President Bola Tinubu on Thursday inducted five helicopters into the Nigerian Air Force fleet as the Federal Government intensifies efforts to boost military capacity against security threats.
The aircraft comprise two Airbus H-125 helicopters and three AW-109 Trekker B helicopters manufactured by Italian company Leonardo Helicopters.
The event will also feature the commissioning of newly built hangars at the Presidential Air Fleet facility in Abuja.
The flyer listed Tinubu as the special guest of honor, while the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Aneke, will host the ceremony scheduled for 10 a.m.
The Federal Government had taken delivery of the five helicopters as part of efforts to modernize the Air Force and strengthen its operational capacity.
The three AW-109 Trekker B helicopters arrived in Lagos on September 15, while the two H-125 aircraft had been delivered earlier, the Air Force said.
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The three AW-109 helicopters are part of an order for 10 aircraft, with the remaining seven expected to arrive before the end of 2026.
The Chief of the Air Staff had said the new helicopters would improve aircraft availability and strengthen the service’s capacity to respond to security challenges across multiple operational theaters.
The Air Force said that the AW-109 Trekker B helicopters would be deployed for intelligence gathering, surveillance, close air support, armed escort and combat search-and-rescue missions.
The H-125 helicopters are expected to provide light helicopter support for various operational needs.
The acquisition forms part of the Federal Government’s broader drive to modernize the Air Force and enhance support for ground troops conducting operations against terrorism, kidnapping and banditry.
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