Nigeria to take delivery of JF-17 Thunder aircraft
Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, Chief of Air Staff of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), confirmed on 15 February that the air force will receive an unspecified number of JF-17 Thunder multirole fighter aircraft in November 2020. The aircraft are constructed by China’s Chengdu Aircraft Corporation (CAC) alongside the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC).
Abubakar also noted that negotiations to procure Embraer A-29 Super Tucanos are ongoing, with an undisclosed number expected to enter into service with the NAF by 2022.
The new NAF aircraft are expected to be used in COIN operations. Nigeria faces security threats from armed bandit groups as well as the Islamist terror group Boko Haram, which has waged a decade-long insurgency in the north of the country.
Abubakar confirmed that the NAF’s aircraft serviceability rate has increased from 35% in July 2015 to 82% by February 2020.
Related Equipment in Defence Insight
You may also like
More from Air Warfare
-
![Poland “pushing hard” to bring loyal wingman for F-35 fleet]()
Poland “pushing hard” to bring loyal wingman for F-35 fleet
The loyal wingman platform would work alongside the Polish Air Force’s newly acquired F-35A aircraft in a manned-unmanned teaming concept.
-
![Eurofighter confirms Spain Halcon II contract conclusion and eyes 138 potential Typhoon exports]()
Eurofighter confirms Spain Halcon II contract conclusion and eyes 138 potential Typhoon exports
Current contract negotiations for the Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft come from three of its partner nations: Spain, Germany and Italy, while 73 aircraft are currently in production for Spain, Germany, Kuwait and Qatar.
-
![NGAD’s demise ‘grossly exaggerated’ as US Air Force continues to re-evaluate programme]()
NGAD’s demise ‘grossly exaggerated’ as US Air Force continues to re-evaluate programme
The Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) programme has been on pause since July 2024 following a re-evaluation of the technology and concept by the US Air Force.
-
![US approves $4.9 billion E-7 AEW&C sale to South Korea]()
US approves $4.9 billion E-7 AEW&C sale to South Korea
The purchase of the four aircraft will also include 10 CFM56 engines, alongside aircraft countermeasures, GPS navigation systems, and related logistic and programme support.
-
![Airbus to deliver 19 H135 training helicopters to Royal Canadian Air Force]()
Airbus to deliver 19 H135 training helicopters to Royal Canadian Air Force
The agreement includes H135 acquisition, support and services, support for the development of a ground-based training solution and advanced engineering support. Deliveries for the aircraft are expected to commence in the first half of 2026.
-
![Avenger UAS controlled in flight using Link 16]()
Avenger UAS controlled in flight using Link 16
The flight test formed part of a larger programme of work to provide mission autonomy software to integrate, data links and other advanced mission systems onto the Avenger UAS.
