Armée Nigériane / Nigerian Armed Forces

• AKrgt
  
• M16 rifle
  
• FN FAL rifle
  
• Heckler & Koch G3 rifle
  
• Daewoo K2 rifle
  
• SIG SG 540 rifle
  
• FN FNC rifle
  
• FN MAG machine gun
  
• Beretta M 1951 pistol
  
• Walther P5 pistol
  
• Blowpipe missile (MANPADS) - 48 launchers^[19]
  
• ZSU-23-4 (SPAAG)
  
• ZU-23-2 (air defence gun) - 20
  
• BM-21 (rocket artillery) - 11
  
• L16 81mm Mortar
  
• M-46 - 7
  
• OTO Melara Mod 56 (howitzer) - 18^[20]
  
• Vickers Mark 3 tank - 170 (IISS Military Balance 2007, p. 287)
  
• T-55 (medium tank) - 100, in poor serviceability (IISS 2007)
  
• BTR-60 (APC) - 6
  
• Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance (tracked) - 150 Scorpion tank
  
• Véhicule Blindé Léger - IISS Military Balance 2007 estimates Nigeria has '72 VBL (reported).'(p. 287)
  
• Otokar Cobra light armoured vehicle - 193
  

• Combat Aircraft
  
  
  
  • 15 Chengdu F-7 Airguard (12 F-7NI, 3 FT-7NI)^[3]
    
  • 32 MiG-21 (grounded, to be retired)
    
  • 12 Sepecat Jaguar (Grounded, to be retired)
    
  
  
• Light Attack And Advanced Trainers
  
  
  
  • 24 Dassault-Breguet/Dornier Alpha Jet (Over a quarter of them have crashed in the past 30 yrs)
    
  • 12 Aermacchi MB-339
    
  
  
• Trainers
  
  
  
  • 60 Van's Aircraft RV-6
    
  • 24 Aero L-39 Albatros
    
  • 37 Scottish Aviation Bulldog T1
    
  • 20 Dornier Do 27
    
  • 36 Dornier Do 28
    
  
  
• Transport Aircraft
  
  
  
  • 5 Alenia G.222 (being refurbished by Alenia)^[4]
    
  • 2 ATR 42MP (1 Delivered) both are replacing (2 x Fokker F27 200-MAR)
    
  • 1 Boeing 737
    
  • 1 BAe 125
    
  • 2 Dassault Falcon 900
    
  • 9 Dornier Do 228
    
  • 1 Gulfstream II
    
  • 1 Gulfstream IV
    
  • 6 Lockheed C-130 Hercules
    
  
  
• Helicopters
  
  
  
  • 7 Agusta A 109 (Navy Maritime Operations)
    
  • 1 Agusta AW-139 (V.I.P. Transport)
    
  • 14 Hughes 300
    
  • 24 MBB Bo 105
    
  • 6 Mil Mi-24 Hind
    
  • 9 Mil Mi-34 Hermit
    
  
  
• Transport Helicopters
  
  
  
  • 11 Aérospatiale SA 330 Puma
    
  • 12 Eurocopter AS 332 Super Puma
    
  • 4 Mil Mi-8 Hip
    
  
  

Citation :

Ukrainian-made BTR-4E 8x8 wheeled armored personnel carrier vehicle in service with Nigeria army

weapons defence industry military technology UK
Posted On  Saturday, 13 June 2020 14:02


The Ukrainian-made BTR-4E 8x8 wheeled armored APC (Armored Personnel Carrier) vehicles in service with the Nigerian army, several pictures were released on the Internet showing Nigerian soldiers using BTR-4E during combat operations. According to the SIPRI (Stockholm International Peace Research Institute) Arms Transfers Database, Ukraine has delivered 10 BTR-4 to Nigeria in 2014.



Nigerian soldier at the front of a Ukrainian-made BTR-4E Armored Personnel Carrier APC. (Picture source Twitter accountDefense News Nigeria)


The BTR-4E in the Nigerian army is designed to be used as an armored vehicle personnel carrier fitted with a remotely operated weapon station called BM-3 Shturm. This turret is armed with one ZTM-1 30mm automatic cannon. The second armament of the turret includes one KT or PKT 7.62mm machine gun, one AG-17 30mm automatic grenade launcher mounted to the left side of the main armament. Two launchers for the Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM) Barrier is fitted to the right side of the turret.

The design of the BTR-4E is divided into three compartments with driver and commander seats at the front, engine and transmission in the middle and troops compartment at the rear. The vehicle has a crew of three and seven infantrymen can be carried at the rear of the vehicle.

The BTR-4E is motorized with a Deutz EBPO III engine developing 500 or 600 hp. coupled to a gearbox with 5 forward and 1 reverse gear. It uses an 8x8 chassis with independent suspension, automatic transmission, hydro-mechanical with pass-through axles. It can run at a maximum road speed of 110 km/h with a maximum cruising range of 700 km.


https://www.armyrecognition.com/weapons_defence_industry_military_technology_uk/ukrainian-made_btr-4e_8x8_wheeled_armored_personnel_carrier_vehicle_in_service_with_nigeria_army.html      

Citation :

Scramble Magazine

Nigeria Air Force JF-17s nearing completion

At last the Sino-Pakistani JF-17 block II Thunders for Nigeria are nearing completion. After producing the 2019 run of domestic JF-17 block II fighters for the پاک فضائیہ (PAKISTAN FIZA'YA, Pakistan Air Force), Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) Kamra diverted the last three of that line for the Nigeria deal.

The JF-17 Thunders were visible, still in primer, on a documentary aired bij Hums News on Pakistan Defence Day (6 September 2020), as NAF-720, NAF-721 and NAF-722. As far as we know, these should be production numbers 2P-60, 2P-61 and 2P-62. Earlier this year a smartphone shot of NAF-702 also appeared, we suspect this is one of the three airframes mentioned above.

Nigeria’s proposed 2018 budget confirms that the African nation will obtain the Chengdu PAC JF-17 fighter aircraft. The budget allocation document indicates that USD 36 million (N13.1 billion) is earmarked as partial payment for the three aircraft. The payment will also cover support equipment and spares. This makes Nigeria the first buyer of the type to be officially named, although programme officials have long said there is strong interest for the type from various countries. The JF-17s are due to arrive in Nigeria in November 2020.

In addition to the budget allocated to the three fighter aircraft, it also shows funds for the acquisition of two leonardo AW109 helicopters, as well as depot maintenance for two Dassault Alpha Jets and a Lockheed Martin C-130H Hercules.

Link to the Pakistan documentary (30 minutes): https://youtu.be/TQBsZ3-zJQo?t=450

Citation :

  Sep  21

Nigerian army gets South Korean K152 APCs  


Nigeria is a very dynamic designer and manufacturer of armored vehicles, be it light, medium-weight or heavy APCs. Why did its army import
South Korean K152 APCs appears puzzling, at first glance at least.


South Korean-made K152 APC in Nigerian army service (Picture source: Army Recognition)

Posted 7 hours ago by Alain HENRY de FRAHAN

http://worlddefencenews.blogspot.com/#!/2020/09/nigerian-army-gets-south-korean-k152.html  

Citation :

JF-17 Thunder Jets Spotted in Nigerian AF Colors, Ready for Delivery

 04:28 AM, November 7, 2020


JF-17 wing with Nigerian Air Force logo. Image via Twitter

Pakistan-made JF-17 Thunder Block II jets have been spotted in Nigerian Air Force (NAF) paint scheme indicating that they could be headed to Abuja to keep up with a November 2020 delivery schedule.

Images appearing in social media show the blue-on-white round logo of the NAF on the wing of a JF-17 Thunder aircraft. Another image shows the aircraft front from a top down view showing the same logo on both wings. Tail numbers or even the Nigerian flag could not be seen.

The images were posted on November 6 courtesy of a Nigerian defence enthusiast @DefenseNigeria without ascribing any source. Accompanying posts said Nigerian pilots and ground crew have completed training in Pakistan and will soon depart for Nigeria.

In March 2019, the Pakistan government's Economic Coordination Committee had approved a $184.3 million sovereign guarantee covering the delivery of three JF-17 Block II Thunder fighter jets to the Nigerian Air Force.

According to Pakistan media reports, jets, each costing $61.2 million apiece include a complement of missiles, laser guided bombs and targeting pods supplied by China. The aircraft-only price of the JF-17 Block II is in the region of $30-$35 million.

A Chinese industry source had told Defenseworld.net during the 2019 Moscow air show that the Nigerian order was being jointly executed by Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) and Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC). The latter was charged with supplying weapons, targeting pods and other sensors as well their maintenance and training.

The initial batch of 3 aircraft could well be followed-up with more orders if they blend in with the requirements of the NAF, the source had said. Unconfirmed reports on social media said Nigeria is negotiating for an order of 40 more aircraft.



JF-17 in Nigerian AF colors. Image via Twitter

https://www.defenseworld.net/news/28266/JF_17_Thunder_Jets_Spotted_in_Nigerian_AF_Colors__Ready_for_Delivery#.X6bbcKbbLIU

Citation :

JAN  8

Nigerian Army orders 52 additional Ezugwu MRAP vehicles  

The Nigerian army has awarded a contract to the Defence Industries Cooperation of Nigeria (DICON) for 52 Ezugwu Mine Resistance and Ambush
Protected (MRAP) which would be supplied between June and July this year, Lionel Ekene  reports in Military Africa.


Variant of the Ezugwu MRAP designed and produced by DICON/NAVMC (Picture source: Twitter account Jakepor21)

http://worlddefencenews.blogspot.com/2021/01/nigerian-army-orders-52-additional.html

https://www.armyrecognition.com/defense_news_january_2021_global_security_army_industry/first_combat_use_of_chinese_made_vt4_tanks.html a écrit:

First combat use of Chinese made VT4 tanks

On January 8, 2021, the Nigerian army in the north-east of the country launched a large-scale counter-terrorist operation called "Tura Takai Bango" against the militants of Boko , BMPD reports. In particular, Chinese-made NORINCO VT4 tanks, ST1 wheeled tanks and SH5 105-mm self-propelled artillery units manufactured by Norinco are taking part in the operation. This represents the first combat use of the VT4.

The Nigerian army fighting ISIS ... pic.twitter.com/B1posdzmTM

— Pieter Van Ostaeyen (@p_vanostaeyen) January 14, 2021

Citation :

  15/03/2021

Le Nigéria commande le M-346 !



L’avionneur italien Leonardo a remporté le contrat pour le renouvellement de la flotte d’avions école   de l’armée de l’air nigériane. Le contrat dont le montant est pour l’instant non communiqué porte sur 24 appareils. Selon l’avionneur, les premiers appareils seront livrés avant la fin de l’année.

Le nouvel appareil doit venir remplacer la flotte d’Alpha Jet en service. Leonardo, en partenariat avec l'armée de l'air italienne, vont gérer de la formation des pilotes de l'armée de l'air nigériane à l'École internationale de formation au pilotage de Galatina près Lecce et à la base aérienne de Decimomannu en Sardaigne.

Le M-346 devrait servir de formateur pour les futurs pilotes qui vont ensuite transiter vers le nouvel avion de combat du pays le PAC JF-17 « Thunder » commandé en 2018 à trois exemplaires. Cependant, une question reste ouverte concernant le modèle du M-346. En effet, les anciens Alpha Jet étaient notamment utilisés pour l’attaque au sol légère. Il se peut que la version choisie par le Nigéria puisse être le M-346FA au lieu du modèle de base M-346. Aucune précision n’est pour l’instant disponible à ce sujet.

Le Leonardo M-346 :

Le Leonardo (ex AleniaAermacchi) M-346 se présente comme un monoplan à aile delta construit essentiellement en alliage d’aluminium. L’empennage horizontal est entièrement mobile et l’appareil, biplace en tandem, repose sur un train d’atterrissage tricycle. Les deux Honeywell/ITEC F124-GA-200 de 2’880 kgp sont produits sous licence par Fiat-Avio. Le M-346 dispose d’un groupe auxiliaire de démarrage (APU) MicroturboRubis. Le cockpit est pressurisé et climatisé sous une verrière articulée à droite, doté de sièges éjectables « Zero-Zero » Martin-Baker Mk16D. Il dispose également d’un système embarqué de génération d’oxygène (OBOGS) éliminant le besoin de bouteilles, d’écrans multifonctions et d’un affichage HUD (Head Up Display), d’un équipement digital Fly-by-Wire programmable en fonction du niveau de l’élève ou simulant différents types d’avions. Un équipement de navigation à longue distance est prévu, ainsi que 3 points sous chaque aile pour une capacité de 1 800 kg et des rails en bout d’aile pour missiles air-air. Un bidon largable peut être emporté sous chaque aile, un bidon de convoyage sous le fuselage, et une perche de ravitaillement en vol est prévue en option.

Photo : M-346 italiens @ Aeonautica Militare

http://psk.blog.24heures.ch/archive/2021/03/15/le-nigeria-commande-le-m-346%C2%A0-870729.html  

https://www.defenseworld.net/news/29198/First_of_3_Pakistani_JF_17_Jets_Arrive_in_Nigeria#.YFtPjS27hsM a écrit:

https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2021/04/nigerian-navy-takes-delivery-of-hydrographic-research-vessel-from-ocea/ a écrit:

Citation :

 PUBLISHED: 30 APRIL 2021   LAST UPDATED: 30 APRIL 2021

Nigeria JF 17N 720 1aNigerian Air Force Thunder deliveries complete    




The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has apparently taken delivery of its third and final JF-17 Thunder fighter from Pakistan.

On 29 April 2021, photos emerged on social media showing a Pakistan Fiza'ya (Pakistan Air Force) Il-78MP tanker/transport aircraft, serial R09-001, apparently at Makurdi air base. According to defenceweb.co.za the flight tracking data of the Il-78 shows that it departed Pakistan on 28 April, heading for Africa.

Unconfirmed sources state that all three JF-17 Thunders have now been delivered, with the most recent aircraft being reassembled. NAF pilots and crew for the JF-17 have been training in Pakistan since mid-2020.

The first Thunder was delivered around 21 March 2021, again aboard Il-78MP R09-001. The NAF ordered three JF-17s from Pakistan, serials NAF-720, NAF-721 and NAF-722. More are likely to be ordered to replace or supplement the Chengdu F-7Ni/FT-7Ni fleet - more than a third of its fifteen F-7Ni/FT-7Ni fighters have been lost in crashes.



The Nigerian acquisition of the JF-17 Thunder multi-role fighter jets is part of an ongoing fleet modernisation programme. This programme is reported to include the procurement of eight Mi-35M attack helicopters in 2019 and twelve A-29B Super Tucano close air support aircraft from the US.

https://www.scramble.nl/military-news/nigerian-air-force-thunder-deliveries-complete  

https://www.defenseworld.net/news/29631/Nigerian_Army_Chief__10_others_Die_as_Military_Plane_Crashes#.YKkltZNKiYU a écrit:

Citation :

  Nigerian Navy launches its new Landing Ship Tank LST 1314 at Damen Shipyard in UAE

Naval News June 2021 Navy Forces Maritime Defense Industry

POSTED ON TUESDAY, 08 JUNE 2021 12:02

 
According to information published by the Nigerian Navy on June 7, 2021, the new Landing Ship Tank (LST) for the Nigerian Navy (LST 1314) was launched on June 7, 2021, at Damen Shipyard, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. The construction of the ship began about 2 years ago and when commissioned will replace the first set of LSTs of the NN, NNS AMBE and NNS OFIOM which have been decommissioned.


Nigerian Navy’s newest landing ship tank was launched on June 7, 2021, at Sharjah, UAE. (Picture source Nigerian Navy)

The new LST has a complement of 32 crew and 250 embarked persons and a length of 100.08m. She is powered by 2 Caterpillar/Cat 3516 C-rating engines and 4 Caterpillar C-18 generators. Furthermore, she has an endurance of 15 days @ 15 knots. If she is to be used for humanitarian missions/evacuation, she can accommodate over 450 persons on its upper and lower decks in short trips.

The bid opening process for the procurement of the LST was held on 19 December 2017 and supervised/conducted by a team from the Bureau of Public Procurement as well as a technical committee of the Nigerian Navy. The Shipbuilding companies that participated were Damen Shipyards of the Netherlands, Anadolu Deniz of Turkey, and Indian Shipyards GOA of India.

On 13 June 2019, the NN and Damen Shipyards signed the final general arrangement plan and specifications on the LST 100 and this date of 13 June 2019 became the effective date of contract for the LST 100. The contract duration as agreed by both parties was approximately 36 months from the effective date of contract. The Keel laying ceremony for the LST 100 was held on the 9 December 2019 at The Damen-Albwardy Shipyard in Sharjah the UAE. The immediate past CNS Vice Admiral IE Ibas placed the Nigerian Navy insignia into the keel and sealed it.

Over the last 2 years several Factory Acceptance Tests with regards to various components of the LST 100 have been jointly and successfully completed by the NN and Damen Shipyards. Most notable among these FAT’s was the main propulsion engines tested in 2019/ 2020 and the Remote Weapon system which was also successfully tested in March 2021.  

https://www.navyrecognition.com/index.php/naval-news/naval-news-archive/2021/june/10270-nigerian-navy-launches-its-new-landing-ship-tank-lst-1314-at-damen-shipyard-in-uae.html

Citation :

Congress Pauses Major Defense Sale to Nigeria Over Human Rights Concern

Robbie GramerJuly 27, 2021, 1:24 PM

U.S. lawmakers are holding a proposed sale of attack helicopters to Nigeria amid mounting concerns about the Nigerian government’s human rights record as its military grapples with multiple security crises at once.

The top Democrat and Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee have delayed clearing a proposed sale of 12 AH-1 Cobra attack helicopters and accompanying defense systems to the Nigerian military, pausing a deal worth some $875 million, according to U.S. officials and congressional aides familiar with the matter.

The behind-the-scenes controversy over the proposed arms sale illustrates a broader debate among Washington policymakers over how to balance national security with human rights objectives. The hold on the sale also showcases how powerful U.S. lawmakers want to push the Biden administration to rethink U.S. relations with Africa’s most populous country amid overarching concerns that Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari is drifting toward authoritarianism as his government is besieged by multiple security challenges, including a jihadist insurgency.

Nigeria is on the front lines in the battle against Boko Haram, one of the world’s deadliest terrorist groups, and plays a role in U.S. and international efforts to roll back extremist groups in the Sahel region of West Africa. But Western governments and international human rights organizations have ramped up their criticisms of the Nigerian government, particularly in the wake of its ban on Twitter, systemic corruption issues, and the Nigerian military’s role in deadly crackdowns on protesters after widespread demonstrations against police brutality last year.
Sen. Bob Menendez, chairperson of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, called for a “fundamental rethink of the framework of our overall engagement” with Nigeria during a Senate hearing with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken in June.
Both Menendez and Sen. Jim Risch, the top Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, have placed a hold on the proposed arms sale, according to multiple U.S. officials and congressional aides familiar with the matter, who spoke to Foreign Policy on condition of anonymity.

The details on the proposed sale were first sent by the U.S. State Department to Congress in January before then-former U.S. Vice President Joe Biden was inaugurated as president, according to officials familiar with the matter. In addition to the helicopters, the proposed sale included 28 helicopter engines produced by GE Aviation, 14 military-grade aircraft navigation systems made by Honeywell, and 2,000 advanced precision kill weapon systems—laser-guided rocket munitions, according to information sent by the State Department to Congress and reviewed by Foreign Policy.

Nigeria has relied on U.S. arms sales in the past to help address multiple security challenges: the 12-year insurgency by Boko Haram militants in the country’s northeast, a spate of high-profile kidnapping-for-ransom campaigns targeting schoolchildren in the country’s northwest, and deadly clashes between the country’s semi-nomadic herders and farmers fueled by climate change and environmental degradation of the country’s arable land.

The State Department describes the U.S.-Nigeria relationship as “among the most important in sub-Saharan Africa” and has provided limited funding for various military training and education programs.
Some experts said the United States should hit the pause button on major defense sales until it makes a broader assessment of the extent to which corruption and mismanagement hobble the Nigerian military and whether the military is doing enough to minimize civilian casualties in its campaign against Boko Haram and other violent insurrectionists.

“There doesn’t have to be a reason why we don’t provide weapons or equipment to the Nigerian military,” said Judd Devermont, director of the Africa program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a think tank. “But it has to be done with an assessment of how it will actually, one, change the direction of conflict in Nigeria, and, two, that they will use it consistent with our laws. In both cases, it’s either a question mark or a fail.”

“There is a culture of impunity that exists around abuses by the military,” said Anietie Ewang, the Nigeria researcher at Human Rights Watch. Ewang cited the Nigerian military’s killing of unarmed protesters during the country’s massive #EndSARS demonstrations against police corruption and brutality last year as well as cases documented by human rights organizations of abuses in the military’s campaign against Boko Haram.
“I’m sure it’s a difficult situation. There are so many conflicts springing up across the country now,” Ewang said. “The authorities, I presume, are trying to do the best they can to save lives and properties. But this must be done in accordance with human rights standards. You can’t throw one out just to be able to achieve the other.”

The Nigerian Embassy in Washington did not return a request for comment. In the past, the Nigerian military has dismissed reports on human rights abuses by its soldiers as baseless and accused human rights groups of undermining the military’s resolve to combat terrorism.
The United States has scrubbed proposed arms sales to Nigeria in the past on a case-by-case basis. Former U.S. President Barack Obama’s administration cut back arms sales to Nigeria over concerns about civilian casualties and human rights abuses, including blocking a 2014 sale of Cobra helicopters by Israel to Nigeria. During that time, U.S. officials reportedly voiced concerns that Boko Haram had infiltrated the Nigerian military—an accusation that provoked indignation from the Nigerian government.
These moves severely strained U.S.-Nigeria relations, with Buhari accusing Obama of having unintentionally “aided and abetted” extremist groups by refusing to expand military cooperation and arms sales.
In late 2-17, then-U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration agreed to sell the Nigerian government 12 A-29 Super Tucano warplanes, resurrecting a proposed sale the Obama administration froze after the Nigerian Air Force bombed a refugee camp that January. The first batch of those planes arrived in Nigeria earlier this month.
A U.S. State Department spokesperson declined to comment on the matter, saying: “as a matter of policy, the department does not confirm or comment upon proposed defense sales or transfers until they have been formally notified to Congress.”

Under current practice, the State Department informally notifies Congress through the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and House Foreign Affairs Committee (HFAC) of proposed arms sales in advance of a formal notification. If committee members raise concerns about the proposed sale, the committees can freeze the sale until they receive satisfactory answers about their concerns from the State Department.

Once a proposed arms sale has been formally notified to Congress, Congress has a 30 day window to review the sale and, if it opposes the sale, pass legislation to block it. If Congress takes no action, the sale will move forward.

The top Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Rep. Michael McCaul, has signed off on the proposed sale of Cobra helicopters to Nigeria, a spokesperson for his office confirmed. The office of the HFAC chairperson, Democratic Rep. Gregory Meeks, did not respond to multiple requests for comment.

The Trump administration, frustrated with how Congress held up proposed arms sales for months, weighed scrubbing the decades-old practice of informally notifying Congress about arms sales, but it faced steep backlash over the idea from lawmakers.
A bipartisan group of lawmakers is now looking to further extend congressional oversight over U.S. arms sales to foreign countries. Sens. Chris Murphy, a Democrat, Mike Lee, a Republican, and Bernie Sanders, an Independent, introduced legislation earlier this month aimed at reasserting Congress’s role in foreign policy. The bill included a provision that would require Congress to actively approve all major sales rather than allow arms sales to be automatically approved unless Congress blocked them.

Breaking: the Nigerian Air Force has received Federal Government approval for the acquisition of 24 M-346FA fighter attack aircrafts.

Contract agreement for 12 aircrafts has been signed and deliveries will commence this year. pic.twitter.com/IiVNlEFDkT

— Jake (@Jakepor21) August 26, 2021

Confirmation, this is Huge ! pic.twitter.com/ewg8s4FM0a

— Jake (@Jakepor21) August 26, 2021