Breaking: Nigerian Air Force unveils two MI-35M helicopter gunships
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) today, Saturday, May 5, unveiled two Mi-35M helicopter gunships that the federal government had since ordered from Russia.
The induction ceremony was conducted as part of the activities of the 54th anniversary of the NAF which is currently ongoing in Kaduna state.
The new helicopters are meant to boost the Nigerian military internal security operations in the country.
The helicopters had arrived Nigeria on Monday, April 30 at the NAF Base Makurdi.
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The newly inducted helicopters, which are capable of night fighting, are all brand new and are the most sophisticated in the Mi-series of helicopter gunships.
They are however, the second batch of the fleet of Mi-35M helicopters, the procurement of which the current federal government initiated in 2015.
The induction of the helicopter gunships would go a long way in adding impetus to the current efforts at combatting the security challenges in Benue state and other parts of the north central region as well as other forms of criminality facing the country.
In addition, with the induction of the additional Mi-35M helicopters, the on-going counterinsurgency operation in the northeast will receive a boost.
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The NAF had taken delivery of the first batch of 2 brand new Mi-35M helicopters in December 2016, and they were inducted aftwerwards.
Legit.ng earlier reported that nine engineering/armament personnel of the Nigerian Air Force were winged today, Friday, May 4, as part of activities marking the Service 54th anniversary.
In a brief ceremony at the Nigerian Air Force Base Kaduna, the newly decorated officers were hailed for their contributions to the successes of the NAF.
Nigerian Air Force winged 10 flying officers - on Legit.ng TV
Source: Legit.ng
Jerrywright Ukwu Jerrywright Ukwu is an Abuja-based senior political/defence correspondent. He is a graduate of the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Lagos and the International Institute of Journalism in Abuja. He is also a member of the Nigeria Union of Journalists. He spends his leisure-time reading history books. He can be reached via email at jerrywright39@yahoo.com.
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