A rocket pod affixed to NAF 567
A newly-acquired Gazelle helicopter of the Nigerian Air Force – altogether new to the inventory.
CONTENT/TECHNICAL SUPPORT:MCSHEGZ
CONTENT SUPPORT: DRAG_ON
Watch this video clip, pay special attention from 4:46
The embedded video also shows some unfamiliar helicopters with fenestrons which are almost certainly Gazelle helicopters. Before now, the Nigerian Air Force were not known to operate any Gazelle helicopters. However, a Beegeagle’s Blogger, “Air Support”, only a few days before the appearance of this embedded Channels Television video, alerted this blog and with uncanny accuracy, to his spotting of Gazelle helicopters at a NAF facility in Lagos.
Fathomably and in the wake of the botched deal for Israeli AH-1 Cobra helicopters,the NAF might have reached out for armed Gazelle helicopters instead. The source of these helicopters remains unclear but the Nigerian Air Force upgraded and reinducted a pair of Super Puma helicopters (NAF 565 and NAF 567) at the facilities of Eurocopter Romania in 2012. Both helicopters can be seen in the embedded video above. They were put into storage in 1997 and thereafter refurbished, upgraded and returned to service in March 2012.
At the time, an outgone Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Mohammed Dikko Umar told Nigeria’s semi-official Nigerian Television Authority News that, a further two units of Super Puma in storage had been earmarked for upgradation at the facilities of Eurocopter Romania.
Meanwhile, Radio Nigeria Network News this morning quoted Air Marshal Adesola Amosun, Nigeria’s Chief of the Air Staff, as enjoining residents of Owode (near Lagos) and environs not to panic as the NAF immediately take to the skies for the calibration of the weapons on the newly weaponised helicopters and finetune their tactics for the ongoing counterinsurgency efforts in the Far Northeast of Nigeria.
BACKGROUNDERS
BLOG ADVOCACY FOR THE WEAPONISATION OF SUPER PUMA AND AGUSTA A109 LUH UTILITY HELICOPTERS
UPGUNNED PUMA HELICS: IAR-330 PUMA SOCAT ANTI-TANK GUNSHIP OF ROMANIA
BEEGEAGLE’S BLOG, your respected and influential platform for defence procurement news and advocacy. We are benchmarked for integrity and the blog which suggested a name for a warship
Beegeagle's Blog 
If Nigeria do not relapse to the old ways of profoundly neglecting the procurement needs of the armed forces, and sign medium-term maintenance contracts for these newly-acquired systems, the Nigerian Armed Forces are going through the motions of building a truly modern and powerful military.
Too many years of token gestures and under-investment have left the military punching well below its weight. It is an eye opener that the same ignorant citizens who like to ask “are we at war?” as a catch phrase aimed at blocking attempts at military procurement are the same people who go about running down the military.
Mural of the story – no government can be in everyone’s good books and strong leaders take decisions which they believe to be in the best interest of the nation, whether or not simpletons in the country realise that fact. That is the hallmark of visionary leadership. The FG must always do the needful at all times and stop craving validation from people who are necessarily blown hither and thither by every new tide.
How many of the people who actively discouraged military procurement during quieter times but are now bemoaning the paucity of task-specific military assets would admit that they actively campaigned against military procurement in times past? None, instead they are everywhere on Twitter running down the military.
My brother Beegeagle, I need to discuss with you in private. My email address is aliboslair@gmail.com. Thanks. Ken.
Okay, bro. We shall be in touch shortly.
Nice 1, people seem to be listening to you Oga Beegs! Big ups
The Nigerian Air Force lately indicated that their Agusta A109 LUH utility helicopters are on the cusp of becoming weaponised.
TOTAL SECURITY as espoused by the Sri Lankans. Nigerians must believe in themselves and the C-in-C needs to stop sounding like he is pleading with reluctant partners.
If the same FG had as much as asked the Beijing regime for COIN support, BELIEVE ME, they would have long since shipped free WZ 551 APCs, mortars, HMGs and more to Lagos. We only need to ask. The problem with Nigeria is that we hanker after the elusive and shun the attainable.
Need I remind us again that Sri Lanka won their more vicious and protracted war using Chinese and Russian weaponry in the main, supported by Israeli-manufactured assets (Kfir jets, gunboats). Minor suppliers included India, Pakistan, Ukraine and Singapore.
Why are we belittling ourselves by hankering after hardware which some countries have decided not to sell to us for reasons best known to them? Please, we need to respect ourselves first if we want to be respected. Nobody is indispensible.
My Dear Ogas, All respects, but I think this is the time, things should be done right and practically. At this stage I feel we should not be experimenting with the Gazzelle ( The Civil version Alouette II was operated extensively by ACN in the 70s and early 80s), the design is for a light armed scout helicopter. this a single engine helicopter that would apply to low intensity conflict ( not the one that can raise over night to an active manpad environment), The air force would have done better to reactivate it’s viable BO105 airframes ( purpose built twin engined), which a designed for this type of operation and capable of fielding a number of armaments and can sustain an incredible level of “G” forces, would readily perform loops and high G turns. The British deployed the Gazzelle as Recce and liaison helicopters in Afghanistan and were acclaimed as best for that purpose ( not AH), the crew are entirely vulnerable to ground fire.
The pumas can be used for armed insertion and extraction for SF and troop movement in secure landing zones not primarily as an attack helicopter. This factors are taken into the design and handling characteristics, rate of turn , maneuverability, stress load on air frame, stall speeds in high g maneuvers. in engagements, this aircraft would not have the combat speeds and maneuverability compared to a purpose designed attack helicopter, the operational numbers should be brought up, to act in concert with the Mi17 helicopter as armed troop insertion assets while accommpanied by dedicated armed escorts (Mi24/35). The RW assets that are not designed for Hostile engagements are quite vulnerable to hits on the tail rotor, this is prevented by high speed and “G” maneuvers and high speed tree top dashes in and out with high turns to re-engage.. Mostly of all the Pumas performance drops drastically in the hot and high environment temperatures of 35 Cels at elevations of 2000 ft + , see a drastic drop in the payload and performance for such a large target airplane, ( operating at night with cooler temps may make a little difference). There is starting to be design specs between an Assault helicopter and an attack helicopter due to operational realities of deployment.
We need dedicated close ground support aircraft, this can be adequately provided cheaply and effective by the Su25, why try modifying a C130, ( The moment you make those alterations you lose all certification , approvals and support from the manufacturers, not to talk of new operating parameters, weight and balance, C of G issues. handling and then alteration of airframe , STC ) the AN26 used as bombers, drop none precision bombs ( Barrel bombs – which would attract unnecessary negative global response) by opening the ramp door in flight and rolling out this ordnances, which is effective in built areas/bunkers . The cost of that modification a C130 will not justify any field advantage, Nigeria is not that desperate.
Despite the threat of surface-to-air missiles (SAMs) and increasing visibility during the early morning hours of 31 January 1991, one AC-130H, AF Serial No. 69-6567, call-sign Spirit 03, opted to stay to continue to protect the Marines. A lone Iraqi with a Strela-2 MANPADS shot Spirit 03 down, and all 14 crew members died.
The lone night interdictions are the core area for UAVs, they a can be programmed to avoid terrain and fly through low clouds and reduced visibility by reverting to their Optical systems and FLIR,( this avoid cases of CFITs – Controlled flight into Terrain by manned aircraft operating in adverse weather conditions, which can occur readily in the terrain in the AO,
DO228 are unpressurized and limited in the altitude they can operate, this puts them within AA fire
We cannot afford to be decked out improperly, we cannot afford to expose our troops, pilots to avoidable danger. is it that we cannot afford the right things or we are making wrong choices.
For logistics and Transport, the video also shows a newly resuscitated C-130 and a G-222 medium transport plane in an un-familiar camouflage pattern.
All NAF G-222’s are painted in grey, this is my first sighting of a G-222 in woodland camo.
With this addition, NAF now has 7 C-130’s in active service.
oga beeg,
Picture of the gazelle in your inbox.
7 c-130s!!! thats really good. the American’s in the past weaponised c-130’s by installing mini guns on its sides(like the one used in the movie “Olympus has fallen”. we could do dame and it will be a devastating weapon. imagine the amount of ammo that can be stashed in a c-130.
We can’t do that.
Why cant we?
lol
i was damn suprized when i saw the gazelle helos on nta yesterday……i was indeed impressed therefore i urge every trooper on this blog to continue to give his best assertions and constructive crtiscism leaving out personal beefs..cos i now totally believe that people with the power to execute the right motions are listening….oga beegz just like i will keep saying God bless u for keeping the flag flying despite the initial hitchez….
ehm i have a little observation i made via the nta report.around the point i saw the weaponized super pumas.i felt i say something like 2 ch-drones far behind to the left.did anybody see it ??
oga adetayo.it is called an AC-130 GUNSHIP.and forget it as far as boeing is an american company company.forget about it…only the US uses ac 130 not even its allies use it so u know the rest.
configuration is usually
2 30mm quad barreled hmg mounted on the left port side
a single 40mm self propelled launcher located alsi on the left port side
a single 105mm cannon mounted on the same left port side…
i would prefare we weaponize our g222 or attempt same on our cessna s..but for the c-130 it wont work…if only we can work out something with CAC china
My bros Buchi and Are James, the only things that are impossible are the ones we agree to ourselves.
This same idea (like i had suggested at some point) can be executed with any medium lift cargo platform) e.g. G-222, Donier 228 etc.
You would be shocked what the AFIT can achieve working with the ground staff of the Tactical Air Command. If they need foreig
Sorry tech issues:
Like i was saying if they need foreign tech support, free lance technical persons full ground both in Eastern Europe and asia. PS dont let us set limits for ourselves that dont exist.
We have achieved a lot locally. NAF is using some locally made rocket pods.We have successfully adapted weapon systems from one aircraft platform to another. We have done UAVs and are gradually improving them. Locally made rockets as weapons are possible in three years, missiles (rockets with sustaining engines) are possible in five years. It depends on how much leadership and vision setting we have locally tor defence industry research and the risk management in it.
It’s not an issue of AFIT not being able to do it. If they do the US will ensure we never get Maintenance parts for our c 120 again
Oga Buchi, do they have sole knowledge of this? Are you saying we do not have engineers who can achieve something similar…It doesnt have to be from Boeing.
We can’t duplicate the AC 130 Spectre or even come close now, please let this not start another argument. The Europeans have not been allowed to buy AC 130 and they have done something smaller around a smaller Airbus aircraft.
This Spectre is capable of firing volleys of 105mm howitzer shells super accurately whilst doing tight turns at significant altitude. The crew inside sits like they do in our own ATR 42 and they might be up to four or six just to shoot shells and other stuff.
The design that achieves the rapid high calibre firing without affecting dynamics of flight or destroy the aircraft structure is what we are talking about. Weapon feed mechanism design inside the aircraft and the control of the flight when you are attacking the ground targets. The accuracy of the gun achieved maybe through gyro stabilization or something like that is another.
Oga Are, just hearing you talk shows you have an idea of that weapon system….That alone is a good starting point…IT CAN BE DONE CHIEF!!!
@Are James,
*claps*
Your engineering is sound. Good analysis of the AC130 general concept. Truth is that we might be able to develop it on paper (simulations), but the manufacturing is another kettle of fish entirely which we are “light years” from.
On rockets, they are possible is months. O yea, in fact, a good technician with his machinists will produce prototypes in any standard workshop ( which are aplenty in different govt institutions, including AFIT, DICON, polytechnics and universities.
On rocket engines, hmmmm…we may be able to achieve that in 5 years given that turbine technology get as e be, even the specialized high tolerance milling machines are restricted in sales for international security reasons. (You don’t want extremists and rogue nations having appropriate machine tools for Uranium milling). But we can achieve the “low tech” engine types sha.
Generally, as much as I’m deeply pained for how much we mismanaged ourselves to this ignoble depth, I’m happy that we are making some right decisions afterwards, even though I really wish we can do more.
Homing technology , for example, is now so easily available that all DICON need to do is place technical spec on open forum for freelance techies-which are abound, take the design and meet OEM in China or India for manufacture to fit existing ordinances, or still bring in the equipment and manufacture to spec. Test, correct, test, correct….induct!
Honestly, all these for much less than $1m! You have just found a cheap way to make all your dumb ordinances smart. Na so US take upgrade all dem own after Gulf War 1 o!
Now that the Super King Air 350s have taken their place (6 units acquired in 2014), I think we should just keep two Dornier 228-212s for training and turn the rest of them into gunships. We have real depth in maintenance and personnel on that aircraft type.
Turning them into gunships for carpet bombing insurgent complexes such as Balmo and Sambisa forests is the smartest thing to do now if you ask me. Remember how the pre-partition Sudan Air Force used to undertake long range bombing sorties into today’s South Sudan during the War of Liberation in the 1990s and early 2000s using improvised Antonov bombers? They could carry out 1,000 mile return trips into the South from bases in Kordofan. We need to think about that.
I hear that, by popular demand, the NAF might have turned one or two of the haul of six King Air types into ISR platforms. So we add those to DA42 MPP, Alenia MPA-Elint and Cessna ISR assets.
NAF also recently received additional DA42’s for ISR missions. Our fleet of assets are growing at a pace we can’t effectively track.
I’ll bet the main systems were not rolled out before the cameras. No night attack FLIR system is showing on the Puma and Gazelle even the smaller higher tech ones would be nose mounted.
. No missile launch rail or precision guided munitions also are apparent. I am almost certain now the rocket pods we see are dumb rockets delivered accurately as volleys with accuracy guaranteed by some advanced CCIP system . The real PGMs with night vision gear are not in their clip.
I think there is a lot more hidden, the man mentioned night fighting capability and marine operations.
The NAF A109 LUHs seem to have what looks like a mount for a machine gun to be used by a door gunner.
Its nice to see the 109s now having some offensive capability. The A109 LUHs can be upgraded to carry 8 ATGMs. It will be a thing of joy to seee the 109 fleet graduate from political transport to technical killers
in 2005, i could ot have even imagined that Nigeria would build a sea going warship neither could i imagine the arm,y would build its own Light armored vehicle. I did not think the NAF would build and test 2 different reconnaissance drones nor a Bomb disposal robot. Now i hvae seen the light and i do not see why we cannot place a gun on a c-130 even if its not remotely operated. fro crying out loud its a gun fixed to a plane. i believe it can be done even if it requires foreing tech support and it need not be as elegant as the american version. the C-130 can fly already then why cant it shoot (guns manned or not)
forgive the typos
Oga Adetayo’s Blog, you are so right. We can build ANYTHING so long as we set our minds to it. No be winsh de build advanced weapons for Russia and US, na pesin.
@AdetayoBlog,
Configuring an airplane to fire a high calibre gun is a totally different ball game o! The airframe goes into some complex harmonics in reaction which affects its whole balance of system immediately. Not as easy as you think bro. The airframe and engine support has to be specially rejigged to handle such stress.
These complexities are what I try to explain to all the cut and join tinkerers on this blog. Some of the analyses involved in things like these you need supercomputers to even attempt. Then so many costly experimentation, modelling and then computing again just to understand the nature and forces you are dealing with. When you get everything settled and you have broad design outlines your problem just started, then you start again looking at everything as a a system, sometimes as a system of systems with a cascade of requirements. It is very very interesting , exciting stuff.
Put yourself now in the place of a business man or government trying to do this.
What is the budget?. Nobody knows because it is R&D. You are coordinating the work of very highly educated and talented people. You dint push them to work and they are master of their field so they will not tell you lies to impress you. So technology development to me is :…”putting money in a business where you don’t know the end results which is usually a million times better than you ever imagined, comprised of a collection of projects where the next activity is not known until the immediate one is finished, progress cannot be measured linearly . So there is a lot of complex risk based methods to use on the management side and the rewards are not coming in two years or three years.
We need to get started on this level of long term thinking. Select a few technology areas and develop capability – manpower, equipment, technology in them and start on the exciting journeys.
oga optimus prime
pls do not misunderstand me..i nevr said it was impossible.i only replied oga adetayo based on the direction of his post.”possibly lets ask the yanks for the ac”
nothing is impossible under the sun and that is what i believe.i have always been an advocate of mosification,modenization and creativity spiced with the nigerian flavour…
i feel the g222 and cessna will be much easier and more proactively avaliable foe us to attempt and create a proper heavy lift close air support aircraft .
i have seen the gud works of AFIT i remeber some years bck when i went to ph i was able to access the airbase with the aid of a friend working around there..i saw what seemed to be a training piper(i think) with four rockets pods 2 per wings.i really didnt understand the essence of my discovery till now am typing this and bad news was then i had no cell phone with cam..
coming back to the issue i did a lot of research after i played a simulator on it…
@Buchi i was not suggesting we should ask the Yanks for anything. we already know what their answer would be. I was suggesting that we use one of the C-130s we have and put guns on it. the Yanks would rather give us radios than arm us as it seems.
and i think your suggestion of using the G222 would work just fine too.
Ok Bro…Sorry for that…I believe in the Nigerian never say die attitude.
The Italians have made a gun ship of their transport plane correct me if I am wrong
Mehn!! Thanks, Drag_On. Those webshots will transform this thread in a short while. Stay tuned, gentlemen. MCShegz, time for business…hehe.
Now, we have also confirmed the delivery to the NAF of armed Gazelle helicopters. We are transforming…and we have yet to spend the US$1 billion. We shall stun the naysayers with the rapidity of the transformation of the Nigerian Armed Forces. See how far we have come already since August 2014.
Somebody remind me all that is in or already netted and deliveries are pending. Thereafter, we can project towards what to spend a billion dollars on in 2015. That, according to Mr President, has now been approved and we are plunging into the market headfirst
Rugged7, #dem go hear am 🙂
Anoda thing don happen?.
Na so, the BEEG one!
#dem go hear am, wella…
Your doing a great job oga beegs. Your hand tough well well.
Agreed, Air Support. These bigmen need to relax a bit. It is a war and not a mardigras. Haba! One 737-500, two AW 139s, two AW101s and four Super King Air 350s plus a ten-jet Presidential Air Fleet is ENOUGH. It is an airforce and not a hedonists’ airline.
Let go of all the A109 LUHs and Puma/Super Puma. Add six pre-owned and weaponised Mi-17s to the incoming twelve units of Mi-171Sh Terminator and we we would have about 30 assault helicopters standing.
We have nine Hinds standing and 22 units of new/pre-owned Mi-35Ms and Mi-24V/35P are incoming as we write this. That would give us 31 attack helicopters.
We can thereafter weaponise a G222 and three Do-228-212s for a total of four long-range bombers.
Not to mention any number of incoming Gazelle helicopters which I think is the NAF’s response to our long-standing quest for the MBB Bo-105s to be replaced. That is good. Eurocopter have absorbed Aerospatiale so all our maintenance for Puma/Super Puma/Gazelle would be a one-stop affair. Even MBB which make our grounded Bo-105s have been absorbed by Eurocopter. So whether we chose to get Bo-105s or Gazelles, we can get maintenance support from Eurocopter Romania.
Leaving out any number of Gazelles that are incoming, we shall be in a position to muster a MINIMUM of SIXTY FIVE weaponised airframes, aside from fighter jets, within the next 9-15 months. How won’t we bring a slice of hell down on any aggressors with such a powerful asset base, even as it excludes Gazelle? Let us start to track the Gazelles, gentlemen.
With a mnimum of six Su-25 Scorpion expected to be acquired very soon and a further six new PGM-optmised and all-weather Alpha Jets recently acquired, we are on course to close our asset base for COIN and anti-armour operations.
Look at it this way. Four A-Jet were upgraded to carry six hardpoints in 2012 eg NAF 465. Now we have six new PGM-enabled A-Jet delivered in January 2015. That makes ten enhanced A-Jet. To those ten units of enhanced A-Jet, add six units of improved and more powerful Su-25 Scorpion and we would have a squadron of sixteen A-Jet/Su-25 for ground attack. Seriously and ppwerfully so.
Now we have a view to upgrading twelve very sparingly used MB 339s to the contemporary CD variant which is so potent that it serves as Lead-In Fighter Trainer for 4.5G NATO-realm jets. Each unit is to be upgraded for US$7m apiece. So we can dedicate six units to ground attack and optimise six for maritime strike.
Even if we get twelve Gazelles, to add to the rest sixty five assault/attack helics, that would make for SEVENTY EIGHT combat helicopters PLUS sixteen A-Jet/Su-25 ground attack jets AND twelve MB 339CD ground attack/maritime strike jets…all of those all-weather and PGM-enabled, and we have 105 airframes dedicated to COIN, ground attack and maritime strike.
Meanwhile, the rest 6-8 units of base model A-Jet can be dedicated to air weapons and advanced training at the AWC, Kainji while 6-8 L39ZA can be upgraded for about US$5 million to serve as intermediate training assets at the 303 FTS for another decade.
We might not yet have our dream Su-27/30s but it is no longer in doubt that with the asset base taking shape as listed above, and an unprecedented haul of CH-3A armed drones, the NAF are moving into a league of their own. In two years, ONLY Egypt and Algeria would have a COIN/ground attack asset base as modern and potent as what we are on to.
Now that we are closing the capability gap by building a world-class COIN/ground attack asset base, we must not expose another soft underbelly by neglecting the yawning gap in deep strike, air superiority, multirole and fast intercept assets.
Let us grab twelve pre-owned Su-27/30s and thirty new JF17 Thunder jets NOW. For the same outlay, that is more potent mix overall than acquiring forty JF17 Thunder jets.
Viva NAF..Willing, Able, Ready. Thanks to the CAS for not pretending to rule the skies twelve F7s. Bless you, Air Marshal Adesola Amosun for speaking out about what used to be real incapacitation. “Na pikin wey stretch hand dem dey carry kari”
well now that you have put it in perspective all i can say is Hell is coming to BH soon.
You left out the MB 339 AN/CD. No status report on the upgrades. Have we sold them in for something else?
Lol…it just got better. Mek I edit.
http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/nigerian-military-steps-up-campaign-to-flush-out-insurgents-in-bama-baga-others/201950/
Gentlemen, did the acquisition of the gazelles catch us unawares on this blog? Just wondering! I believe nonetheless that contributors here have been proactively accurate on virtually every issue relating to upgrading our defence architecture and deserve praise, even if the gazelles did a fast one on us:-)!
@Manny. I don’t think so, bro. What appears to have happened is that the NAF decided to move on from the Bo-105s. We have clamoured for the acquisition of armed scout/light obeservation helicopters armed with either four-barrel Gatling guns or 12.7mm HMGs and 68mm rocket pods to give nimble chase to fleeing insurgents.
The Gazelle has speed and is probably going to plug that capability gap for our NAF.
My Dear Ogas, All respects, but I think this is the time, things should be done right and practically. At this stage I feel we should not be experimenting with the Gazzelle ( The Civil version Alouette II was operated extensively by ACN in the 70s and early 80s), the design is for a light armed scout helicopter. this a single engine helicopter that would apply to low intensity conflict ( not the one that can raise over night to an active manpad environment), The air force would have done better to reactivate it’s viable BO105 airframes ( purpose built twin engined), which a designed for this type of operation and capable of fielding a number of armaments and can sustain an incredible level of “G” forces, would readily perform loops and high G turns. The British deployed the Gazzelle as Recce and liaison helicopters in Afghanistan and were acclaimed as best for that purpose ( not AH), the crew are entirely vulnerable to ground fire.
The pumas can be used for armed insertion and extraction for SF and troop movement in secure landing zones not primarily as an attack helicopter. This factors are taken into the design and handling characteristics, rate of turn , maneuverability, stress load on air frame, stall speeds in high g maneuvers. in engagements, this aircraft would not have the combat speeds and maneuverability compared to a purpose designed attack helicopter, the operational numbers should be brought up, to act in concert with the Mi17 helicopter as armed troop insertion assets while accommpanied by dedicated armed escorts (Mi24/35). The RW assets that are not designed for Hostile engagements are quite vulnerable to hits on the tail rotor, this is prevented by high speed and “G” maneuvers and high speed tree top dashes in and out with high turns to re-engage.. Mostly of all the Pumas performance drops drastically in the hot and high environment temperatures of 35 Cels at elevations of 2000 ft + , see a drastic drop in the payload and performance for such a large target airplane, ( operating at night with cooler temps may make a little difference). There is starting to be design specs between an Assault helicopter and an attack helicopter due to operational realities of deployment.
We need dedicated close ground support aircraft, this can be adequately provided cheaply and effective by the Su25, why try modifying a C130, ( The moment you make those alterations you lose all certification , approvals and support from the manufacturers, not to talk of new operating parameters, weight and balance, C of G issues. handling and then alteration of airframe , STC ) the AN26 used as bombers, drop none precision bombs ( Barrel bombs – which would attract unnecessary negative global response) by opening the ramp door in flight and rolling out this ordnances, which is effective in built areas/bunkers . The cost of that modification a C130 will not justify any field advantage, Nigeria is not that desperate.
Despite the threat of surface-to-air missiles (SAMs) and increasing visibility during the early morning hours of 31 January 1991, one AC-130H, AF Serial No. 69-6567, call-sign Spirit 03, opted to stay to continue to protect the Marines. A lone Iraqi with a Strela-2 MANPADS shot Spirit 03 down, and all 14 crew members died.
The lone night interdictions are the core area for UAVs, they a can be programmed to avoid terrain and fly through low clouds and reduced visibility by reverting to their Optical systems and FLIR,( this avoid cases of CFITs – Controlled flight into Terrain by manned aircraft operating in adverse weather conditions, which can occur readily in the terrain in the AO,
DO228 are unpressurized and limited in the altitude they can operate, this puts them within AA fire
We cannot afford to be decked out improperly, we cannot afford to expose our troops, pilots to avoidable danger. is it that we cannot afford the right things or we are making wrong choices.
This is just my view having operationally interacted with most of this assets, but I stand to be corrected, I learn a lot from this blog
You have raised a moot point, Captain. Truth is, last I flashed a photo of our own Bo-105s here, they looked so decrepit that we had to ask the FG to explore the possibility of acquiring ex-German Army Bo-105s.
Whether it be twin-engined Bo-105s or single-engined Gazelle helics, the truth is that both MBB and Aerospatiale are now under Eurocopter. So with our fleet of Super Puma helos, Eurocopter can provide support for Super Puma and Bo-105/Gazelle. The prospects for interoperability and technical support are very good.
Lemme see if I can find the Bo-105 photos which left a sour taste in the mouth.
ELSEWHERE, BEEGEAGLE WROTE
VARIANTS OF NAF MBB Bo 105 helicopters
* Bo-105D attack variant – 15 units
* Bo-105D Search and Rescue – 4 units
* Bo-105CD transport variant – 4 units
REAL PHOTOS OF SOME NIGERIAN AIR FORCE Bo 105s
Roger that on the Pumas. We used them in the oil industry in the Niger delta for years and you don’t want to take off in them on a very hot day or during harmatten. The engine sound and the struggling to maintain altitude will have you reading the psalms and confessing sins.
I think NAF is well aware of this drawback and their poor agility as well. The attacking stuff is a secondary option but we have to concede that the chopper needs to be able to fight its way in to drop troops and supplies and pick up the wounded as well,
If you look at the weapon stations being bolted on the aircraft, they look rather light so as to control the airframe loading PLUS it is almost certain they will only be used for attacking at night. I think the operating procedure at night will be all external lights out and Night Vision enabled so all that Bokos will see is black sky and what they will hear is a dull clapping sound and precision munitions exploding on them.
Would you agree that the Gazelles would be useful for interdicting columns of technicals attacking a small town in the north east for instance?. Short, one hour and two hour engagements, only threats being AAAs, no MANPADs deployed ?.
The Bolkows are beyond repair and we should forget about trying to refurbish them.
It is even better to lease any available machines for now while we mature properly into the MI 35 Ms and hopefully MI 28N.
My Ogas, you are very right, I have learned again it is a pity the B105 were not stored well, it used to have ” NAF even the birds are jealous” stickers all over the place. that drew some of us into being Aviators. You need to see the weapon loads on the Mexican Marine type. as for the Gazzelle flying single engine helicopters is not really permitted at night, We can afford the right equipment. we need to be in place for beyond BH.
As for the PUMA it should remain troop transport and for MEDVAC/CASEVAC tasks, I have engaged with the Euro-copter test pilots and they concurred to the performance limitation, nothing beats the Mi17/8MTV series, US and UK have an exposed fleet of this helicopters flown by their services personnel, the operation cost of the SA332 super puma is double + of the Mi 17 and the dispatch reliability is way above all western helicopters average of 95% .( Full hot and high),
n.my own humble opinion this is how i believe we can create our own version of the ac-130 NMV
(a) weight balancing: despite the fact that 130 is basically a heavy life aircraft and there is good weight balance.the placement of ordinaces on the left side does create some balance issues..
we can solve this by buliding low level weight holder on the right areas and place the ammo storage areas all in the right and middle hence the balance is made there.but i still believ it isnt an issue
(b)ordinaces.. i know for a fact that singapore kinetic produce quad 30mm quad hmgs..
if we purchase about 4 enough for 2 ac 130NMV(nigerian made version)
we first create a proper attachable revolving platform..using the principle of a revolving turrent..we build a holder platform with hydralic emplacement holding the hmg in place..we can attempt to learn the hydralic system of carrier trucks..firmly held in place the loader area directly comes into the fuselage enable easier reloading for external covering ..a fabricated light steel compactment inform of a semi circleor calabash should.be welded with the hydraulic emplacement.
40mm self propelled gun:same principle applicable to hmg
105mm..we can get this eaaily off a dismantled T-55tank..this is a little tricky but i.believe NAF engineers can pull this thru..the cannon foward aft areas must be encased in the hydraulic controlled turrent..the loader region and lower echelon areas will be.placed on a 180 or 360 rotatable tripod platform..
Firing mechaniams…no to make this word in nigerian modification style much sophistication isnt needed..
For the 30mm i suggest a taunt string wired thru holes in projected areas in the inner fuselage connected to the trigger mechanism of the hmg this in turn is
Connected to a switch board which in turn is connected to the tv operator main control system
105mm should have the same configuration same as 40mm SP gun..
FLIR and TV control: now this to.me is the real.test..i suggest that we attempt to use a ch-3drone for this..we also.might need some help but i trust naija to pull this thru..dismantle and use the flir system of the drone.using the control.system of the drone as the tv operator base …connect the the weapons acrivation system or fire control to the switch board..
For weapons movement the hydralic system controls should be synchonizes with the camera movement control.interface enabing both the FLIR camera and selected weapon system to move in the same direction…
Target acqusition: i browsed thru some comments on the ch-3 target mode especially after oga are james queried the the clarity of the images against the hot swappable interface of western drones.well the chinese simply made their different..thats my answer…
Using the target mode for the FLIR pod of the drone we can acquire and destroy targets on the ground…
For weapons switching it could be done independently of the drone fire control system.a semi automated system can be created same for the fire button..
Simply what we can integrated into the drone control system..or electronically..we can create a semi automatic system to do it even if more personnel.may be needed..
This is what my small head can think of now
Oga buchi, that is a highly potent craft!!! Damn!
A suggestion would be for an electric Gatling-type cannon instead of a HMG (like on the A-10 Warthog). Our army engineers can develop our very own system.
For the T-55 tank 105mm… What about a big recoilless rifle with a diffuser to dissipate the expelled gasses? That might have a much less impact on the airframe and flight characteristics as well as being easy to maintain.
I really love the idea of an electric Gatling-type cannon. It will be cheap and can simply chew up boko haram technicals, it can also lay down the sort of suppressing fire that will make them obey God.
still recoil and stabilization especially when engaged in left rolls or banks are still an issue but we can attempt it..nothing is impossible
lil me, thinks for now we can stick to the 30mm HMG, i think the c-130NMV should be able to handle the recoil. for the heavier cannons well recoil wld be an issue. not sure the c-130 air frame can handle the recoil of a 105mm. If am not mistaken most air launched missiles drop from the craft before igniting to reduce eliminate the thrust that would be applied to the airframe. to put a heavy cannon on it would require considerable air frame strengthning. so HMGs should do for now.
AC 130 is not an easy gunship to build. Only the Americans got the expertise to build one coupled with their years of experience. Not even any of their closest allies field one
Hey guys, lets keep things realistic. The ac-130 is a very computerized and sophisticated platform.
NAF has no track record of such sophistry.
However, the Italians have made a clone of the spectre gunship based on the G-222, which NAF already owns.
Let’s go for what is possible and available.
Let’s be realistic. I don’t believe NAF requires any of these gunships at this time. The G-222 derivative and AC-130 are great gunships, but in my opinion, we need to first fix our priorities in order.
Some of our freed up DO-228 would be of better use if we can convert them into comprehensive Air Ambulances for MEDEVAC , and proper SAR units trained for missions.
This is more realistic than a gun ship.
Looks like the Gazelle was acquired from France. Recall that when “Air Support” first spotted them last week, he reported that they were had the red-white-blue tricoleur of France! Apprarently, they have now been repainted.
Good to know that we have men of integrity on this blog, whether they are spotting BigFoot MRAPs or Gazelle helicopters. They say what they mean and mean what they say.
One UP, Nigeria. We go show dem say Oba nor dey go transfer..ororo nor dey fade. Na we be dis..green-white-green :-). We are who we are regardless.
GOOD NEWS
DEFENCE HQ NIGERIA @DefenceInfoNG · 6m6 minutes ago
Troops in an operation led by highly coordinated air assaults have completed the mission of clearing terrorists from Monguno & environs. /1
Gazelle choice, probably because it is easy to buy second hand in open market, easy conversion training to fly by a good pilot, easy maintenance, success in Mali war, 3.5 hour flight endurance, cheap to buy at very low prices.
If our Gazelles have no PGM, watch out for Bokos AAA fire.
I am sure NAF pilots prefer Gazelles to MI 24/35. Just saying. There is a nimble familiarity to it that channels BO 105 and Agusta A105. They wont admit it in public but it is there in their minds.
*A109*
My Dear Ogas, All respects, but I think this is the time, things should be done right and practically. At this stage I feel we should not be experimenting with the Gazzelle ( The Civil version Alouette II was operated extensively by ACN in the 70s and early 80s), the design is for a light armed scout helicopter. this a single engine helicopter that would apply to low intensity conflict ( not the one that can raise over night to an active manpad environment), The air force would have done better to reactivate it’s viable BO105 airframes ( purpose built twin engined), which a designed for this type of operation and capable of fielding a number of armaments and can sustain an incredible level of “G” forces, would readily perform loops and high G turns. The British deployed the Gazzelle as Recce and liaison helicopters in Afghanistan and were acclaimed as best for that purpose ( not AH), the crew are entirely vulnerable to ground fire.
The pumas can be used for armed insertion and extraction for SF and troop movement in secure landing zones not primarily as an attack helicopter. This factors are taken into the design and handling characteristics, rate of turn , maneuverability, stress load on air frame, stall speeds in high g maneuvers. in engagements, this aircraft would not have the combat speeds and maneuverability compared to a purpose designed attack helicopter, the operational numbers should be brought up, to act in concert with the Mi17 helicopter as armed troop insertion assets while accommpanied by dedicated armed escorts (Mi24/35). The RW assets that are not designed for Hostile engagements are quite vulnerable to hits on the tail rotor, this is prevented by high speed and “G” maneuvers and high speed tree top dashes in and out with high turns to re-engage.. Mostly of all the Pumas performance drops drastically in the hot and high environment temperatures of 35 Cels at elevations of 2000 ft + , see a drastic drop in the payload and performance for such a large target airplane, ( operating at night with cooler temps may make a little difference). There is starting to be design specs between an Assault helicopter and an attack helicopter due to operational realities of deployment.
We need dedicated close ground support aircraft, this can be adequately provided cheaply and effective by the Su25, why try modifying a C130, ( The moment you make those alterations you lose all certification , approvals and support from the manufacturers, not to talk of new operating parameters, weight and balance, C of G issues. handling and then alteration of airframe , STC ) the AN26 used as bombers, drop none precision bombs ( Barrel bombs – which would attract unnecessary negative global response) by opening the ramp door in flight and rolling out this ordnances, which is effective in built areas/bunkers . The cost of that modification a C130 will not justify any field advantage, Nigeria is not that desperate.
Despite the threat of surface-to-air missiles (SAMs) and increasing visibility during the early morning hours of 31 January 1991, one AC-130H, AF Serial No. 69-6567, call-sign Spirit 03, opted to stay to continue to protect the Marines. A lone Iraqi with a Strela-2 MANPADS shot Spirit 03 down, and all 14 crew members died.
The lone night interdictions are the core area for UAVs, they a can be programmed to avoid terrain and fly through low clouds and reduced visibility by reverting to their Optical systems and FLIR,( this avoid cases of CFITs – Controlled flight into Terrain by manned aircraft operating in adverse weather conditions, which can occur readily in the terrain in the AO,
DO228 are unpressurized and limited in the altitude they can operate, this puts them within AA fire
We cannot afford to be decked out improperly, we cannot afford to expose our troops, pilots to avoidable danger. is it that we cannot afford the right things or we are making wrong choices.
ACN is Aero Contractors Nigeria
LordFej, Jordan converted a pair of similar-sized CN235s to gunships last year.
http://www.janes.com/article/37524/sofex-2014-jordan-takes-delivery-of-ac-235-gunships
Following that template by using one of our G222s looks like the achievable target.Only give it to an Israeli firm to actualise.
With Nigerian engineers understudying them!!!
Thank you my general but this was the Gunship I meant http://theaviationist.com/2013/11/18/italy-mc-27j-gunships/
It could be one of the two french gazelles on a cargo plane enroute to Chad from CAR which made an unscheduled stop at kano. It could also be that we decided to go for gazelles after having a good view of them. Whichever, give them NVG capabilities,FLIR and ISR. And send them out to harass BH at night.
Oga drag_on, my thoughts exactly, was wondering it was impounded or ‘acquired’.
Next question, how many Gazelles? 2 or 4 units kind of acquisition? Just asking before I think of dancing. I won`t pop champagne for 1, 2, 3 unit kind of purchases, I will just say thank you and keep quiet.
DEFENCE HQ NIGERIA @DefenceInfoNG · 36m36 minutes ago
A number of terrorists as well as truck loads of food & logistics meant for terrorists operating around Baga have been captured./2
Casualty inflicted & arms recovered as well as other outcome of the operation in Munguno, Marte & other communities already secured. /3
The air & land operation is continuing with aggressive advance towards other designated communities & locations meant to be cleared./4
Thanks.
Now, Baga is next.
Unlikely, Drag_On. Those were released to the French within 24 hours and the cargo plane continued its journey to Ndjamena with both Gazelle helics on board. An armoured G-class Mercedes Benz was on board as well.
France gifted Niger three units of 20mm cannon-armed Gazelle helics in 2014. Perhaps they have a surplus and are transferring and/or selling.
http://news.yahoo.com/boko-haram-insurgents-attack-cameroon-army-several-wounded-125118664.html
@Drag_On+Deltaman. The cargo plane ferrying Gazelle helicopters which was grounded at Kano has since been released. The helics were intended for use in the ongoing OP BARKHANE. Nigeria has no reason to seize and ‘privatise’ helicopters which belong to France. If they did, it would have sparked a diplomatic spat and it would be all over the world press. You cannot sweep that level of affront under the carpet, secretive Nigerian military or not. The French would be talking even if the Nigerians do not.
https://news.vice.com/article/nigeria-releases-suspected-russian-cargo-plane-carrying-french-helicopters
Yeah LordFej, I was just trying to show that anything which can be done with the CN-235, as was the case with Jordan, can be done with the similar-sized Alenia G222/C27 aircraft
DESTINATION NEXT, according to the NAF…WEAPONISATION OF THE AGUSTA A109 LUH
Dornier gunships are a good idea.
We don’t have to recreate the specter gunship.
2 side mounted 30mm cannons would do the trick.
We would need to solve the firing solution problem, I believe that’s the real challenge.
With thousands of rounds of ammo and an on station time of a few hours, NAF will vastly improve it’s ability to support troops in contact.
The few medium sized transports aircraft that we have are too valuable as logistics assets to convert to gunships.
When BH was advancing south into Adamawa state, these aircraft were crucial in airlifting troops and ordinance into what became a brand new warzone.
I believe the gunship we should try to recreate is not the AC-130, but the Hind.
A Dornier 228 with side mounted 30mm cannons (or even bottom mounted,) along with wing hard points, will be like 2 Hind gunships with super large fuel tanks.
Some of these areas we think are challenges, you would be surprised if you actually gave the ground crew men who service some of these systems a freehand to make inputs.
E.g. about 6 years ago wey i play go Abuja, there was an science and tech exhibition holding and i dropped by. AFIT had a team there and they had done two very interesting things.
1. They had rigged up a system to show the availability of the rocket load of the Alpha Jet’s rocket pod system. Apparently pilots had this challenge in liberia/sierra leone where a pilot could fly into the combat zone attempt to fire his rockets and nothing would happen. With this modification you would see a green light for all the functional rockets. You could see those that would fire, and as you fired them the lights would go from green to red letting you know what was left (of course they could not fire them for me as this was happening in the front lawn of the Hilton LOL), but they explained all the principles to me and it seemed quite interesting and workable.
2. The fabricated a Powered Parachute (PPC) essentially a fan powered ground vehicle with a parachute. As the fan comes on the vehicle moves forward and then the parachute rises into the air providing lift.The noise signature is quite low. For a landing, the fan power is slowly cut back, and as the vehicle slows, the parachute moves directly over the vehicle, reducing speed of descent and providing a soft landing. Before then i never see that kind thing before (But as i go google i see say the vehicle dey popular sef). The told me it could be used for observation, reconnaissance, insertion of special forces, mapping, movement across large plantations etc.
True these are not the same as building the AC 130 specter, but it shows what potential these guys have (i havent even talked about the drone they built). If they could do these with little or no support, imagine what they could do when a proper challenge is put before them, a good budget, fabrication facilities, and technical support from a team of retired Russian or Israeli air force engineers etc.
These guys will build basic missiles (both Air to ground and anti tank guided missiles), configure aircraft armament systems etc.
Not doubting AFIT ingenuity.
But the Dornier is a smallish craft. Also, one should breakup a big challenge into smaller steps.
Do a small gunship with just 30mm cannons (the hind approach), then after that, take on the specter challenge.
@Asorockweb.
Sure i actually agree with you. i had suggested the Do 228 anyway.
Even the US started with a smaller medium lift aircraft the AC-47, known during the vietnam years as Spookie.
It was based on the old Dakota medium lift aircraft from WWII. Once this was perfected, they then moved to the AC 130.
So it is sound to start slow and build speed and experience as we go.
Seems our airforce is gradually making its presence felt. Gazelle helics? Nice acquisition, but the numbers would determine the usefullness. In the Channels TV video, I could only see one which without a weapon pylon, may be for public display purposes, you never can tell with Nigeria. The gazelle is a very rugged (permit the word) and effective helicopter. In 2007, the British admitted that of all helicopters they used in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Gazelle was the best performer. Since France seems to be on a Gazelle selling spree, NAF please grab as much as you can at least 10 even if its in the basic configuration, the South Africans or Israelis can be contracted to arm them. Lets rid ourselves of the culture of buying in 2s and 3s.
http://www.naij.com/386216-military-recovers-monguno-other-towns-from-boko-haram.html
Further Confirmation
I want to express my profound thanks to the NA & the NAF WHEN THIS BOKO HARAM insurgency is over there MUST BE a mandatory course where JUNIOR AND SENIOR LEVEL ARMY AND AIR FORCE OFFICERS swap positions for six months
This is how it should work
A major who is in a designated infantry battalion will swap positions with his equivalent in the AIR FORCE while he will keep his rank he will function strictly as an airforce office with no input from his army background.
An airforce officer with the equivalent rank will work strictly as an amour ed officer for three months and then work for another three months in SF with no input from his airforce background
@ the conclusion the group comprising both AIR FORCE AND ARMY would spend a month@ jaji discussing the interoperability as to what can be done to further enhance joint operations.
A Major general with his equivalent would trade spaces for three months ( first quarter of the year) they would switch roles in G.O.C./ A.O.R. These guys have to be senior, qualifications based on PEER and COMBAT EXPERIENCE in other words it is not a mentor selection thing your Classmates select because they believe you are the best of the best.
My two kobos for now.
Seems the Defense ministry has now confirmed the recapture of mongonu.
A boko haram escapee describes his period as a boko haram fighter.
Note where he comments on a ?green helicopter landing in the camps and meeting the top leaders.
This would subsequently trigger recurrent attacks.
There have been persistent reports of helicopters dropping weapons and arms for boko haram.
Who owns these helicopters???
How is it possible that they evade radar?
Or does the north east not have any radar coverage???
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2015/02/nigeria-boko-haram-150216003443501.html
This confirms what we have heard before but you just wait , one of your FELLOW bloggers here will soon throw you the standard OFFICIAL line in reacting to these reports.
Please critically analyze the words spoken in the voice over. I have tried to do that and I have posted a comment.
Arejames, where is the veritable evidence to corroborate this report?
“A lie told a thousand times, might start to seem like the truth……… however it is still a lie”.
How did the boy arrive at his 2000 dead figure, the same figure peddled around by A.I and other western news outlets?
In a choatic scene, somehow he was able to count 2000 dead bodies. I mean how do they come by these figures?
The military which has all the assets needed to make a concrete assessment, cannot verify these phantom figures been constantly peddled around.
There is a deliberate campaign of calumny against the Nigerian state and her institutions ongoing. We see and read about it virtually everyday, it sometimes manifest in a deliberate distortion of the President’s comments to baseless allegations/ exaggerated civilian casualty numbers.
This report confirms nothing, it just another comedic attempt to discredit the military, state and Nigeria.
Haha.
Aljazeera has out done themselves this time.
The voice over is completely fabricated.
Let me begin
1) “2000 people were kill in Baga and Dorun Baga”.
That is the same number claimed by Amnesty International (AI). AI said they used satellite imagery to arrive at the figure.
How could this boy also arrive at exactly the same figure? Did he also use satellite imagery? Or did Boko Haram take the time to collect and count all the bodies?
The only reason that the voice over used the “2000” figure is because that is the figure in the news.
2) “At night, we see a convoy of cars that include armoured tanks. Then a green helicopter will arrive. The occupants would then meet the top commanders …when ever we see this, then we know a major attack is underway”
What Aljazeera is telling us is that the boy worked at BH HQ, and that all top BH commanders will gather at one location to finalize plans to attack a major target.
I would say that this is unlikely. The logistics is impractical.
3)”I escaped with the motorcycle and headed to Maiduguri, were I was taken to my parents”
Really? The whole of the North East must have been waiting for you (Michael Jackson) to escape so that you will be quickly reunited with loving parents. Let remember now; he is not from Maiduguri.
Is it possible that Aljazeera reporters are paid per page views?
With this Boko Haram crisis, the profession of journalism is really taking a beating.
What Aljazeera did was to put a face to assumptions that are already out in the public domain.
As this war grinds to its inevitable miserable close a lot useless stuff will come out.The only authentic news for the day is Monguno is flying the green white and green no word from cnn whether the soldiers involved had enough ammo or uniforms. T-Mobile. America’s First Nationwide 4G Network
The thick-lipped Nubian called Yvonne Ndege or whatever is back on the beat after she cooled off in the wake of her ordeal in Niger. Why else do you think that Al Jazeera have again gone overboard?
In 2013, one of her voiced over Houdini soldiers claimed to have witnessed a massacre in a Borno village where 3,000 villagers were massacred by Nigerian troops. Not even a wild Amnesty International corroborated or investigated the drivel she spewed. She used to eat from the palms of a Nigerian, Ado Hazzad back then. Dunno who the puppeteer is this time. She just spins and spins.
Oga rugged7. I respect your hustle sir.
Repeating insinuations ten thousand times doesn’t make it true, for that you need proof; as Oga Are James alluded, hehehe, the official line remains; no evidence to corroborate such ideas, i wouldn’t consider tales from a supposed former fighter legitimate proof, let alone, propaganda from a news channel whose parent country lacks even the most basic sliver of freedoms, one been freedom of speech, what i say isn’t fallacy, its truth backed with verifiable evidence, a so called news channel that reports about everything and everyone but itself ,its people and its pre-ordained, authoritative, absolute monarchic rulers is nothing but pure propaganda meant to achieve a certain goal, truth and evidence take a back seat, giving way to sensational reportage and pre-conceived interpretations of a certain ideology; aljazeera is funded by monarchs for gods sake, absolute monarchs, hahahahaha, whats that saying about he who pays the piper, i suggest we define entities as they are, not what they say they are, we must not put lipstick on a pig, hoping to pass it off as fancy. Oga, we have to ask the right questions, we have to think outside the box not be lead into one, question the basics, this might seem trivial, but i assure you, it isn’t, because the truth lies in the details, hidden behind the well spoken pretty ladies, and handsome men, spewing gutter sludge, hoping you don’t question where their paychecks come from, i for one refuse to believe these snake oil sellers. Many times, they lead with this disclaimer:
“please note, this report has not been independently verified,”
but guess what, they’ll show it anyways, and they’ll talk about it anyways, why? because its propaganda, simple, why else would you pass off unverifiable ideas as news?
aljazeera, hehehehe, pinch of salt is to much weight
Flinttock exercise 2015 is underway in Chad.
Some static pix of Nigerian soldiers in the facebook website of “flintlock exercise” 2014 as well…
http://www.stripes.com/news/us-kicks-off-operation-flintlock-amid-regional-tensions-1.329725
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/02/16/nigeria-violence-exercises-idUSL5N0VQ2ND20150216
MORE HYPE..never mind that BH are attacking in Cameroon where they are primarily stationed. All these writeups which aim to spite Nigeria are becoming rather infantile, coming from full-grown men and women.
http://www.mobile.reuters.com/article/idUSKBN0LK19420150216?irpc=932
NA, man your turf. If you choose the easy way out, everyone in the NA today will rue any miscalculation forever. Nigerians fought and won the Civil War glaringly and nobody could put a spin on it. So when you go allowing foreign troops in beyond Baga, Banki or Gamboru, expect them to claim a greater share of the glory for your efforts.
Some of our silly compatriots from upcountry who want the sitting government voted out at all costs will deny the obvious and spin myths which an already amenable foreign media simply key into.
What happened this weekend at Gombe? Aminu Abubakar of AFP claimed that the NA did not fight the insurgents. Ditto the NAF. Yet the BBC, Xinhua and homers all said that the NA and the NAF fought the insurgents. So to what end was Aminu obfuscating the facts? All for regime change? Na wa o.
I have started a twitter campaign to show will ross of BBC the truth and now I am going to put Yvonne on that list. I also humbly requests for our stories to be told by the DHQ please join me on twitter the hash tag is onepixperday and by the way j also direct people to this blog. Keep up the good works sirs
We would over come
God bless Nigeria
The average price for the plethora of pre-owned Gazelle helicopters which I have seen today is €200,000. So MoD should be wary of outlandish quotations from anywhere.
Our best bet remains GOVT-GOVT deals.
Britain’s MoD are cascading THIRTY Gazelle helicopters. If we can get 18-20 units of those, including spares for €5 million, let us go for it. We can get an Israeli or South African firm to have them weaponised in Lagos.
http://www.mod-sales.com/news/17/UNDER_DEPOSIT_-_QUANTITY_30_GAZELLE_AH-1_HELICOPTERS.htm
Thirty of those with night capability and ISR will mean that book haram can’t smoke, sneeze, or piss without us knowing.
It will knock the stuffings off their logistic network.
To be honest the cost benefit is unbelievable compared with comparable choppers.
I would rather chase worthless Bokos with cheap $1milion. highly.maintainable, night capable choppers than $25 million gold plated ones. The expensive ones should be reserved for only high priority COIN strikes and the more worthy conventional enemies of Nigeria.
Do you think the British will sale to us?
These high tech platforms are useless against Boko Haram. The U.S Spectre gunship is basically an aircraft with artillery spitting out sabre rounds. %60 of the platforms we just acquired are best suited for conventional battles (which will be good against Chad and Cameroonian forces). Boko Haram have no airforce or Tank formations. What we need are long range standoff systems like MLRS. The North East is basically a featureless flat terrain and sparsely populated, what is so hard is identifying Boko Haram trucks in their hundreds via NIGCOMSAT 1 or ATR Aircraft and saturate the area with Multiple Launch Rocket Systems? there is no defence against that.
Oga Beeg what the hell is this? :
http://www.mobile.reuters.com/article/idUSKBN0LK19420150216?irpc=932#
”Warm up exercise for Boko Haram” my foot ! This is basically the Sammies training Chadian forces for a possible invasion of Nigerian territory. If you think say i dey lie lets watch and see what happens.
Why all the hype even? There is nothing to fear from the Chadian army. Its President is an ex Rebel leader, %90 of all sucessfull combat operations by Chad has been against likewise terrorist.rebel groups like AQ in Mali and Rebels in Sudan. In CAR you saw how powerless they were, South African forces basically held off the Rebels for as long as they could while Chadian troops hightailed.
Against Boko Haram Chad with its years of experience will outfox and outperform Nigeria. In a conventional war against Nigeria i tell you %70 of their forces will be eliminated in the first week of the war. Nigerian military leads in both numbers and quality in this regard.
We know but they also have single minded audacious leadership.
Obasanjo is an embarrassment – Nigerian army
http://africanheraldexpress.com/blog8/2015/02/16/obasanjo-is-an-embarrassment-nigerian-army/
Its about time
Yep
Finally people are telling it like it is.
Thanks NA and NAF, good job, we own Monguno 100%.
God bless you Nigerian soldiers and pilots…..heroes.
The new wave of suicide bomber attacks by Bokos is the usual sign that they are losing the open field war. Kicks of an angry dying horse.
Major General Chris Olukolade, I am sure you don’t want to donate 50% of your army’s blood won victory to Niger Republic, Chad, Cameroon. Show the world Nigerian military in battle field combat action, photos and videos, prove that you did fight and win, prove that your men are not runners, prove with tons of motion picture and still image evidences to the whole world.
History will remember you for good sir, if you do it….videos and photos:
1. Battle Of Sambisa Forest
2. Battle of Gwoza Hills
3. Battle Of Maiduguri city
4. Battle Of Konduga Local Government Area
5. Battle Of Monguno town
http://www.punchng.com/news/military-claims-victory-in-monguno/
Na wa for us oooh.
To think that all the Ministry of Defence needs to do is open a folder to which soldiers can post pix (anonymously), these can then be censored as required, and suitable ones released. That would be tons faster than waiting for Ministerial photographers to get to the war zone from Lagos, take pix and return to Lagos for reviews.
By the time the stuff is released, Boko Haram, Cameronians etc. would have released their own versions.
Make we try wake up naa.
We are not buying recent technology…..we are buying late 1970 and early 80’s technology…..which would soon become obsolete….we are buying old gazelles, bmp 1’s , on t 72s…..no matter the upgrade, in 10 years from now, they will be almost useless….like the weapons, we used at the start of the insurgency war…..I hope this aquisitons although good enough to put a stop to BH, is not what our military hopes to bank upon, to be a strong military on the african continent , bcos then we are joking……you all should not just jump and be merry at pictures…..scrutinize what is being bought thoroughly…….. Just my own 2 kobo. I will advise we buy mid 90’s to mid 2000’s tech…..not this discarded tokunbo technology we are buying
Tim, all though your concerns are legitimate, they don’t entirely reflect the True acquisitions we are currently making.
Helicopters
Six MI-35M Helicopters
Twelve MI-17 Terminator1SH helicopters.
MBT’s
Possible OPLOT-M Tanks
T-72AV tanks(The T-90 is just a mix of the T-72 and the T-80).
Ships
Two modern OPV/Corvettes.
IFV
BTR-4E IFV
Drones
CH-3A drones
M28 UAV
It isn’t fair to claim we are only buying old tech, as a holistic view show’s we are buying both old and new.
The gazelle is a pretty good CAS Helicopter. French forces in operation serval used them extensively, including for Special Forces support. My only problem with the gazelle is it’s light Armour.
At the long run, if you all read well and understand what I wrote….we are all saying the same thing…….am just hoping those aqusitions I highlighted aren’t what we intend to use to become a once again formidable force on the continent….. And yes I know about the few numbers of drones, btr 4s and so on….. Am just saying after the boko haram insurgency, they should go for more up to date technology……the old nokia 3310 does what a gsm phone should do….the iphone 6 is also a gsm phone…..but you cant equate their capabilities.
For that, we would need a comprehensive Defence Review, similar to what the South-Africans currently have.
It all rests on our ministry of Defence.
OGA Tim
Much respect for your comments.
Some of the T-72S we bought were Manufactured in the 1990s
The ATR ISR planes we bought were manufactured with computers made in the 2000s
The BTRS We bought were manufactured for the Iraqis in the 2000s and based on a picture on OGA HENRY’S BLOG APPEAR TO BE DOING JUST FINE.
The drones we have are THE CH3 based on the US hellfire predator missile which they do not sell to anyone GUESS WHAT WE GOT IT?
Our ALPHA JETS have been upgraded to PGMS, AND FLIR and all weather
We have at least two upgraded hinds with incoming that will give the most blood thirsty bh NIGHTMARES.
Do you want me to go on?
Remember those SEA KINGS NAF202,203 guess what they are doing?
THE MRLS SYSTEMS were specifically requested by the Army , let me tell you something that will sweeten your ears those systems are not i repeat are not gathering dust ( that is confirmed by the way) and they are not 80s technology
Whomever wins the election has already seen the writing on the wall, There will be more procurement after this election wahala settles G2G And i expect to see the NAF GET SOME STUFF AS WE ARE BEGINNING TO SEE.
The weaponizing of the AUGUSTA will be good to go and will be with us as a coin operator for a long time to come.
Please GOD
Let the NAF make it RAIN
Let the NA make it RAIN
Death will come to them FROM LAND and from the AIR
When they are awake and when they are asleep
GOD BLESS NIGERIA
GOD BLESS THE ARMED FORCES.
Tim, your concerns are valid but the picture you have painted is not nearly holistic. What is the vintage of the following millennium era systems?
– BTR-4 IFV
– CH3A drone
– Mi-171SH Terminator
– Mi-35M Hind
– BigFoot MRAP
– BTR-3 IFV/APC
– Streit Spartan APC
– Oplot MBT
While clamouring for stuff to be done, some have always said that the exigencies of war indicate that the military must buy new and used equipment alike because it is impossible to sustain the momentum of operations while waiting for the convoluted timelines required for the production of new hardware systems to play out.
If we were not getting T72AVs and BPV-1s for today’s battles, then we would have to wait for T90s and BMP-3 IFVs to be delivered by 2017. How about that? We either get a used Mi-24V to fight immediately or wait to have a new Mi-35M delivered whenever. What happens on the battlefield while we wait for brand-new systems to be manufactured and delivered? We fold our arms and wait to repel attacks?
The advantage of the tokunbo kit is that they are immediate deployable and the people want the military to fight NOW, not later. At the cost which the pre-owned equipment are getting acquired, they can justifiably be consigned to ten years of active service lives and thereafter, life in the reserves. After a decade, they would have justified the minor investment made in acquiring them.
For instance, does getting twelve pre-owned Gazelle helics for 2.4 million Euros to fight NOW and remain in the lines for a decade not trump waiting for a new-build Eurocopter of the size category which costs 2.4 million Euros and will not fly until 2017?
We are acquiring for today and tomorrow alike and only a mix of used and new equipment will reflect that reality. If we are going to wait for tomorrow, then we had better prepare to lose today’s fight since we do not have the benefit of time. Modernised T72s will fight today and for a decade hereafter while a new T90 is primed to fight tomorrow by which time, a fledgling disaster would have come full circle.
The choice is ours to make for real. It was the acquisition of used MiG 17s and Il-28 Beagle bombers during the NCW, ex-RN Ford class Seaward Defence Boats, ex-Russian Komar torpedo boats in tandem with new Saladin AFVs and 122mm guns which carried the day for Nigeria.
Those won the war for Nigeria and remained in service until the early 1980s when new Scorpion and Spartan light tanks and APCs, new missile craft, new Alpha and Jaguar jets, new Bofors 155mm arty, new corvettes and a new frigate, new Vickers tanks etc came into service.
Infact, as early as 1973, factory fresh hardware systems to replace the pre-owned equipment acquired hastily to prosecute ongoing operations during the war, began to arrive. First, we got two Vosper Thornycroft Mk.3 corvettes. By the mid-1970s, direct replacements for tokunbo NCW-era platforms(Ford-class and Komar seaward defence and torpedo boats) had begun to arrive in the form of 31 metre Abeking+Rasmussen patrol craft and 33m Brooke-Marine patrol craft. Not to mention brand-new MiG 21MF jets.
@Are James
I think the weaponisation of the Super Pumas is not so much about making attack helicopters of the airframe but to make them better protected for the use of SF commandos who have been the primary users of the airframes in combat theatres.
For instance, a weaponised Puma can provide suppressing fire with rockets and 20mm cannon while inserting or extracting commandos.
Without a doubt, the Mi-17 trumps the Super Puma for ruggedness and carrying capacity. It is not for nothing that the Mi-17s are top picks over jungles, deserts and hot-and-high environments.
@LordFej
Thank you for your diligence and patriotism
http://www.m.bbc.com/news/world-africa-31493150
Oga beeg, the article seems to have developed legs and run away.What did it say?
The retake of Monguno makes the news.
I wonder if Baga is on the “todo list”.
I hope our people have worked out all logistical challenges.
http://www.newsweek.com/nigerian-troops-retake-two-towns-boko-haram-307105
At least they gave us this one. If we rack up more successes and PUBLICIZE them, all perceptions will change in three months.
http://www.newsweek.com/nigerian-troops-retake-two-towns-boko-haram-307105
That is all we have asked for from the Western media…honest narratives which take into account the dynamics on the battlefield on a day-to-day basis rather than one which is stuck in stereotypes and must not deviate from the established pattern of doom-and-gloom reports.
I will not be too worried about operation flintlock or US training of the Chadian army. All we need to do is keep arming up at a fast pace, the Chadians will not try anything stupid IF we’ve armed up properly
All the armies the US trained have all fallen or are tottering.
1. Mali
2. Yemen
3. Afghanistan
4. Iraq
Nigerian soldiers backed by air strikes recaptured two towns from Boko Haram on Monday as U.S. and regional troops began war games in
neighboring Chad, part of a growing international campaign to counter the Islamist militant group.
However,guerrillas from Boko Haram, which has killed and kidnapped thousands in a six-year insurgency in
Africa’s most populous nation, still managed to attack a military camp near Waza in northern Cameroon,
wounding several soldiers.
“The wounded are being evacuated. The insurgents have been stopped,” a Cameroonian military officer
told reporters in Maroua, a town just south of the restive Lake Chad region
where Nigeria, Niger, Chad and Cameroon meet.
After coming under fire, the soldiers in Cameroon,where 100 people were massacred in a Boko Haram border raid two weeks ago, hit back by
killing several guerrillas and capturing an armored personnel carrier, the officer added.
Monday’s strike beyond Nigeria’s borders is typical of Boko Haram’s recent tactics — hitting troops gearing up for a coordinated campaign against its effort to build an Islamic caliphate in northeastern Nigeria.
In Nigeria itself, where the insurgency was cited as the main reason for postponing a Feb. 14 election by six weeks, the military said it was going on the offensive after months of criticism for an insufficient and inefficient response. Troops backed by aircraft recaptured the northeastern town of Monguno, on the shores of Lake Chad, it said in
a statement. Monguno was seized by Boko Haram in an offensive last month that also targeted Maiduguri, the regional capital.
“The air and land operation is
continuing with aggressive advance towards other designated communities and locations meant to be cleared in the ongoing offensive against the terrorists,” defense spokesman Major- General Chris Olukolade said. The army had also seized the nearby town of Marte, the statement said.
War Games
Coinciding with the Nigerian offensive, Chad launched a U.S.-backed counter-terrorism exercise involving 1,300 soldiers from 28
African and Western countries that has been billed as a warm-up for a multi-pronged onslaught against
Boko Haram.
The annual “Flintlock” exercises began in 2005 in an attempt to improve cross-border cooperation in
Africa’s arid Sahel belt, a region prey to al Qaeda- linked and home-grown
Islamists, separatist insurgents and criminal trafficking gangs.
But as the death toll and outrage at Boko Haram have mounted — particularly after the kidnapping of more than 200 schoolgirls from the
town of Chibok last April — the group has become the primary target of the
exercises.
Chad suffered its first known lethal attack last week in what appeared to be a revenge strike for deploying its forces in the Nigerian border town of Gambaru. “This exercise to a large
extent can be considered a warm-up to enable our special forces to learn
techniques in the fight against terrorism,” Chadian Brigadier General Zakaria Ngobongue said in a speech to mark the start of the
exercises.
More than 250 U.S. troops will take part in the three-week training drill, helping improve intelligence-sharing, patrols, desert survival
techniques, airborne operations and
marksmanship, the U.S. military said. Other nations taking part in Flintlock include Algeria,Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Mali, Mauritania,Niger,
Nigeria, Senegal and Tunisia
http://www.newsweek.com/nigerian-troops-retake-two-towns-boko-haram-307105
The More you look the Less you see, we would continue begging for our PR to be stepped up, Give Channels TV, this Blog and Top Journalist Embedded Access to some de-classified or even live pics, see wat the Drone Video has done the level of confidence it put back to citizens has helped, if more cities are reclaimed, the massive support will be there, for now we hv been too reactionary and Cameroon military steal our own content n claim its theirs, thjat has to stop.
Anyword on the Puma SOPCAT Deal Beegs?
They have already been replaced in principle! We are in an high adrenalin rush mode for no specific reason and the results are very mixed!
http://www.helis.com/database/news/aw139_westafr/
Dear CyberG’s, I’d like to suggest that one major and quick way of controlling uncontrollable and laughable spins by both our coalition partners and renegade media is for the MNJTF to have an official spokesperson, official facebook page and official twitter account. The country providing the largest number of troops in the MNJTF (Nigeria) should also provide the spokesperson, while the country with the second largest number of troops (Chad) should provide his deputy and also provide the French translation of any public communication material. Individual troop contributing states should be barred from issuing any public communication content on joint operations or on cross border raids single-handedly undertaken by such country without the validation of the country on whose territory such raid occurred. Perhaps this might just help minimize the spins and ridiculous claims by renegade media. It however does not invalidate the warning of Gen Beeg that the NA must up the ante Public Com-wise, especially at this time of heightened operations against BH.