ISLAMABAD – The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has returned four Super Mushshak aircraft loaned by the Pakistan Government for the ab-initio flying training of its pilots at 401 Flying Training School Kaduna.
The disassembled aircraft were loaded aboard a cargo aircraft and flown out of the NAF Base Kaduna on October 23, as seen in the pictures gathered by PoliticsNGR.
The returned aircraft were temporarily made available by the Pakistani government, at no extra cost to the NAF, for the commencement of training of its pilots in December 2016, prior to the delivery of the 10 trainer aircraft ordered by the NAF.
With the now returned 4 Super Mushshak trainer aircraft, the NAF was able to train four Instructor Pilots and graduate 16 ab-initio student pilots, including 2 female pilots, at the 401 Flying Training School Kaduna. This has enhanced the ability of the NAF to train its pilots locally thereby helping to build the needed capacity to further prosecute the fight against insurgency in the North East.
Having taken delivery of the first batch of 5 new trainer aircraft, there was no longer any need for the NAF to retain the 4 loaned Super Mushshak aircraft and hence, the return of the aircraft, in line with the agreement between the two parties.
The NAF is expecting to receive the remaining five brand new Super Mushshak aircraft it had since ordered before the end of December 2017.
