The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar, today, 12 November 2024, hosted the Vice President Defence and MRO of Aero Vodochody, Mr Jan Stechr, and his team at the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Headquarters, Abuja. The visit centred on enhancing technical support and sustainability for the NAF’s L-39 aircraft fleet.

Air Marshal Abubakar lauded Aero Vodochody’s 4 decades of partnership with the NAF and affirmed the Service’s commitment to exploring options for fleet optimisation. He assured the delegation that their proposals, including reactivation, upgrades, and potential acquisition of the L-39 Next Generation (NG), would be thoroughly evaluated. 

Mr Stechr highlighted how these initiatives would boost fleet readiness and operational effectiveness. The engagement with Aero Vodochody aligns with the CAS' Command Philosophy which is driving the NAF's transformation into an agile and resilient force, effectively delivering credible airpower to address national security imperatives in all operational environments.