-125 helicopters
manufactured by Airbus Helicopters.
In a statement issued on Tuesday by Air Commodore
Ehimen Ejodame, Director of Public Relations and Information, Nigerian Air
Force Headquarters, the NAF said the three AW-109s, which are part of 10
recently acquired by the Federal Government, were received in Lagos
on September 15, 2026, while the remaining seven are expected to be
delivered before the end of the year. The two H-125 helicopters had been
delivered earlier.
The Chief of the Air Staff, Air
Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, said the new helicopters would increase
aircraft availability and improve the NAF’s ability to support ongoing military
operations.
“The arrival of these five helicopters provides greater
flexibility in the employment of airpower in support of ground troops in
ongoing operations,” Aneke said.
He said the AW-109 Trekker B helicopters would enhance the
NAF’s capabilities in intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, close air
support, armed escort, combat search and rescue, and other joint operations.
Aneke added that the H-125 helicopters would provide light
helicopter support for various operational requirements.
The new platforms are undergoing post-delivery assembly and
technical and crew-readiness processes ahead of their induction and
operationalisation.
Aneke said the increased rotary-wing capacity would
strengthen support for joint forces conducting operations against terrorism,
kidnapping and banditry.
He said the NAF would also prioritise maintenance and
logistics support to ensure the new aircraft remain available for operations.
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