Nigeria: Air Force Gets Chinese Jets Soon

[BUFF]

Daily Trust (Abuja)

14 February 2008

Posted to the web 14 February 2008

Benjamin Auta

 

The first batch of Chinese made F-7 fighters purchased by the Nigeria

Airforce is due to arrive the country early next year, Daily Trust learnt in

Abuja yesterday.

A source in the Nigeria Airforce (NAF), who spoke exclusively to Daily

Trust, said that already, the Airforce and the manufacturers of the fighter

aircraft in China are fine tuning the process of acquisition of the F-7s.

Daily Trust also learnt that some Nigeria Airforce pilots will soon be sent

to China for training on the F-7 fighter plane.

 

The source did not reveal the number of fighter planes expected, as he said

the Russian made Mig 21 jets which have been used by the NAF for decades are

now being completely phased out, hence the need for the Chinese made jets.

"We are expecting the first batch of F-7 fighter planes from China in the

early quarters of 2009. We can not say how many they are going to be, but we

expect them to be about ten in number," the source revealed.

Similarly, the NAF is expected to receive one of its transporter planes

(G-222) which is being refurbished in Italy, as pilots and crewmen of the

plane are presently standing by to take its delivery from the Italian

contractors.

"The refurbishment of the G-222 is simultaneously going on in Italy and some

at our hangar in Lagos State are expected to be completed in this first

phase," he said.

Earlier, one of the transporter planes in the fleet of the NAF, which was

refurbished in Bordeaux, France, was received by the Minister of Defence in

Abuja last year.

[MigBuster]

The Mig-21 lives on - cant believe they were in production till 2006

 

How many versions! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F-7_Skybolt

[+76.IAP-Blackbird]

There are some Airforces wich still use the 15/17 and 19!

[JediMaster]

I think there are a few Meteors and T-33s still out there, although not really in "front line" service.

[Miya_Sama]

I read that there is much resentment over selection of the Chinese plane because it is, in design, not much better than the planes they are meant to replace as in essentially replacing a generation 2 plane with a generation 3 plane capability-wise

[Longestpants]

I think there are a few Meteors and T-33s still out there, although not really in "front line" service.

 

Think that's bad, Guatemala was operating P-26s until 1957. They still use (in some cases outrageously) outdated aircraft, none of which could be mobilized in time to prevent an invasion; let alone the drug smuggling planes that fly over blithely and regularly.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guatemalan_Air_Force

Edited March 8, 2008 by Longestpants

[lazboy]

Well who says nobody ever falls for the old Nigerian 419 scam they have managed to buy an air force off the proceeds!

 

Lazboy

Edited March 11, 2008 by lazboy

[+Gocad]

I read that there is much resentment over selection of the Chinese plane because it is, in design, not much better than the planes they are meant to replace as in essentially replacing a generation 2 plane with a generation 3 plane capability-wise

 

Maybe, but sometimes you have to take what you can get. I doubt that Nigeria would be able to order better aircraft from the US, Europe or even Russia at the moment.