The Federal Government has advanced its plan to acquire 12 AH-1Z Viper attack helicopters from the United States for the Nigerian Air Force.
The latest development was marked by a ceremony at Bell Textron’s facility in Amarillo, Texas, where Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Aneke, led a Nigerian delegation to witness the start of production of the helicopters.
The aircraft are being produced under the US Foreign Military Sales programme and are expected to strengthen the Nigerian Air Force’s operational capabilities. Bell confirmed that production of the first aircraft for Nigeria has commenced.
Aneke described the acquisition as an important milestone in the Air Force’s efforts to develop a more capable and mission-ready force.
He said the helicopters would support Nigeria’s counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency operations while improving the Air Force’s ability to work alongside ground forces.
The AH-1Z Viper is an attack helicopter designed primarily for close air support and armed reconnaissance. Nigeria’s acquisition forms part of the Federal Government’s broader programme to modernise the country’s military equipment and improve its response to security threats.
The latest development comes shortly after the Nigerian Air Force received five new helicopters as part of the ongoing effort to expand and modernise its fleet.
The new Vipers will therefore add another specialised attack capability to the Air Force once production and delivery are completed.
Bell said the production programme is expected to run into 2029, with the Nigerian aircraft being assembled at the company’s Amarillo facility in Texas.
The Federal Government has continued to pursue new military acquisitions as part of efforts to strengthen the Armed Forces’ capacity to tackle terrorism, insurgency and other security challenges across the country.
The 12 AH-1Z Vipers represent one of the latest additions to that modernisation programme.
