Nigerian Air Force

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) is the air arm of the Nigerian military. It was established in January 1964. With an estimated 70,000 personnel and well over 850 aircraft, it is the largest air force on the entire African continent. Owing to Nigeria's non-alignment in foreign affairs, the NAF flies a wide variety of aircraft from virtually every major power, regardless of ideology. Air Marshal Paul Dike serves as the current Chief of Air Staff, and has held this position since 2006.
==History==
Although the Air Force was originally proposed in 1958, many lawmakers preferred to rely on the United Kingdom for air defense. But during peacekeeping operations in Congo and Tanganyika, the Nigerian Army had no air transport of their own, and in so 1962 the government began to recruit cadets for pilot training in various foreign countries, with the first 10 learning from the Ethiopian Air Force.
The Nigerian Air Force was formally established in January 1964 with technical assistance from West Germany. The air force started life as a transport unit with aircrew being trained in Canada, Ethiopia and India.
The head of the West German Assistance Group was Colonel G. Kahz, and he became the first commander of the NAF. The nucleus of the NAF was thus established with the formation of the Nigerian Air Force headquarters at the Ministry of Defense.
==Chiefs of the Air Staff==
The following have served as Chief of the Air Staff, the senior appointment in the Nigerian Air Force:
Year 	Rank 	Name
1963-1965 	Colonel 	Gerhard Kahtz
1965-1966 	Colonel 	W. Timming
1966-1967 	Lieutenant Colonel	George Tamunosyowunam Kurubo
1967 - 1969	Colonel 	Shittu A. Alao
1969 - 1975	Brigadier 	Emmanuel E. Ikwue
1975 - 1980	Air Vice-Marshal 	John Nmadu Yisa-Doko
1980 - 1983	Air Vice-Marshal 	Abdullahi Dominic Bello
1983 - 1990	Air Marshal 	Ibrahim Mahmud Alfa
1990 - 1992	Air Vice-Marshal 	Nuraini Oladimeji Omotosho Yussuff
1992 - 1993	Air Marshal 	Akin Dada
1993 - 1996	Air Vice Marshal 	Femi John Femi
1996 - 1999	Air Marshal 	Nsikak-Abasi Essien Eduok
1999 - 2001	Air Marshal 	Isaac Mohammed Alfa
2001 - 2006	Air Marshal 	Jonah Wuyep
2006 - 	Air Marshal 	Paul Dike
Ranks shown are those held whilst the officer was commanding the NAF.
==Rank structure==
The NAF's rank structure is similar RAF's rank structure from where its ranks were derived.
===Officers===
In descending order of importance the NAF officer ranks are:
*Marshal of the Air Force
*Air Chief Marshal
*Air Marshal
*Air Vice Marshal
*Air Commodore
*Group Captain
*Wing Commander
*Squadron Leader
*Flight Lieutenant
*Flying Officer
*Pilot Officer
===Airmen===
In descending order of importance the NAF airman ranks are:
*Air Warrant Officer
*Master Warrant Officer
*Warrant Officer
*Flight Sergeant
*Sergeant
*Corporal
*Lance Corporal
*Aircraftman
==Aircraft inventory==
===Fighters===
*Chengdu F-7MG fighter (26)
*Dassault Mirage F-1E multirole fighter (50)
*Dassault Mirage 2000C interceptor (12)
*Hawker Siddeley AV-8A Harrier reconnaissance fighter (20)
*Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21SMT (NATO "Fishbed-K") multirole fighter (92)
*Mikoyan MiG-29S (Fulcrum-C) multirole fighter (42)
*Panavia Tornado ADV F2 interceptor (27)
===Ground attack===
*Eurocopter AS 355M2 attack helicopter (28)
*Mikoyan MiG-27 Flogger-D attack aircraft (40)
*Northrop F-5A Freedom Fighter fighter-bomber (37)
*Northrop F-5E Tiger II fighter-bomber (22)
*SEPECAT Jaguar SN strike aircraft (25)
===Transport===
*Aeritalia G.222 medium transport (12)
*Aérospatiale Super Frelon heavy transport helicopter (8)
*Boeing 707 VIP transport (1)
*Boeing 727 VIP transport (1)
*Boeing 737 VIP transport (1)
*British Aerospace BAe 125 medium business jet (11)
*Britten-Norman BN-2A Islander light utility transport aircraft (44)
*Dornier Do 228 turboprop airliner (7)
*EADS CASA C-295 turboprop transport (6)
*Fokker F27 Friendship turboprop airliner (4)
*Fokker F28 Fellowship turboprop airliner (2)
*Grumman Gulfstream II business jet (5)
*Grumman Gulfstream IV business jet (5)
*Ilyushin Il-76M strategic airlifter (2)
*Lockheed C-130H Hercules medium transport (17)
*MBB Bo 105CBS utility transport helicopter (34)
===Utility===
*Aérospatiale SA 319 Alouette III light utility helicopter (54)
*Dornier Do 27 light utility aircraft (11)
*Dornier Do 28 Skyservant light utility aircraft (11)
*Eurocopter AS 532 SC multipurpose utility helicopter (25)
*Eurocopter AS 355E Ecureuil light utility helicopter (15)
*Lockheed P-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft (7)
===Trainers===
*Aermacchi MB-339AN advanced trainer (29)
*Dassault/Dornier Alpha Jet E advanced trainer (20)
*Embraer EMB 312 Tucano basic trainer (34)
*Grob G 115 basic trainer (51)
*SEPECAT Jaguar BN two-seat trainer (38)
Category:Air forces
Air Force, Nigerian