Thread by @DefenseNigeria

Those having fits over Nigeria's re-armament are in for a rough ride as the NAF prepares to take delivery of the first Squadron (twelve) of M-346FA in December.

Twenty four M-346FA's will replace the iconic Alpha Jets fleet of 16 aircafts. Aquired in the mid- 80s they are the oldest serving aircafts in the NAF inventory. 1990

The Alpha jets were deployed to Liberia during ECOMOG peacekeeping operations where they sunk ships running guns for Chalrlse Taylor in the Seaport of Buchanan and hammered rebel gun emplacements at Charles Taylor’s headquarters in Kakata, forcing him to move his base.

"The firepower of NAF fighter aircraft has finally dealt an incalculable blow to the war effort of the NPFL leader"

- TIME Magazine.

Charles Taylor wasnt done. In October 1992 Taylor launched a massive assault on Monrovia. A year and half after the last ECOMOG forces left.

A detachment of six NAF Alpha Jets flew over a thousand missions in response, employing Beluga cluster bombs  a 628 pound munition that disperses 152 small bomblets by parachute. The NAF’s search and destroy mission were so effective that the NPFL began attacking at night lol

The Alpha Jet was not built for night attack missions, but the NAF, banking on the experience of its pilots did the unthinkable. They began flying attack missions from bases in Kainji at NIGHT !!

Helpless against Nigerian air power, NPLA forces began using civilians as human shields to deter the Alpha jets. Unable to hit NPLA positions due to civilians, Alpha jets began hitting NPLF supply convoys and naval vessels, sinking six of the group's cargo ships.

In 1995 fighting erupted in Sierra-Leone as various warlords fought over the country's mine fields. There were cases of rape, cannibalism, mutilation and murders.

The NAF deployed a pair of Alpha jets to support the ECOMOG Task Force that was deployed.

Alpha jets are heavily armed with rockets, cannons and they were put to good use. NAF Alpha jets
pounded RUF positions with bombs and rockets until they began to flee straight into ambush parties lying in wait.

The airstrikes succeeded in driving the RUF from the country and led to the Abidjan peace accords in 1996.

That accorded lasted barely a year before fighting erupted once again for control of the country's rich uranuim mine fields.

NAF Alpha jets flying from bases in Nigeria dropped cluster bombs on rebel positions in Kenema and the capital Freetown. That was enough to subdue the rebels.

In 1999 the RUF changed its name to the West Side Boys and overran the capital Freetown, killing 6,000 people.

There was also reports of mass amputations. About 3,000 civilians were amputed. The RUF commander openly dared ECOMOG to intervene. Irritated by the constant fighting Nigeria unilaterally launched an invasion of Sierra-Leone with thousands of troops and amoured vehicles.

The 3,000 Nigerian troops supported by Alpha Jets launched a bloody counterassault that drove the rebels out of the capital  Freetown. During the invasion 10 aircrafts sustained heavy damage from anti-aircraft fire and one Alpha jets was shot down. Athough the crew survived.

Alpha jets did not see much action against Niger Delta insurgent. Helicopter gunships were the aircraft of choice, where they operated from the 115 Special Operations Group (115 SOG) Port Harcourt.

The NAF was actually planning to retire the Alpha jets when the Boko Haram insurgency began. Thirteen Alpha jets were taken out of near retirement and refurbished for combat operations, where they deployed alongside F-7Ni fighters to provide ground support for troops.

No other nation in the world has made combat use of the Alpha jets as the Nigeria. It is the most iconic aircaft in the Nigerian Air Force. But its time has come to an end. The JF-17 fighter, Super Tucano and M-346 FA represents the new era of Nigerian Air Power.