The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has taken into service three helicopters recently acquired from Russia and Italy. The copters include a Mi-171 from Russia and two AW109 helicopters from Italy’s Leonardo. The new helicopters will be used to combat insurgents, bandits and other security threats across Nigeria.
According to a Nigerian Air Force officer, the NAF is expecting a second Mi-171 to be delivered, as well as three JF-17 Thunder jet fighters and 12 EMB 314/A-29 Super Tucano light attack turboprops.
Nigeria has ordered a number of Mi-series helicopters over the last decade, receiving two second-hand Mi-24P/Mi-35P aircraft from Belarus in 2010, three Mi-35Ms from Russia in 2014 and six Mi-171Sh armed transports from Russia in 2015. Another six Mi-35Ms were delivered in 2015, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute’s (SIPRI’s) arms transfer database. Two Mi-24P/Mi-35Ps were also acquired from Ukraine in 2014.
Nigeria has been fighting various terror organizations with the most notorious being Boko Haram, Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) and the newly resurfaces Ansaru affiliated to al Qaeda.
