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The second
stage in the evolution of the NAF was marked by
the outbreak of the Nigerian Civil War in
August 1967. This era witnessed the
launching of the young and inexperienced NAF into war after barely 3
years of its existence.
During the civil war, the NAF was initially tasked with providing light liaison
transport.
However, following the acquisition of the B-26
Bomber aircraft and helicopters by the Biafran Air Force,
the Service was rapidly developed and
tasked with reconnaissance, air defence and offensive roles.
Ground attack aircraft such as
the MiG 15 and 17, and medium transport aircraft were hurriedly acquired
for the Service.
More NAF units were also established in Kano,
Ikeja, Calabar, Port-Harcourt, Makurdi and Enugu within
this period to facilitate the
prosecution of the war. The civil war period
thus signified a period of rapid
expansion in the NAF
in terms of manpower, aircraft, units and equipment.
The third distinct phase in the evolution of the NAF was the post-civil war period (1970-1980) when the
Service was faced with the enormous
challenges of reorganization after being plunged into war
prematurely. Tactical aircraft
were regrouped according to their roles to form an Air Defence Wing and a
Military Airlift
Wing in Enugu and Ikeja respectively, while the NAFTTW was redesignated as NAF Training
Command. An Advanced Flying Training Wing was subsequently established in Kano and equipped
with the
L-29 aircraft.
Following the recognition of the need to
establish an air force that would cater for the future, an
establishment committee was set up in 1974.
This resulted in the approval by the Air Force Council, of a
short-term organizational plan for
the NAF for the period 1975-1980. This constituted the first major
Establishment Review
of the NAF.
The era of consolidation (1980 - 1990) marked a
period of integration into global events and the building
of a sophisticated air force with
the capacity to assert and consolidate Nigeria’s posture and authority at
both regional and
sub-regional levels. Specifically, it marked the
involvement of the NAF in several
successful
international peace-keeping and internal security initiatives that have given it a pride
of place
in the World. This period can be termed the golden years of the NAF, because the
period saw the NAF at
its highest level of professional development. The aircraft inventory
at this period was not only the largest
in NAF history but their serviceability status was also
the highest. The best pilot to aircraft ratio since the
inception of the Service was also
attained during this period. The elaborate
display of air power carried
out by the NAF during its
NAF Day Celebration in 1988 where the Ghanian leader, Flight Lieutenant Jerry
Rawlings,
was the Guest of Honour was a glowing testimony to the status of the NAF at this time.
The period 1990 onwards saw a gradual decline in
the growth, development, professionalism, equipment
and aircraft inventory of the NAF. A
combination of factors including a deliberate policy of neglect by
some past governments, the
general politicisation of the military as a result of the military’s involvement
in
governance, poor leadership and the impact of
the country’s poor economic situation at this time,
all
combined to stunt the growth and development of the NAF. The advent of a democracy
has engendered a
greater desire and commitment to uplift the NAF to its former glory.
As noted above, the NAF went through an
establishment review in the 1975-1980 period. Subsequent
reviews followed in 1988 and 1990 with
the latest being the 2000-2005 review. Each of these reviews
marked a significant
adjustment in the structure, hierarchy and size
of the NAF as more equipment and
personnel were
introduced into the Service. The NAF has today metamorphosed from the initial HQ NAF
and
the NAFTTW with which it started in 1963 to a large organisation structured into commands,
staff
branches, specialist directorates, groups, direct reporting units, schools and
hospitals.
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