Troops and BVP-1 Infantry Fighting Vehicles of the Nigerian Army – delivered and first deployed to the battlefields during Q1 2015
REVA MRAPs of the Nigerian Army – delivered and first deployed to the battlefields during Q1 2015
REVA MRAPs armed with DShK 12.7mm heavy machine guns
A T72 AV tank leads a column out at the frontlines. To the left is a BigFoot MRAP
A T72 AV tank and a REVA MRAP in the Sambisa Forest. T72 tanks were added to the inventory starting Q4 2014 and additional deliveries followed during Q1 2015. A T72 tank famously destroyed a BH-held T55 tank (first combat kill in Nigerian service) at Mararaban Mubi, during the battle to liberate Mubi metropolis in December 2014
T72 tanks and REVA MRAPs in the Sambisa Forest
PHOTOS CREDIT: Nigerian Military History
Some T72 M1 tanks deployed to the battlefields of NE Nigeria. The T72 AV tanks were apparently acquired from Ukraine during Q4 2014 while the T72 M1 tanks were acquired from the Czech Republic during Q1 2015
PHOTO CREDIT: BIDEXII MILITARY PICS
Beegeagle's Blog 
..Military Strikes inside Sambisa
December 6, 2015
Troops+advance+to+Recapture+BagaThe Nigerian Army has commenced strikes deep inside Sambisa forest which is believed to be the remaining strong point of the Boko Haram terrorists.
Various units of the Army have advanced deep into the forest clearing most of the camps therein, rescuing persons held captive, arresting some terrorists and destroying most of their weapons and equipment.
Advancing troops of the Nigerian Army, supported by the Nigerian Air Force were able to clear and destroy Boko Haram terrorists camps at Shuari, Adembe, Yerimari Kura, Yerimari Gana, Gonin Kurmi, Kore, Mainya Kore, and Lopere. Additionally, the Multi-barrel Rocket Launcher Regiment has destroyed the terrorists camps at Dure, Dure Kore, Jokwa, as well as several other camps.
The troops recovered foodstuffs, motorcycles, flags, Improvised Explosive Making Devices (IED) materials and military uniforms. Among other discoveries were the terrorists tunnels, weapons and equipment. The soldiers also recovered 2,000 cows rustled from various persons over time and rescued women and children held captives by the Boko Haram. While the animals have been moved to Kanwuri, the rescued persons have been evacuated and are being given all the necessary support and assistance.
During the encounter with the terrorists at Yerimari Gana a number of Boko Haram terrorists were killed and some suspected terrorists were arrested who are being interrogated. However, a soldier sustained gun shot wound and fracture on the leg.
Similarly, while advancing to destroy Nefari terrorists camp, troops discovered and cleared 3 IEDs laid along the route. The camp was successfully cleared and troops have continued their advance while a blocking force has been deployed to prevent infiltration and possible escape by the terrorists.
Unfortunately during another encounter with the terrorists along the axis of advance, 3 soldiers made the supreme sacrifice, while an officer and 2 soldiers were wounded in action.
It is instructive to note that the troops morale is very high and being conscious of their set objective, they are unrelenting in their determination to defeat the Boko Haram terrorists.
In a related development, troops have also destroyed Boko Haram terrorists camps Bulagaije and Disa, Gwoza Local Government Area, Borno State and recovered motorcycles, Dane guns and ammunitions.
Kindly disseminate this information and the attached photographs to the public through your medium.
Thank you for your kind support and cooperation.
Colonel Sani Kukasheka Usman
Acting Director Army Public Relations
https://prnigeria.com/2015/12/military-strikes-inside-sambisa/
The flow of information should be kept unstopped, reversals and advances should be reported or else the information initiative will be compromised. Study what the Syrians and doing since their Russians came in, videos of their men during engagements (helmet cams with soldiers). The VICE news exclusive was a big deal and is extremely succesful.
BH cannot withstand our men and women. Our biggest enemies are our own internal strifes and divisions.
Nice photos Oga Beegeagle.
It’s good to see Nigeria now producing photos and videos of our military in the battlefields. Today, there are almost no videos of the Biafra war and ECOMOG wars, a few photos exist here and there though. The allied nations media houses can show you hundreds of videos of World Wars I and II in black and white tape and thousands of photos, amazing how Nigeria cannot show a good archive of videos and photos from Biafra war and ECOMOG wars in these modern times.
Well, we thank God the Boko Haram images are recorded for us to see and show or future generation how Nigerian military fought to secure our fatherland.
Fellow Nigerians, can you please explain why our army has not purchased armoured vehicles from Proforce?
We are told NA has ordered more REVA MK III MRAPs from South Africa this 2015 and it is a big order as we are told from the insider sources of this blog.
Let us look at these data :
Igirigi LAV workshop model cost per vehicle approx $ 100,000
Otokar Cobra LAV current 2016 cost per unit approx $ 350,000
VBL LAV current 2016 cost per unit approx $ 350,000
Spartan MK III cost per unit approx $ 250,000
REVA MK III MRAP cost per unit approx $ 350,000
Bigfoot MRAP cost per unit approx $ 550,000
Proforce ARA MRAP under development, no price data available, but could be produced and sold for an estimated $ 250,000 per unit.
Also, Proforce could get engineering blueprints from Nigerian army and improve on the Igirigi LAV factory improved model and estimated cost per unit of say $ 150,000.
The CEO of proforce has declared that as at today, his company can produce 40 armoured vehicles per month, but I would want to doubt that capacity with the size of factory size we see, maybe he assumes a big order can provide funds for them to quickly expand factory capacity and produce the said 480 units of armoured vehicles per year.
$150 million will give Nigerian army 1,000 units of a Proforce improved Igirigi LAV and so about 10,000 Nigerian troops in the North East will have an armoured vehicle to ride into battle against Boko Haram instead of sitting on top of open trailer flat bed or lorry, what if a slight accident happens now, and our valuable soldiers fall under the flat bed open trailer’s heavy duty tyres and get crushed to death? Or what if they run into an ambush of rifle firing Bokos?
Just $ 150 milliion….1,000 brand new Igirigi LAV will enter the battle against Boko Haram carrying 10,000 Nigerian soldiers to defend their fatherland with high morale !
How long shall Nigeria import expensive Light Armoured Vehicles?
Fellow citizens, how do you see this LAV matter?
Oga Augustine. I respect your hustle sir
Oga Augustine, God Bless you for being so right on point, Do we need Foreigners to advise us on this as well, War also has a financial side in the planning and execution. the era of no strategic taught and unplanned purchases is going going gone (With the Oil prices). It is interesting to know that the Syrian army ran out of Shells for their artillery, which lead to the turn of events before the Russian & Iranians came to the rescue.
Proforce ARA MRAP being developed in Nigeria
Shame on anyone that does not think the Military should purchase these, Why buy $500,000.00 IFV, that would not be insufficient numbers to go around the units, Imagine the Nigerian Military coming all decked up in made in Nigeria attire and equipment, would we have the Cameroonian chap talk that way. It is this little things that show us either as a intelligent set of people or just dumb.
We have an opportunity to jump start a very vital and basic section of the “so much wanted” military industry, get the youths employed, get the wiz kids thinks of modification to the platform, yet we keep hearing of $500,000 IFV (estimated N115,000,000.00) per unit vehicles to fight BH, when we could get 5 x Igirigis for the same amount.
Excuse me please, how much exactly are we looking for, and how is the lawyer getting his extra figures?
” Lagos lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN) has said that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) did not commit any illegality for detaining suspects arrested in connection with the $6 billion arms scandal..
However, it is pertinent to correct the error in respect of the extent of the amount of money involved in the arms gate. The well publicized $2.1 billion is the foreign component of the loot. The actual amount stolen is $2.1 billion and N643 billion. The total missing fund is $6 billion.
In the light of the earth-shaking and ear-aching revelations oozing out of the EFCC to the effect that a handful of individuals cornered and shared the huge fund earmarked for the procurement of military hardware to prosecute the war on terror all the convicted military officers and soldiers who have been convicted including the 70 who were sentenced to death should be released forthwith”.
http://thenationonlineng.net/6-billion-arms-scandal-suspects-detention-is-legal-falana/
Proforce Viper LAV…alternative to Igirigi LAV…or duplication?
Will Nigerian army accept this if developed eventually?
My Ogas, I will say we pray next year 2016 budget capital expenditure for procurement should throw in at least 1,000 units of brand new Light Armoured Tactical vehicles into Nigerian army service in the North East area of operation…..armed with 14.5mm to 20mm guns and 40mm automatic grenade launchers, our troops will have a new thrust of mobility, speed, firepower, and regional spread to engage and decimate Boko Haram.
NAF procurement should be made a priority.
Oga Are James, you made a point there, NAF is also priority, but what shall we do if the Su-25 Frogfoots are coming late, no sure date, but will be 2016, month we do not know.
Still bad to have Nigeria buying 4 Alpha jets and 6 Frogfoot jets yet no official public press release notifying the Nigerian public that our hundreds of millions of dollars is being paid to Mr, or Mrs Jet Seller in so and so country, for such and such number of jets armed with this or that type of munitions/ordnance….we are in a democracy NAF, we are in a democracy, please NAF should not put Nigeria back into military type of autocratic era, be accountable to us anytime you spend public funds. We pay your salary, we employed you.
Furthermore….
W A R N I N G : FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF NIGERIA
It is a warning bell ringing to the federal government of Nigeria now, please do your massive procurement of new weapons/equipment for the modrnization of Nigerian armed forces, all of them army, navy, air force, do your procurement orders next year 2016, the major procurement that will plug all major loop holes in our defence systems for both conventional and unconventional/counter-insurgency warfare.
Reason :
Weapons prices worldwide are subject to inflation and they become more expensive every year or two. Cobra APC cost about $ 180,000 in 2008 now 2016 price is about $ 350,000 and that is almost double price increase.
If we do not order our new weapons 2016, prices of equipment keeps going up, while oil prices are dropping down, it means Nigeria will have less and less financial capacity to buy weapons. It also means we will get less weapons per barrel of oil we sell. If a barrel of oil purchased 3 bullets in 2013 the same barrel of oil will purchase only 1 bullet in 2016. Nigeria is losing as we delay the major modernization procurement for our armed forces.
NAF and NN will suffer the most from procurement cost inflation because jet fighters and warships are high value platforms.
In 2012 when oil was $85 per barrel, JF-17 Thunder jet fighter block II was offer priced $ 20 to 25 million per aircraft, but 2016 price release estimates $ 30 to 35 million per aircraft when oil is $ 40 per barrel today as we woke up from bed.
As Nigeria delays procurement, it will cost us more to buy as inflation creeps on the globe, it is a normal economic factor. Let our government be warned of the danger of delay.
Recovered defence sector looted funds should be plugged into procurement with new transparency, accountability and public information of how our money is being spent, NO MORE SECRECY OF WEAPONS PROCUREMENT….or are we buying nuclear intercontinental ballistic missiles to justify hiding purchases?
If the budget 2016 cannot permit just 5% of the total budget for all three armed forces’ capital expenditure/procurement of modernization and capacity building weapons/equipment, then FG can get a loan from CBN, NNPC, China, Russia, etc and fund these urgently needed modernization procurement as prices keep rising to make these weapons cost more as we delay.
Thank you.
http://www.debka.com/article/25065/Russia-brings-over-heavy-T-90-tanks-to-boost-three-Syrian-warfronts
Oga Augustine sweet write up as usual
But they won’t do anything,they have been hearing/reading what we have been writing but the thing is that they are caused with greed so they won’t do anything
Last night a had a very sweet dream were Nigeria invaded cameroom and chad and I was super excited only for me to wake up and discover that it was only a dream cos that is all we have been doing since 1960 “Dreaming” and I for one is fucking tired of dreaming because dreams can not make things happen for it is only action that can make that dream into reality
NIGERIA WAKE UP
https://prnigeria.com/2015/12/dss-arrests-operatives-n310mn-robbery/
A most welcome development,all govt parastatus should be made to use made in Nigeria products
I won’t say we manafacture cars in Nigeria cos thay are only being put togather here but still its a start
This is the best Nigerian in public office. I have been tracking him (actions and utterances) since he was a lowly university lecturer.
Russia takes no chance 😉
Indonesia’s defense minister has finally signed the official document approving deal to acquire Russia-made Sukhoi Su-35 fighter jets to replace the would-be decommissioned F-5 E/F Tiger II operated by Indonesian air forces.
around 12 nos of them
@ Oga Lachit I wanted to post the Su-35 Indonesia deal before but i restrained due to grief for NAF & FG being visionless and unambitious to forsee future conflicts and preparation for that scenario.
Wonder y NA haven’t purchased at least 10 proforce LAV(option for more purchases base on performance) for the North East Theatre and doing some field tests. I wonder if NA gonna purchase and support local defence industry products coz of all this import this, import that culture?? This is a country were we buy common bullet proof vests abroad and even police baton!! chai….At least, i take solace knowing NPF(Nigeria police force) purchases and uses proforce vehicles and also UN purchased some of their armored vehicles. NA, what of u? when are u joining the support local industry bandwagon??
That man Ogbonaya Onu, i give am TUALE!!! We need more of this development.
ur loss our gain 😀
http://www.cnn.com/2015/12/07/africa/rwanda-solar-plant/index.html
Sorry guys, money don loss… No Su 25 coming again !!!
After all our comments probably running into thousands or tens anticipating and drawing up potential purchases, we never knew how badly conniving people were equally mocking our wishful thinking and looking to commit heists of a grand type. Years of war, we couldn’t even muster enough to just provide a decent ground attack platform despite the funds released?
Sebi, these military ogas @ the top dey take us play sha?
Dan banza ne.
Wallahi, i don vex
So all these my megabytes na waste ni?
Is something better coming?
Hehehe…chai @ Oga Zachary, so all dis hope since wey we dey hope dey fruitless.
it means NAF is almost sure as hell not getting any new platforms apart frm the previous orders frm d previous administration.
E be like say FG no know which shit dem dey take play…. These ppl are effectively destroying our National Security systems and outfit.
Oga Abdulaaz they are not playing with fire but an earthquake,
So no SU25,which type of country did I come from!!!
After all the mouth buhari made,he is already becoming worst than the past administration,he is proving to be an hypocrite(says one thing but does another)a man who can’t keep to his word,after all the hope I had on him,well he is already proving that I should have listen to my better judgement which say they are all the same,fucking politicians
Any capital expediture by this administration for the NA will only be in the 2016 budget and not this budget or this year.
regarding the orders by the previous administration, I sometimes wonder if there were any real orders fro NAF platforms cos everything i hear “be like rumour”. if there were orders well then until this administration cancels, the remain legally binding. am yet to hear of any cancellations. if the amounts being pandered about as having been stolen are anything to go by then no surprises on the lack of orders or deliveries.
our military purchases remain in the realm of speculation a lot of the time because of the lack of transparency therein. only the navy seems straightforward in its acquisitions. every other branch is soo convoluted.
the temptation of the current administration is to cancel and review all acquisition contracts due to the level of “alleged” corruption. this is both a good thing and a bad thing. unfortunately how bad it is will be measured in the blood and lives of Nigerians.
i am not privileged to have insider info so my postulations are based on info in the public sphere and what i consider verifiable.
http://www.africaresource.com/rasta/sesostris-the-great-the-egyptian-hercules/the-global-fight-against-nigeria-by-collumela/
A very educative read,you guys should chack it out
If only we have move of this type of journalist in Nigeria
To be honest, money no dey. We are borrowing about N1.5trillion next year.
Maybe SU 25s are surplus to immediate requirements when they had already increased the number of MI 35M choppers..or maybe that one has been cancelled as well.
It is possible that JF 17 is the new focus.
What is annoying is they are saying they have recovered N350bn stolen funds, I would have suggested using it all for retooling the defence sector.
This article has been one of the only few that get what is in the offering for Nigerians by the west, the idea is that we should lose or suffer vast degradation of our society.
Of what benefit to the west is a strong and prosperous Nigeria, our Neighbours are being engineered slowly but surely against us (Lake Chad Oil deposits).
Yet our guys are still looking for help that has never come or will ever come in any significant way from the West. even Russian’s $2B credit offer is no longer readily on the table, because of our dilly dally attitude ( expecting F16s, B2s bomber, M16 rifles, Abram tanks, pass me down warships, global hawk drones), suddenly the cry for Western arms as gone down.
Syria and Libya were well built up and modern functional cities with lots of professionals just like Nigeria, in their rational and educated thinking, they thought the west would stop at a point of decency. Alas go and look and compare the picture of these cities over a 5 yr period (post and pre commotion).
The Diko issue in UK was never forgiven and now they have a principal actor, they would try to get at him in time. They like burying from foot first to enjoy all the show.
We need to get down and start thinking inwardly, the answers and solutions are within us, no where else.
The western nations claim to hate BH, but when the Oil issue in the lake Chad basin comes up we would see how much they hate them and who is behind the masquerade.
The West is lining us up to fall, already they crack jokes about who is the largest economy African now.
That’s why i smh when i see people waste their time with lengthy write ups advising the FG on what to procure and stuff.
Stop wasting your time, we all should know by now that they know what’s needed, they just have no interest in getting it down, when the country blows up in our faces, then we will know what’s up
He! He! That’s why I have never bothered. You can’t tell me a well educated crop of officers don’t know what equipment is needed and strategies to employ.
They have been thinking they would just wing it as they have always done in previous conflicts but have now come a cropper as the saying goes.
http://news.yahoo.com/nigerians-cameroon-troops-burned-village-forced-us-170118375.html
of course they did. wake me up when we have serious leaders
Nations have gone to war for less. 150 dead? hmmm
Just for comparisons sake, this is what a country with similar insurgency problems bought within 2012-15
http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/baby-come-back-iraq-is-buying-russian-weapons-again-07571/
Great insight to what we could have done with $2B, definitely not 2 x SA332 + 2 Civil A-jets
Yep, the opportunity cost.
Hehehe…#350 bn naira for where…all na wash and mouthing. Until i see actual action before i believe them.
As Oga Centenary talk am, they are all politicians so i ain’t surprised but wetin dey funny na d way oga Centenary wan cry…LOL…them never steal ur wife na.
lets wait till 1st quarter of 2016 before we release our anger. But i think this administration is not serious about the armed forces re-modernization… they just love mouthing and ranting… their strong point just seems to be PR!!
lol,oga abduleez e for better if say na my wife they take,what they are doing is beyond my comprehension,hw can one sit down and watch his fellow country men and women being killed like rats
The blood of every Nigerian who have and will still die in the pasted and present conflict are on the head of our leaders
https://www.naij.com/660777-sambisa-nigerian-army-kills-fleeing-boko-haram-terrorists-recovers-arms.html
http://news.yahoo.com/refugee-kids-bring-david-miliband-knees-nigeria-212630907.html
look at our people, in the 21st century, this is an embarrassment
http://news.yahoo.com/boko-haram-torches-village-near-kidnapped-girls-town-170104362.htm
Sir Kay, very interesting perspective, did you see the comment of one blogger, I pasted below –
Dana 2 hours ago 0 1
really do need to get over the white savior complex
This advise could have been no more accurate description of our main problem, Just like the kid’s who have been lead to stop believing in their nation and institutions as having any capability.
That is what a mentality of help me with this, help me with that, causes, It is not a problem to ask for assistance at a certain level of challenges, but when you start asking for help in matters of basic cerebral application, especially after so much expensive training in the best institutions, it becomes a display imbecilities. That is what the junior generation thinks of us all , unable, cannot and relying always on foreigners ( The White Messiah Complex ). The young ones are smart and fill we ask this guys if we can go straight to the foreign source. We are slowly seizing to be their champions, all the talk of glory should be with pride from the Civil populace not from within the uniforms.
Let that gallivanting asshole go and sort out their problems in their black communities in the states, before enjoying God like status in the refugee camp. If the NEMA guy’s cannot organize the IDP camps then F them retards
My oga you don vex oh, but i feel on what you said, it’s mind boggling .
http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/12/kibo-antiballistic-cabins-make-entry-into-nigeria/
Now our politicians will have more stuff to spend that money on. I need one of these in my bedroom too, brooklyn can be a dangerous place lol.
But honestly though, not a bad idea to have these for those soldiers and cops that guards sensitive locations
Importing these must be a joke, if the local industry cannot make this Kevlar structures , But of cause if it was made in Nigeria, no one would be interested.
ha, true talk
http://www.newsweek.com/niger-transfer-500-boko-haram-prisoners-nigeria-402741
just to take ur minds off the trouble at home 😀
guys i have a question for u all based on technical profiency and logic
a anti ship missile which is required to be launched at speeds between Mach 0.7 – 0.9 at an elevation between 26,200ft and 39,400ft at a distance of 100-240 km goes into a steep dive at 50- 30 km away from the target to achieve a 4 mach speed.
ie 2 stage flight path
1. horizontal path at high altitudes at subsonic speed
2. a inclined vertical dive at mach 4 speed.
1.can a surface to air missile flying at speeds of 2.2 mach shoot it down ?
the SAM missile has a interception range of 500m to 90 km.
2. does a mach 4 speed anti ship missile (during steep dive) offer any advantage vis a vis a mach 2.2 interceptor missile SPEEDING TOWARDS IT. (does higher speed of the Anti Shipping missile offer any advantage) trick question 😀
3.what r the best case successful interception points (scenarios) for the anti ship missile and the SAM missile, if any for either of them ?
4. during the terminal stages (steep dive) at mach 4 speeds will a onboard infrared (IR)/TV seeker fitted on the missile nose work ?
if yes why?
if no why ?
i hope u will enjoy answering it as much as i enjoyed framing the questions 😀
those who have answered the above questions plz enjoy this video 😀 as a reward
it shows the launch of a pure ballistic missile from a ship, and its interception by a anti ballistic missile.
it gives a good visual idea of the separate stages/phases of a anti ballistic missile plus that of the flight path of a 350 km range ballistic missile mimicking the flight path of a IRBM (1500km range ) at altitudes of 50-80 kms ie exo-atmospheric interception demonstration.
hope u all find it informative
kalibr submarine launched missile strike from submerged russian submarine (kilo class ?)
against syrian rebels
Fufore – Cameroonian troops crossed the border into Nigeria, killed about 150 villagers, burned their huts and forced them to flee, Nigerian refugees said Tuesday after walking for days to reach a refugee center.
Cameroon’s government denied the charges, that come amid growing tensions between Nigeria and its neighbors over the Boko Haram Islamic uprising that has spilled over Nigeria’s borders.
Farmer Mariamu Abubakar said Cameroonian soldiers on November 30 killed about 150 people in his village near Nigeria’s Banki border post, stole their livestock and set their huts ablaze.
He was among 643 refugees who arrived Monday night at Adamawa’s Fufore transit center. Soldiers who screened them said they came from Gamboru to Banki, a 150km stretch along Nigeria’s border with Cameroon.
While it is unclear who attacked whom and why, it is “a real humanitarian disaster,” said David Miliband, the visiting president of the New York-based International Rescue Committee. “They are unable to go home because it’s not yet safe and because they fear for their lives.”
Nigeria’s petroleum minister said last week he expects a major oil discovery soon in the Lake Chad Basin, likely to fuel more border conflicts in the northeastern part of Nigeria that joins Chad, Cameroon and Niger.
Earlier Tuesday, Governor Bindow Jibrilla of Nigeria’s northeastern Adamawa State accused Nigeria’s neighbors of sending their nationals into his state disguised as refugees. Jibrilla told reporters he didn’t know why it was happening but that there were thousands.
Cameroon said its troops fighting “in synergy” with Nigerian soldiers carried out a “coordinated operation” on several border villages around Lake Chad November 27 to November 29. It said they freed at least 900 people held by Boko Haram extremists.
“We have a highly trained military that respect human rights,” said Cameroon government spokesman Issa Tchiroma Bakary. He denied Cameroon has forcefully evicted Nigerian refugees though Nigerian officials have reported receiving several thousand in recent months.
AP
———
This is what happens when you can’t structure the image of your institution [NA] to counter false media reports that continues to damage your prestige and also, it’s what happens when you refuse to strengthen your country’s airforce with appropriate figther jets that boosts territorial integrities..
Goodluck to NA!
Cancellation of Su-25 Frogfoot jets deal may mean any of the following (I am just speculating with logical reasoning) :
1. The deal is not in our favour due to time delay regarding delivery date of the aircraft versus the urgency required to end this war.
2. The financial mago mago + wuru wuru has made FG/MoD/NAF to pull out of the deal that has over-inflated the jets prices to rob Nigeria.
3. We may be turning to Russia for a quick delivery and fair/right price of the Su-25.
4. The jets may be seen as having alternatives already in NAF fleet like Mi-35 Hind which are armoured to resist 12.7mm or .50 cal heavy machine guns like Browning and Dshk that are now the mainstay of Boko Haram anti-aircraft capability with probably 95% of Boko 14.5mm and 23mm AAA guns destroyed.
5. NAF may be rethinking Super Tucano or still dreaming of Textron Scorpion ISR/Strike jet.
6. Dimishing technical life of Alpha jets and attrition/loss rate of F-7 jets leading to a depleted jet fleet can cause a need to consider a 2016 purchase of JF-17 Thunder for multirole jet fighter capabilities.
7. NAF can be bewitched by spiritual evil powers to ask Pakistan to sell used F-7 PG jets at very very cheap prices to get PGM and BVR capabilities for both ground attack and interceptor roles.
8. The 30 year old jinx on NAF might just make them do nothing, they can just be satisfied with old aged tired legged Alpha jets and malnourished F-7 jets that will enter boxing ring and get knocked out in round one, ending up in orthopedic ward with 100 shattered bones after fighting the Mighty Mouse northwards of Lake Chad basin.
Your points 3,4,6 and 7 are most likely.
SU 25 may have been seen as wasteful when a dozen MI 35Ms are coming and yes the deal was corruption laden.The business man involoved in that deal just launched a new private jet a few months back so maybe he got partially paid. Honestly if I get my hands on the former president one of us won’t make it back home complete.
The most ikely possiblity is No. 8 . That is no combat jets at all are coming for NAF in 2016. This means Nigeria will lose about 6 jets including their pilots between now and 2018 so we need to steel ourselves for some negative news.
“Honestly if I get my hands on the former president one of us won’t make it back home complete.”
Haha, Oga no kill person with laughter , i was drinking when i read this and almost killed myself lol. Oh man.
People don vex, hahaha
Augustine, the point is wait and see. This blog has talked, and over emphasized weapons and equipment but to no avail. If going through this blog for the past 5 years and MOD have no clue on what to procure, then what new thing is there to say?
Dear Oga, the Textron Scorpion is not completed it’s certification process, no weapon has been ever fired from that platform, it has not reached that stage of the flight test program, so that dream is more like a long slumber, the jobs of the Mi -35 /Attack helicopters is quite different from that of a close support aircraft fixed wing aircraft, it’s deployment in combat with a convectional army is quite different, I hope we are not about to learn that from our neighbours.
Oga Augustine, as good as the the idea of the JF17 sounds, I don’t think it can replace the role of the frog foot SU-25 in the CAS/ground attack role
This is a cheap and effective PMC arrangement. I choose to call it contracted security within a regional defsec framework and maybe much cheaper than private PMCS
http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/12/benin-republic-to-send-800-soldiers-to-nigeria-for-anti-terrorism-war/
Are they trained and prepared for COIN warfare? Beninese army like most sub Saharan military outfits are largely for conventional warfare. Hopefully, I’m wrong.
You cant be wrong. All the militaries in the region are either geared towards fighting external aggression or putting down coups.
With all our experience in the peace keeping ops and counter insurgency of a Mega scale in Liberia and Sierra leone and know the BH in NE whose tactics are more like that experienced in Darfur, the Nigerian Military should be an authority on COIN.
Our Field soldiers have done very well facing the most violent adversary in modern times with modest equipment, the fault seems to be from above, We did not hear of instant of a Snr Officer complaining about the standard of equipment supplied ( ready to sacrifice his career progression against his men’s life). The DSS seem to be coming more into the play and have done very well in arresting some of the poster guys, It also shows that bush is getting quite hot for the BH guys, so they are heading for home
Certain equipment and ordnance are glaringly missing in our order of battle, people are forgetting that the population is far more exposed to information than the civil war era.
For what looks like about to happen in the lake Chad basin, NAF needs to be refitted very very fast to deter any activities from across the border, The French and West would come into play (Total is drilling the oil on the Chadian side, US does not really need the Oil but more interested in Uranium finds from getting into Chinese hands, but will side it’s ally France). The name of the game for now is posturing and deterrence.
Any one here know if we have some kind of “Citizens petition” in Nigeria? like they do in the US, whereby once a certain number of signatures are acquired, the Administration must release an official response. Perhaps we should petition these people lol
uncharacteristic article from CNN
http://edition.cnn.com/2015/12/08/opinions/sky-iraq-mistakes/index.html
What is the constitutional role of a security adviser, military weapons procurement and importation? What then is the constitutional role of the Minister for Defence and his ministry? Why was the past FG downloading so much money into the hands of ONLY ONE MAN to spend for military procurement, was GEJ jazzed spiritually to play into the hands of just one man like his god? There is one kind of jazz in my village, they call it “ASK…NO REFUSAL’ so you just ask whatever you want from those who have it and there will be no refusal of your request, your demands are always given to you because of that jazz.
http://thenationonlineng.net/okonjo-iweala-dasuki-got-322m-abacha-loot-from-me/
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A state governor is trying to answer the first part of my question;
“Oshiomhole spoke at the State House in Abuja after a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari. He said: “The NSA is supposed to be an advisory officer; he is not supposed to be a procurement agent for government.”
http://thenationonlineng.net/okonjo-iweala-should-be-included-in-probe-says-oshiomhole/
Yes the NSA is an advisory position. something Akin to a powerful special assistant. HOwever in reality the NSA is the “go between” between the Military Brass and the President. he is someone whose judgment the president supposedly trusts and values. therefore he will ordinarily weild lots of power and influence with the president especially considering the nature of national security issues. the amount of power he wields is determined by the president its all about the leeway the president gives him.
Nobody can fault ex President Jonathan for concentrating procurement efforts within Aso Rock. The traditional institutions involved had already failed miserably. The generals were fighting with MOD, a CDS insulted a newly appointed minister. At some point generals were given check books and we’re flying about by weapons There was a justifiable need to concentrate procurement efforts in Aso Rock. The policy was commendable because it expedited the release of money and put everything under the man elected to defend Nigeria. All he needed to do was form a war cabinet for advisory support and only he signs executive orders and release of funds required sitting in that council. The NSA was supposed to be just an ordinary member and adviser to him within that cabinet before and after meetings. Very simple enough but sadly everything was just messed up by the CIC himself charging his election expenses to our National Defence & Security budget.
Anyway i have said it..me and him must not see face to face, it will be in the news.
*buying weapons*
The president does not know about weapons, but he should have devoted himself to google searches and this Beegeagles’ blog to educate himself when war came upon his nation. In 2014 computer age is it hard to find out what are the best tanks, jet fighters, infantry fighting vehicles, and infantry light arms in the world market and their prices? There is a responsibility on leadership, you cannot be a war time country leader with zero knowledge of basic warfare/basic weapons that are available for the whole world on the free internet.
A vice-president also existed then, what was his job? What did he do about the war effort when it became clear we needed to do massive weapons procurement? He does not know about military stuff abi? Then he cannot go on internet and educate himself abi? That is a vice-president getting paid for doing next to nothing in war time.
A regime that appointed a new minister of state for defence, a man that also knows nothing about weapons/war, a man who abandoned the job to go run for governorship elections rather than pilot his fatherland to victory in a war, so unpatriotic.
A regime that did not modernize and empower Nigerian military to world standards when oil was selling for $80 to $100 per barrel, now leaves the job for another regime to do when oil sold yesterday for $37 per barrel, then the new regime now released a new music CD titled ‘NO MONEY’.
Who are we gonna blame for all these wrong decisions of a national leader, blame me Augustine or what?
Why should you be just lazy or nonchalant and put the whole job into the hands of a few people who shove down your presidential throat whatever enriches their private pockets and personal agenda, then you swallow it hook line and sinker, you never cross check anything, that becomes leadership INCOMPETENCE.
Yes Oga sabatino9, among all options we have, only the Su-25 can fly into 23mm enemy anti-aircraft fire and fly out alive in one piece.
NAF pilot Wing Commander Chimda Hedima would be alive today if he was flying an Su-25 Frogfoot instead of the soft skin Alpha jet. If Nigeria had listened to this blog’s advice and we got a dozen Su-25 since 2013 when Mali showed us an example of the kind of new big war coming into West Africa. we would not have lost any territory to Bokos.
We saw Malian army and air force lose almost half their country to terrorists/rebels, yet we remained an Alpha jet flyer till today….LOL….NAF even bought 4 more Alpha jets so that another pilot ‘Hedima’ will die abi? Let’s wait till 2016 and see if a new deal for Su-25 will emerge.
“We cannot keep quiet about it and facts are coming out gradually. It is very unfortunate. It is a known fact that Nigeria earned its respect from Burma to Zaire to Liberia to Sierra Leone. But it reached a stage where the Nigerian military could not secure 14 local governments out of the 774 local governments.
“As I have always said, how has the mighty fallen? We are doing our best and I hope our best will be good enough,”
– President Muhammadu Buhari, December 09, 2015 Speech.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
Sir, Mr.President, your best will not be done unless you fully re-equip and modernize the Nigerian army, Navy, and Air force with state-of-the-art weapons.equipment to defend Nigeria effectively in a conventional or unconventional war. Words are not enough, your excellency, the work has to be done.
Augustine, I’m sorry………. Your comments are utter ludicrous!
The President should devote the spare time he probably doesn’t have to browsing for weapons on the internet?”……. I mean what sort of a comment is that?
The president appointed those he felt had the necessary qualifications to man the various government agencies. It is based on their advice that the President takes decisions. This is why labour is divided.
Oga Henry, sorry…..he should have done what I said he should have done as a WAR-TIME PRESIDENT…. what else is he doing with 100% of his work time if he cannot devote 30 minutes a day to see on Internet what Nigeria should be buying as weapons and at what price? His country is on fire and blood is flowing like tap water, what is his priority? Plus he has a vice-president assisting him daily. The President swore oath to defend the unity and territorial integrity of Nigeria. It is his job to do WHATEVER necessary to fulfill his oath. Authority also burdens a leader with responsibility. He just didn’t care enough, if I were in his shoes, I will not remain 100% without knowledge of basic weapons as a war time president. The onus is on him, he was commnader-in-chief, the people he delegated duties to for arms purchase s are NOT commnader-in-chief together with him on the same throne.
My point is, when a Nigerian gets a job he should do it well, if he is given authority and leadership, he should be ready to be held responsible for how the national ship sails or sinks, no excuses allowed…..like….”I delegated to others to do it”…..lame excuses.
Can US defence officials fool Obama about the difference between the roles of an F-16 and A-10 Warthog in combat? No they cannot ! I went up for sight seeing view of a city on the roof of a high rise building 300 feet high, there was a man working who has only secondary school education, then a low flying F-18 Hornet flew over our heads, with landing gear ready, heading back to base. I asked the guy, a mere house renovation worker….”Kenny, what is that? “….his reply was immediate…..” F-18 Hornet jet fighter “…..he is not a war time President, and he does not have a PhD….. he barely finished secondary school and has no military training.
A WAR-TIME President is expected to be involved in the technicalities of war, even if he has Theatre Arts B.A. degree, if you cannot do the job required to be done, then quit, resign !
Nigeria should set standards for it’s leaders and managers, perform when you get there, if the seat is too hot for you, quit honourably and don’t blame your subordinates for the collapse of the nation….you put them there on the job, you should police them, and don’t let them outsmart you. That is leadership.
Britain brought in Sir Winston Churchill to be their war time prime minister because of his military knowledge, the past FG of Nigeria brought in a governorship aspirant with ZERO military knowledge to be our war time minister of state for DEFENCE…..if I make such type of executive decision in my office, I will be sacked the next day.
I will not bury my head in the sand like an ostrich just because I like an ex-president, if he did wrong, I will say it so that the current president can learn a lesson and avoid the same mistakes of his predecessor, that is how Nigeria can move forward so we don’t keep running around in circles.
Truth is bitter.
The point is that GEJ put too much trust on those he felt are giving him best advice on the approach to tackle this menance then. well we all know how it all play out. The president had a lot of things to handle.
We cannot therefore conclude that he is not been updated about info about weapons available or that he is not going through come of the website and blogs sometime which cannot be totally ruled-out.
Now GEJ is no more there, the onus is on this present administration to have a check-list of available HARDWARE and look for an URGENT and COMMENSURATE acquisitions of REQUIRED HARDWARE, its time to stop playing POLITICS with Nigerian lives and OUR CORPORATE INTELLIGENCE.
To the Government, MOD, CDS, COAS, e.t.c please and please rise up to the occasion, NIGERIA CALLS OBEY.
Oga engineerboat, a competent leader does NOT put too much trust in anybody else apart from himself. DELEGATION must be coupled with SUPERVISION, basic skills of management 101, the principles have not changed worldwide, the golden rules include….management #3 rule, DIRECT your subordinates to do whatever, management #4 rule is MONITOR those same subordinates for performance results. You don’t just delegate tasks, power, money in multi million dollars and go to sleep as a leader. I repeat, if I do that with ordinary hundred thousand dollars in my office I will be sacked the next day.
Division of labour is no excuse, Economic principles of division of labour says the labourers have a foreman/supervisor, the workers are not allowed to run the show anyhow…..and modern day division of labour ends the process with QUALITY CONTROL measures.
I am putting Nigeria on a measuring scale, how well was our DEFENSE SECTOR managed by basic management principles from 2008-2015 ?
Hey, a president is busy? He has a vice-president president for assistance getting paid for assistance duties everyday, a full grown man not a teeanger.
USA war time president Franklin Roosevelt had zero military training, he was a lawyer and a cripple on wheelchair, he had to deal with economic problems just emerging from America’s great depression and then into a big world war II and sudden attack from Japan. He PERSONALLY supervised the war strategy and monitored his military generals for performance, he didn’t delegate and go to sleep with the excuses and of “I have no military knowledge as a professional lawyer and I am a cripple on a permanent wheel chair with medical disability.”
I guess you now see what competent and CIRCUMSPECT/CAREFULL leadership is.
Bros, Nigeria is bigger than ANY president past or present and NOBODY is above rebuke for their faults, 180 million people jointly own Nigeria, it’s nobody’s private property.
What’s your presidential priority when your nation is burning under fire of a big war on land mass as big as Scotland? We Nigerian youths don’t want our future ruined, we are setting standards for our leaders, we are demanding every Nigerian president must couple his AUTHORITY with RESPONSIBILITY for what happens to the national ship he is captain of. Don’t sail us at to hit sea rocks, sink, and then you blame subordinates you appointmented. We demand for Nigeria, better management:
1. Authority + Responsibility
2. Delegation + Supervision
3. Poor performance/financial impropriety = Quick Dismissal/Sack Letter for political appointees
4. No Sacred Cows in government
5. No appointment of technically ignorant people into technically sensitive positions that require at least a basic technical knowledge by professional qualification/training or layman’s personally acquired knowledge/experience.
6. No second term for any government that is found failing where it should not have failed. Thumbprints will ship you out of Ask Rock, we won’t let anybody wreck Nigeria.
7. If you can’t do the job, don’t take the office, but if you already have…resign honourably.
Thank you everyone. Long live Nigeria.
DHQ must deem it fit to organize and actualize an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle multi-year challenge with participants competing to develop drones capable of at least 24 hrs endurance time, among other requirements. This will in the end complement its own in-house UAV program.
We should continue to clamor for DHQ’s need of constant and perpetual real time intelligence on specific areas in the North-East; we cannot achieve that with a couple of ATR-42 surveillance assets, and satellites alone, we need a lot more eyes in the sky (50~100), capable of providing actionable data. We all recognize that these mundane and repetitive tasks need to be actualized, but it must be done in an economical and sustainable way; UAV’s are the logical answer; UAV’s and blimps. The private sector can help actualize this core specialty, all while developing our local aerospace industry.
NAIJA. I HAIL THEE.
http://www.nairaland.com/1386870/african-militaries-security-services-strictly/288
oga mcshegz
There has to be an interim phase now that China has “re-pledged” to help Nigeria it is advisable that Nigeria in collaboration with the Chinese develop a Nigerian made Armed Missle drone that has an endurance of 24-48 hours if that is possible this is the next phase of the war they must be in place to take out the main leaders of bh.
Oga mcshegz, The armed drone idea is good and welcome. Our Gulma drone progress seems slow, we should have dozens in operation by now. FG should find out what it’s not happening, what is the technology limitation holding back the Gulma project? FG should ask the engineers building the drone and spend some money to solve the problem. Brazil was interested in Amebo drone joint development partnership project, but Amebo to me is an unnecessary duplication of Gulma project.
Let’s consolidate and face one drone instead of two drones half done and not fully in service after 3 years of experimentation. Does not take 10 years to build a basic drone if you acquire the technology properly.
I expect that by 2016, Nigerian army aviation corps should have a dozen Gulma drones flown by army pilots. The Konduga battalion had lots of airborne surveillance help in their victory, it works wonders.
Armed drones are good, but expensive and have their limitations….no human eye observation to aid decision making. Armed ultra-light aircraft overcome that limitation and are cheaper to build or buy…..Diamond D42 ISR aircraft costs about $1 million with one of FLIR, mini radar, or TV camera. Arming the aircraft with cheek hardpoint/pylon carried mini missile like the AR-1 guided air to surface missile will equate the Diamond to an armed drone.
China has all these wonderful armed drones, but they are still asking Austria to complete the deal for technology transfer and licence for China to build a clone of the Diamond D42 at home locally in China, trust the Chinese, they will mass produce the Diamond surveillance aircraft clone probably in hundreds.
I will suggest we mix both, armed drones plus aircraft like the Diamond D42, is we buy 50 Diamonds for NAF and NN, from Austria and ask for technology transfer to assemble them locally, the knowledge gained will help AFIT build our own FARAWA light trainer and craft out a surveillance version in hundreds and even export it in future.
Sambisa forest can be combed at low altitude from the air, day and night, from tree to tree, end to end with both Diamonds and Drones combination. Niger Delta oil pipeline security monitoring can be done same way too.
I believe the DA 42 is limited in weapon carrying capacity, Please don’t be fooled by its looks, it is extremely light and there are limitations from the structural dynamics standpoint. It is a highly modern aircraft in terms of the materials of construction (some high tech carbon fibre stuff enable it to carry it’s own engines, crew, surveillance gear including infrared cameras). It is much more useful than most drones for surveillance but it will never be a weapon deliverer.
I think Beechcraft King Airs with IR equipment are the ones we should be mounting with longer range rockets to temporarily bridge the capability gaps in precision strike on insurgent camps. Even in that role, the planes require the kind of rockets that are going to give permit good stand off distance in the day time based on reports that Boko stole AAA ammo in large quantities recently. Night time ops should be no problem with no standard equipment on board
Oga Are James, Diamond payload matches that of the CH-3 armed drone NAF currently flies. AR-1 missiles are very light weight ATGM purpose built for low ordnance weight capacity drones.
Is the USA ready to sell armed Beechcraft ISR aircraft to NAF today? Then can NAF afford the approx $20 million price tag? Armed Diamond will cost approx $2 million price tag. It’s cost of operation/maintainance is very much lower than the Beechcraft, plus a much longer flight time endurance….. and ‘stealthiness’ of a tiny low noise Diamond that can fly low at 1km altitude using night vision surveillance equipment to spy on the enemy and the Bokos don’t know it’s there in the sky, super small size super low noise….’stealthiness’ is a big spying advantange.
If you want to spy effectively on Boko Haram in Sambisa forest, you have to spy at very low altitudes, say 1km or less and remain almost noiseless, hard to detect at night when Bokos are mostly asleep except for sentries, at night visibility is zero for Boko anti-aircraft guns, they have no radar.
Need to spy low altitudes of else you miss targets hidden under tree cover, need to see the new Boko camp photos, excellent camouflage of tree leaves over their small huts, no aircraft will see that at medium or high altitude, and FLIR or radar picks up both human beings and forest animals. Need to go low and try to identify target before you strike or relay information to base…..it could be friendly forces down there… our own Nigerian soldiers on foot.
AR-1 missiles range is about 8km, and that is more than enough standoff range for a Diamond aircraft. I will rather spread 10 Diamonds all over Sambisa forest airspace at a time in separate air sectors, than 1 single Beechcraft struggling to map the entire space.
The Beechcraft is good I admit gladly, but Sambisa is now a difficult terrain to spy from the air unless you can fly low and do some visual identification of suspected targets.
Well, DA 42 is already a success story to NAF in terms of its surveillance accomplishments. Every advantage on the platform you mentioned is being reaped by NAF. It is just this low mini ordnance delivery at standoff distances that I have not heard of before and have questions about feasibility.