In the quest to wage full war against insecurity in the country, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), on Saturday, said it had taken delivery of 12 additional fighter aircraft to boost the operational capabilities of the force.

Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Hassan Abubakar, disclosed this during interactive session with NAF senior citizens resident in Kaduna, the Kaduna State capital.

Abubarkar explained that the acquisition of the new aircraft is part of the NAF’s efforts to boost its operational effectiveness.

He said the newly acquired jets include two King Air 360i light transport aircraft, four T-129 ATAK helicopters, two AgustaWestland 109 Trekkers, and four DA-62 surveillance aircraft.

According to him, moving forward, the NAF is poised to take delivery of 24 M-346 fighter aircrafts and 10 additional AgustaWestland 109 Trekker helicopters from Italy.

The CAS said NAF is also expecting other platforms, including two additional T-129 ATAK helicopters from Turkey, three CASA 295 transport aircrafts from Spain, and 12 AH-1Z Viper helicopters from the United States.

Abubarkar said the NAF would take additional delivery of 50 brand-new aircraft between December 2025 and 2026.

He said outside acquiring new aircraft, NAF has also adopted a predictive maintenance culture aimed at reducing equipment failures and downtime.

Abubakar who spoke through the NAF Chief of Administration, Air Vice Marshal Idi Sani, acknowledged that the Force had made significant strides in various areas in the last 18 months, stressing that they are committed to becoming a more effective and agile force capable of addressing the country’s security challenges.

The CAS said: “We have made significant progress in the last 18 months, and we are committed to sustaining this momentum. “The acquisition of the new aircraft is a testament to our commitment to becoming a more effective and agile force.