BY KINGSLEY OMONOBI

ABUJA-The Nigeria Air Force has re-inducted six Alpha Jet fighter aircraft into its operations, five years after the entire squadron was grounded as a result of lack of funding to carry out periodic depot maintenance, PDM.

The aircraft, which was the flagship of the NAF inventory until the arrival of Chinese made F7Ni supersonic fighter jets last year, were brought back to the air, following successful PDM carried out by the Aeronautical Engineering and Technical Support Limited, AETSL, of the NAF, in partnership with the International Jets Company of the USA.

Director of Public Relations of the Airforce, Air Commodore Yusuf Anas, who confirmed the re-induction of the fighter aircrafts, noted that six other alpha jets still undergoing PDM at Kainji, Niger State, would be completed and handed over to the NAF for operational purposes early next year to boost flight activities.

Commodore Anas’ confirmation came just as he said that the Super Puma helicopters which had been grounded for over 10 years and is currently undergoing PDM in France, would be completed and re-inducted into the NAF fleet by December.