Nigeria to acquire 18 attack helicopters from US, Turkey

The Nigerian Air Force says it is set to receive 18 attack helicopters from the United States and Turkey to strengthen its fleet.

The Chief of Air Staff, Hassan Abubakar, who made this known during a one-day tour of formations and units under the NAF 115 Special Operations Group in Port Harcourt, Rivers State on Wednesday, said he was in the state to commiserate with the families of the NAF pilots and crew that died in the helicopter crash in Niger on August 14.

Abubakar said the force was saddened by the recent loss of its airplane (MI 171 helicopter) but they are unfazed because they have a lot more coming in.

He said, “We are not deterred by recent developments as the Federal Government has approved the acquisition of 12 AH1 Zulu Cobra and six T129 helicopters from the United States and Turkey, respectively. The first two T129 helicopters are scheduled to come into operation by September to enhance our operational capabilities.”

The MI 171 helicopter which crashed on Monday, August 14, took off from Kaduna en route Minna, the Niger State capital, when the incident occurred