NAF adopts new plan to protect bases from terrorists attack – CAS
NAN-DS-4
NAF
Mohammad Tijjani
Kaduna, May 25, 2017 [NAN] The Nigeria Air Force [NAF], on Thursday began deliberations on ways to ensure water tight security to insulate its bases nationwide from possible attacks by terrorists.
The two-day Base Defence Planning retreat, holding in Kaduna, is to educate base commanders; regiment, intelligence, and air provost officers; and RSMs to assimilate the new base defence strategy adopted by NAF.
Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, said at the opening of the retreat that base security was paramount to the overall success of the air force in securing the country.
“Just as it is important to ensure availability of serviceable aircraft and proficient crews to guarantee mission success, it is essential to provide safe and secured bases from where the operations are mounted and the personnel and their families are quartered.
“Given the importance of bases in the airpower delivery matrix, it is not inconceivable to expect our adversaries to target our bases.
“As a matter of fact, we have had an attack on one of our airbases in the recent past, and current intelligence reports keep highlighting the possibility of attacks on our bases.
“All these reinforce the need to emplace a robust base defence concept that is capable of providing guidance for responding to a wide range of situations that may threaten our bases,” Abubakar said.
He said the Air Force would deploy “air-minded ground defence force, trained and equipped as special light infantry” to operate within and outside the bases and protect them against contemporary threats.
The air force chief said the new defence force would leverage on intelligence and available modern technology.
He explained that the air force high command had introduced young officers and aspiring commanders to the new defence programme at the early stages of their careers.
“To actualize this strategy, a Base Defence Package has been incorporated into the training curriculum of the NAF Air War College,” he added.
The Chief of Air Staff, therefore, charged the participants to promote the new concept of base defence in the NAF.
“This in our view, is the only way to guarantee that our bases are safer, more secure, and more capable of repelling any attack directed at them.”
He reminded the participants of the security challenges facing the nation ranging from terrorism to militancy, kidnapping, and economic sabotage.
“These challenges have placed more demands on the Nigerian Air Force as the custodian of the nation’s airpower.
This came from the realization that airpower remains a potent and credible force capable of responding to a variety of contingencies because of its attributes of height, reach, speed, and firepower amongst others.”
The air force chief stressed, however, that airpower requires bases that are appropriately equipped, staffed and secured to support aircraft operations.
The News Agency of Nigeria [NAN] reports that the Chief of Air Staff also inaugurated a regimental training centre and electronic range at the NAF base, Kaduna. [NAN]
TJ/MZA
Edited by Maharazu Ahmed