President Bola Tinubu has formally inducted five newly acquired military helicopters into the order of battle of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) at the presidential hangar in Abuja.
The new additions, comprising three Leonardo AW109 Trekker B helicopters from Italy and two Airbus H125 helicopters from France.
This marked a significant boost to the nation’s air power and multi-domain defense capabilities aimed at safeguarding Nigeria’s territorial integrity and tackling complex security challenges.
The acquisition highlighted the administration’s drive to modernize the Armed Forces by equipping the military with State-of-the-Art logistics, improved rotary-wing availability, and enhanced operational flexibility across ground support missions.
The twin-engine AW109 Trekker B is built for high-speed tactical execution and is configured for Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR), close air support, armed reconnaissance, and combat search-and-rescue operations.
Meanwhile, the single-engine Airbus H125 provides highly agile light utility support, excels in hot-and-high operational environments, and enhances troop movement, target tracking, and border monitoring capabilities.
Military authorities plan to deploy these air assets across critical operational theatres nationwide, including the North-West and North-Central regions for counter-banditry and anti-kidnapping campaigns.
The North-East to reinforce counter-insurgency operations against terrorist groups, and the Niger Delta to secure maritime borders and critical energy infrastructure.
The latest delivery represented the initial phase of a broader fleet expansion program.
The three AW109 Trekker helicopters form part of a ten-unit order, with the remaining seven units scheduled for delivery before the end of the year.
Nigeria also continues to await additional platform deliveries under ongoing defense contracts, including T-129 ATAK combat helicopters and M-346FA light attack aircraft, as part of sustained investments to maintain air dominance and support ground troops in joint operations.