Nigerian Air Force completes in-country reactivation of two additional L-39ZA
In its continuing efforts to boost platform availability towards sustaining the high tempo of operations needed in the ongoing counter insurgency (COIN) campaigns, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has completed the in-country reactivation of two additional L-39ZA Albatros, in collaboration with the Original Equipment Manufacturers, Messrs Aero Vodochody of the Czech Republic. On 4 December 2020, the hand-over of the duo (serials NAF 354 and 364) took place at the NAF 403 Flying Training School (403 FTS) at Kano air base (Nigeria). The Life Extension Programme (LEP)
A third L-39ZA is expected to be delivered mid-December 2020. Three others LEP Albatros are currently undergoing general overhaul and avionics upgrade at the Aero Vodochody Facility in Prague (Czechia) and these are expected to return to the African country before Q3/21.
NAF Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar revealed that, as part of plans to further boost its aircraft serviceability status, the Service was on the verge of completing in-country Periodic Depot Maintenance (PDM) and avionics upgrade of additional two Alpha Jets (see Scramble News 15 November 2020), at the 407 Air Combat Training Group, Kainji air base (Nigeria). He equally disclosed that two x F7-Ni's were undergoing LEP in Makurdi air base (Nigeria), while seven of same aircraft type were being air-freighted to China for overhaul and avionics upgrade.
Besides this, in the near furture, major inspections on the Mi-24V and A109 helicopters will be carried out, while arrangements for PDM on an the third C-130H (serial NAF 918) has been completed and work is scheduled to commence by the Q1/21.
The NAF recently took delivery of a Mi-171E (see Scramble News 4 December 2020) and Wing Loong II armed reconnaissance Unmanned Aerial Systems (see Scramble News 26 November 2020)
In the near future it is expected that the NAF will take delivery of twelve A-29 Super Tucano's (see Scramble News 13 November 2020) and its first batch of JF-17 Thunders (see Scramble news 12 September 2020) On top of this a new batch of CH-4/CH-5 Unmanned Combat Aerial Systems (UCAS) from China will arrive in Nigeria before late 2020 (see Scramble New 18 October 2020).
Photo by NAF