The Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar, has affirmed the Nigerian Air Force’s (NAF) commitment to deepening operational synergy with the Nigerian Army and other services to counter evolving security threats.
The Air Chief made the affirmation on Friday, while speaking at the Army War College Nigeria (AWCN), Abuja, during a lecture to participants of Course 9/2025 themed “Military Strategic Leadership in Air Operations: My Perspective,” where he unveiled an enhanced Concept of Operations (CONOPS) for the NAF.
According to him, NAF’s recalibrated CONOPS is designed to integrate manned and unmanned platforms, leverage real-time data, and drive precision-based joint operations,” with a clear goal: achieve decisive airpower effects with seamless inter-service collaboration.
At the heart of this strategic shift, Air Marshal Abubakar said, is the Air-to-Ground Integration (AGI) initiative led by the Air Warfare and Doctrine Centre, aimed at harmonising air and land operations for maximum impact.
“We are committed to fostering synergy, interoperability, and agility with the Nigerian Army in our operations,” he added.
Highlighting operational successes, the CAS revealed that in the past year, the Air Component of Northeast operations flew 1,026 sorties and logged over 2,236 hours in ISR, interdiction, and reconnaissance missions, key to reclaiming several troubled areas. In the Northwest, joint operations have neutralised over 1,150 terrorists and destroyed 669 criminal hideouts across Sectors 1 and 2.
“This is a defining moment for our Armed Forces,” Air Marshal Abubakar declared, adding that “jointness is not just a concept, it is the new operational reality that will secure lasting peace and protect our nation.”
The NAF’s enhanced synergy with the Nigerian Army and sister services signals a bold step forward in reshaping Nigeria’s counterinsurgency landscape for good.
