The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has set a target to acquire 64 aircraft by the end of 2026.
This is as the NAF said it would achieve a 90 per cent aircraft serviceability rate across all platforms by the fourth quarter of 2025.
Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar, announced the target during the 2025 Aircraft Engineering Conference, which was held on Wednesday at NAF Headquarters, Abuja.
The event, themed “Enhancing Aircraft Serviceability in the NAF through Strong Maintenance Culture and Strategic Partnerships”, focused on improving fleet maintenance and operational efficiency.
Abubakar disclosed that the NAF currently maintains an average aircraft serviceability rate of 72 per cent, which he attributed to consistent investments in critical spare parts, maintenance consumables, updated technical publications, ground support equipment, and personnel training.
“Similarly, we have been relentless in ensuring the timely provision of critical spares as well as the provision of up-to-date technical publications, ground support equipment, tools, and specialised equipment.
“Through these efforts, we have achieved an average serviceability rate of about 72 per cent. However, the target is a 90 per cent serviceability rate across all our platforms.
“Significant investments have been made to ensure that every operable aircraft in the NAF inventory becomes serviceable by the fourth quarter of 2025.”
To attain the new target, the Air Force adopted a predictive maintenance model in April 2024, aimed at anticipating and scheduling repairs in advance, thereby reducing unscheduled breakdowns and operational delays.
The Air Chief also revealed that the NAF had inducted 15 advanced aircraft into its fleet in the past two years, including “six T-129 ATAK helicopters, two AW-109 Trekker Type A helicopters, three Beechcraft King Air aircraft, and four Diamond 62 surveillance platforms”.
He added that “49 more aircraft are expected to arrive before the end of 2026. These include three CASA 295 aircraft, 10 AW-109 Trekker Type B helicopters, 12 AH-1Z helicopters, and 24 M-346 fighter jets”.
“These aircraft are all high-tech platforms that require very sophisticated maintenance activities to operate effectively.
“Therefore, while taking proactive logistics actions and providing the needed maintenance resources, we must implement advanced, innovative, and data-driven aircraft and armament maintenance practices that ensure the optimal serviceability of all our aircraft.”
As part of efforts to institutionalise long-term aircraft maintenance, the CAS announced the creation of a new Directorate of Aircraft Life Cycle Management (DALCM), which will manage all phases of aircraft, from acquisition to retirement.
He commended NAF engineers and technicians for recent engineering feats, such as the in-country depot maintenance of a DO-228 aircraft and the successful reactivation of grounded platforms.
In his remarks, the Chief of Aircraft Engineering, Air Vice Marshal A.I. Amodu, described engineering as the backbone of NAF’s mission readiness.
He emphasised the need to adopt forward-thinking strategies in aircraft maintenance to address emerging threats.
