The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has been praised for its readiness to assist the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in airlifting its personnel and supplies before, during, and after the general elections in 2023 by Major General Bashir Salihi Magashi (rtd), the honorable minister of defence.
The roll-out ceremony for the aircraft which took place on January 25, 2023, at Ikeja, Lagos, was where the Defence Minister presented the commendation, according to Air Commodore WAP Maigida, Director Public Relations and Information Nigerian Air Force.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Defense, Dr. Ibrahim Abubakar Kana, spoke on behalf of Maj-Gen. Magashi, who expressed his pleasure at being informed of the Nigerian Air Force’s election preparations. He cited as an example the prompt completion of the Nigerian Air Force C-130H aircraft’s in-country Periodic Depot Maintenance (PDM), which increased its ability to serve INEC by increasing airlift.
The Defence Minister commended the Nigerian Air Force for the technical achievement and noted that it further exemplified the Service’s efforts to increase its capabilities and dependability in terms of equipment maintenance. He continued by saying that the accomplishment is proof of the AFN’s (Armed Forces of Nigeria) huge potential for domestic technical capacity development projects.
The Minister praised the Nigerian Air Force for its tremendous contributions to the fight against terrorism, insurgency, and other types of security challenges in the nation as well as its non-kinetic campaigns in many theaters of operation.
Minister reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to the welfare and capacity-building of the AFN in order for them to successfully carry out their constitutional duties of safeguarding the country against opponents and criminal elements.
He added that regular maintenance performed domestically had increased the ability of Nigerian Air Force aircraft to be serviced and greatly decreased the cost of doing so abroad, saving the nation money.
The Nigerian Air Force engineers and technicians working on the PDM project, according to Air Marshal Amao, have better exposure to the necessary knowledge and best practices for maintenance.
He stated that Nigerian Air Force pilots had test-flown the aircraft and found that all of the avionics, instrumentation, and engine characteristics were within accepted safety criteria.
He insisted that the Nigerian Air Force C-130 fleet had since performed personnel and logistics airlift responsibilities in a number of military and humanitarian operations both inside and outside the borders of Nigeria.
He reaffirmed that concerted efforts are being made to increase the capabilities of the Nigerian Air Force aircraft fleets to be serviced, and he said that pilots, engineers, and technicians are receiving attention for their welfare and safety in order to ensure that the aircraft are operated safely and effectively.
In his opening remarks, Air Vice Marshal (AVM) Emmanuel Shobande, the Air Officer Commanding (AOC) Logistics Command, characterized PDM as a sequence of in-depth maintenance tasks performed on an aircraft on a regular basis to increase its lifespan and operational safety and effectiveness.
The AOC disclosed that Nigerian Air Force C-130H undergoes PDM every 4 years, which includes significant disassembly, inspections, replacement of some components, overhauling, and reassembling, among other things.
AVM Shobande also revealed that Shaheen Foundation, a recognized maintenance repair organization accredited by Lockheed Martin, the C-130H aircraft’s Original Equipment Manufacturer, was involved in the PDM. Shaheen Foundation and NAF aviation engineers and technicians worked together on the project.
