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History of The Nigerian Air Force |
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Former Chiefs of Air Staffs
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AIR CHIEF MARSHAL PAUL DIKE (2005-2008) |
Air Chief Marshal Paul Dike hails from Isele-Uku in Aniocha North Local
Government Area of Delta State. Air Chief Marshal Paul Dike joined the
Nigerian Defence Academy on 22 January 1973 as an officer cadet and was
granted a regular combatant commission into the Nigerian Air Force as a
Pilot Officer on 21 June 1975.
Air Chief Marshal Dike attended several courses at home and abroad.
Some of the courses include Primary Flying Training at 301 Flying
Training school (FTS), Kaduna; Undergraduate Pilot Training at
Vance Air Force Base, Oklahoma in the United States and Instructor
Pilot Training at Randolph Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas.
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He also attended the MB-339 Tactical Conversion Course and the L-39 Tactical Recurrency
Training in Italy and Czechoslovakia respectively.
Air Chief Marshal Paul Dike is a graduate of the Air Command and Staff College, Alabama,
USA and the National War College, Abuja. Air Chief Marshal Paul Dike has flown several
aircraft types some of which include Piaggio, Bulldog, Cessna, T-37 Jet Trainer and T-38
Super Sonic Trainer in the course of his flying training. The Air Chief Marshal also flew
the MiG 15, MiG 17, MiG 21, L-39, MB-339, and the Alpha jet in various capacities both as
a Combat and Instructor Pilot.
Air Chief Marshal Paul Dike held several appointments. He was the Staff Officer
(1) Operations, Headquarters Tactical air Command; an Instructor Pilot at the
Operational Conversion Unit of MiG 21; Chief Flying Instructor 303 FTS, Commander
NAF Station Yola; Commander ECOMOG Air Detachment in Freetown, Sierra Leone and a
Directing Staff at AFCSC Jaji.
Other appointments held by Air Chief Marshal Paul Dike include Airport Commandant
Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos; Commander National Air Defence Corps;
Deputy Director Plans and later Director of Operations both at Headquarters Nigerian
Air Force; Commander 303 Flying Training School, and Commander Presidential Air Fleet,
Abuja. Air Chief Marshal Paul Dike was also the Air Officer Commanding (AOC) Training
Command Kaduna and later Tactical Air Command Makurdi before he became the 15th Chief
of the Air Staff (CAS) on 1 Jun 06. He was later appointed the Chief of Defence Staff,
Defence Headquarters, Abuja on 20 Aug 08 and finally retired from the Service on 8 Sep 10.
Air Chief Marshal Dike is a recipient of both National and International honours.
He received the National Honour of the Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR).
He was also given the most outstanding Air Force Officer Award in 1996. As a student
at the National War College Abuja, he was awarded the Chief of the Air Staff prize for
best Air Power research work. In the international arena, Air Chief Marshal Dike is an
inducted member of the International Honour Roll of the Air University of the United
States Air Force. Other medals and decorations received by the Air Chief Marshal include
Forces Service Star (FSS), Meritorious Service Star (MSS), Distinguished Service Star
(DSS) and Fellow National War College (fwc). He holds a Master of Science Degree (MSc)
in Strategic Studies and a Doctorate Degree from Igbinedion University.
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