A 30mm cannon-armed Mi-35P attack helicopter deployed on combat operations somewhere in N.E Nigeria
PHOTO CREDIT: FYNLINE
WORLDSTAGE
8 July 2014
Nigeria’s Defence Headquarters on Monday confirmed that troops have taken the battle to Boko Haram insurgents and wiped out their bases in Balmo Forest with links to the fringes of Sambisa Forest where over 200 Chibok girls are being kept.
The Director of Defence Information, Maj- Gen. Chris Olukolade, in a statement in Abuja also confirmed that 44 insurgents were killed in encounters with troops in Kerenoa. The statement said the encounters between troops and the insurgents occurred at the weekend.
The statement said: “Troops have cleared and taken over Balmo forest in a military operation that lasted throughout the weekend. “Prior to the operation,Balmo Forest stretching from Bauchi through Jigawa States with links to the fringes of Sambisa Forest was used by terrorists as bases and hideouts for launching attacks.
“Terrorists and armed gangs operating in the forests were completely rooted out while some were captured during the operation. “Among those captured were two foreigners who are suspected to be mercenaries. Also captured are several weapons and equipment including power generating sets, communication equipment, vehicles, motorcycles, foodstuff and kitchen utensils.”
The statement also confirmed that over 44 terrorists were killed in Kerenoa The statement said: “In another development, over 44 terrorists have died in Kerenoa and adjoining communities, following an encounter with troops who repelled their attack on the communities.
“Armed with IEDs and other high caliber weapons, a large number of terrorists had carried out a predawn attack on the communities but met with stiff resistance of the troops. “During the operation, several of them were captured as well as weapons and ammunition of various calibres.
“Meanwhile, troops on routine patrol around Banki and Miyanti in Borno State during the weekend fought through an ambush laid by terrorists resulting in casualties on both sides. Altogether, a total of six soldiers were lost in the various encounters with terrorists during the weekend while those wounded are receiving treatment.”
Beegeagle's Blog 
Bravo! to our boys. I wonder if the Russians (Mil) or South Africans (ATE) would agree to partner with us and set up a Hind Factory right here in Naija.
Would it not be better if the hard points on our Mi-35 Hind are rigged with rockets or AMSs? Ofcourse 30mm canons work, but air to surface missiles would do collateral damage and roast those elements, destroy their vehicles and everything in a reasonable radius around them. Yes, they are way more expensive than working with canons but they are also way more effective and convenient. But I guess our ly boys are not complaining though. Long live NAF! Long live NA!
I mean ASMs, not AMS as mistakenly written above. And “fly boys” not “ly boys”.
My Oga Ola, the Mi-24V and Mi-35P attack helicopters deployed in that theatre carry rocket pods. Going back to the ECOMOG years in Liberia and Sierra Leone, we had Alpha Jet carrying 68mm rocket pods, not to mention bombs etc.
As you can see from the flare marks on the rocket pod, this Mi-35P (NAF 532) has actually seen action at the frontlines. So it is also not true as has often been posited here, that the Hind attack helicopters are not in service. And NO, they are more than seven.
Before the crash of the Mi-24D at PHC in May last year, we had eleven of them. After the December 2013 attack on the MDGR airbase, three Hind attack helos were either damaged or destroyed. But in one of his last acts as CAS, then Air Marshal Badeh stated that they had been replaced.
Before then in 2013, it emerged that the NAF had an order for three Mi-35P and six Mi-171Sh Terminator combat helicopters. And in 2014, another order for six Mi-35M helicopters was placed.
Sir Beegs, thanks for the response! It’s good to know rocket pods are being used in Borno, I was wondering if we;re doing economy war fare against boko boys.
Yes, I know we have hinds from time, I just didn’t know how many. I heard it underground also that we would have some more ending of last year, but I don’t know how many or the time they would arrive. But really, these are platforms we need, especially against boko boys at the moment. To me, strafing with aplha jets is not as effective as hinds that can do low level attack, fly slower and our guys can actually get good visuals on their targets.
As a digression, any new development on Igirigi? New acquisition for the NA from the MoD? personally, I’m so sad at the casualty ratio between our guys and Boko boys.
I also wonder if NA plans to make some of the non-lethal, recently donated platforms from the US into lethal platforms. May I confirm with you whether the Navistar donated to us are MRAPs?
Balmo forest was ‘grid mapped’ and cleared on foot, total victory was won.
This is why I said last week that Nigerian army can grid map and comb clear the whole Sambisa forest in 12 days with the numbers of infantry per square meter and the logistic/local support of hunters I explained.
I still stand by my point that this Boko Haram war can be won in a few months if we want to do it.
The successful clearing of Balmo forest and 100% victory that Nigeria has, is a proof that the strategy I suggested will end this war or reduce it to very very low skirmish levels as Boko Haram bases are completely eliminated from Nigeria and relocated to other countries.
I could remember someone on this blog attacked my idea of combing when I suggested it, well he knows it will work, and he does not want this war to end in Nigeria’s favour.
NA and NAF, go clear Sambiza, Gwoza, etc. Grid map them and comb them per square meter like a good Land Surveyor will do for Omo Onile…claim all the land and take possession of it.
Chibok 200 girls location confirmed known….to be rescued soon.
http://www.punchng.com/news/chibok-girlsll-be-rescued-soon-jonathan-obasanjo-others/
I don’t expect military action on the Chibok girls. This is looking like a long drawn hostage negotiation with broad agreements reached and details being worked out. Obasanjo muscling himself in means the US gets a front seat in all that is happening. Eventually we may never get to know the true details of concessions made on both sides these or even get to see the girls – expect extensive trauma treatment and psychological re orientation abroad…Dubai, Qatar, UK and France for all the girls.
I believe idealistic divisions in BH is becoming more pronounced and more enlightened factions are seeing the lights–They did not get the deal they signed for- an islamic state in Northern Nigeria is now clearly not in this lifetime and they are so far from overthrowing anybody. They are not about to throw away new chance in in the present life(after so much worry pertaining to the “innocently brainwashed ones and forcefully conscripted” can have a resemblance of decent life after all this). We might be seeing a balanced but harsh application of political/military pressure to facilitate the release of the girls soon-already. I expect this to happen within a week/days or so. Already quite a number of young ladies have “escaped” lately from BH camps and some camps have been abandoned after lifeline is withheld. Certainly we shall see quite a number of camps cleared very soon-either by abandonment or military action.
This issue easily stirs up bitterness,deep religious hatred and ethnic resentment -so not much can be said. Concerning the US intervention-I think they have never been in the driving seat.Good intels-yes-key decisions-No!
Definitely trauma treatment overseas is not an option but the only option.The greatest issue when this all settles is what do you do with hundreds of certified murderous (with a bit of military training) young men in detention and those who will surrender? We must fashion out some kind of amnesty that would include incarceration for a reduced tenor to placate thousands of boiling youths seeking vengeance from BH, We shall also have to deal with rogue gangs ( banditas) for a very long time to come-We also need to prepare the police right now.
Qatar? You want to turn our girls into terrorist? (tongue in cheek)
How about other kidnap victims?
How about the survivors of the attack on the FGC? (40 young boys had their throats slit)
http://www.nairaland.com/1803195/soldiers-raid-boko-haram-forest/3
I try not to post too many topics from Nairaland but OGA BEGS i am getting ready to discuss an issue relevant to it dealing with MERCS.
Oga beeg is that a targeting pod on the nose of that helo?
This is why Nigerian intelligence agencies walk half blind on the streets of Abuja…
http://www.punchng.com/news/reps-probe-failed-470m-cctv-projects/
Here is Vanguard’s side of the above news: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2014/07/insurgency-army-finds-links-politicians-balmo-forest/
Can someone give me gud intel on the isrealie iron dome defense system
Here is one such article.
http://globalnews.ca/news/1203882/israels-mobile-missile-defence-system-what-is-the-iron-dome/
This bigfoot MRAP posted by siriusblack has two turrets armed,can anyone identify the weapons and calibre?
http://www.nairaland.com/1801690/photos-nigerian-armys-campaign-north/1
Two Singapore Kinetics 50. CAL machine guns.
Nigeria needs to step up beyond .50 cals, 12.7mm guns facing COIN war where insurgents attack with 300 men many times. Increase in firepower will increase Bokos attrition rate.
NA still needs multiple thousands of automatic multiple grenade launchers, Gatling guns multiple-barrel rapid fire…the most powerful infantry machine gun in the world is the Gatling, Russia and China can build cheap models for us.
The gun on A-10 Thunderbolt ground attack jet of the USAF is the Gatling gun.
Just saw a C130 takes off from MMA lagos
I don’t know if it is circling but I just saw a second take off going in the same direction,both low altitude.Unfortunately,I can’t tell the variant,could it be the repaired Charlie on a test flight,or is it two take off ‘s on operation?
Hmm third pass overhead,in such a short time.
4th low level pass,my cousin said he had seen it pass twice before I did, it is obvious its testing systems or something,probably the refurbished c130.
Oga drag_on, since the month of April even up till yesterday evening i have noticed a regular flight of Transport plane(s).
http://www.nairaland.com/1801690/photos-nigerian-armys-campaign-north/2
The pictures in this Naira Land Post are freaky interesting, I do not think the fight against the insurgents has anything thing to do with arms o.
I have said it repeatedly, the NA and NAF can stop ISIS and FSA with its current inventory, the Iraq army could do even better but see what happened in Iraq, they just gifted ISIS enough money and amour to fight for two-year nonstop. So now, we have jihadist running around in hummers and parading suds.
Is there a better way of pursuing ur own interest without looking for cheap posibilities eh south africa
m.news24.com/news24/Africa/News/SA-intel-warns-Long-abusive-campaign-in-Nigeria-20140709
Typical, I am not surprised at all by the South African report, what do they mean by ‘similar attack in Lagos last month’.
If you read the replies, you’ll discover that some people don’t agree with this so called intelligence report
http://www.channelstv.com/2014/07/11/forest-operation-troops-unearth-weapons-underground-armouries/
oga RKA
Thanks for the update the DHQ on their blog is showing pictures of the armory. I do not know what kind of nasty fire fight took place at balmo forests but the pictures are sobering. i think a clearer picture of what was lost( BY BH) this last weekend is beginning to be more APPARENT.
Anyhow in referece to OGA Peccavi probing question and as proof that dhq does have GIS CAPABILITIES I posted a link of one of their maps
http://defenceinfo.mil.ng/troops-crush-insurgents-ambush-at-delwa/
COPIED FROM DHQ WEB SITE.
The FG is now ready for the information age media war.
Its good that the defence headquarters is now trying to diseminate more info to the public. This will table the facts and reduce bad press which is a fallout of rumour mongering.