Thread by @DefenseNigeria

TRIBUTE to the most ICONIC aircaft in the Nigerian Air Force.

The A-29 and JF-17 fighters are set to replace the Alpha jet as the frontline aviation of the NAF. The Alpha jet will no doubt still fly, but it will be on a supporting role.

It is prudent however to pay tribute to diminutive Alpha jet. The most iconic aircraft in the NAF. Its classic design, excellent low speed handling and high manoeuvrability gave the NAF a decisive advantage fighting in the low intensive conflicts it was involved in.

It could lug up to 5,500 pounds of munitions on five hardpoints typical load would include two SNEB unguided rocket pods, each carrying 18 68mm rockets and two 250 pounds bombs. Lets not forget its 30mm cannon that can spit out 22 explosive shells a second.

With two extra fuel tanks, an Alpha Jet loaded for battle has a combat radius of only 680km. Its not exactly a sophisticated jet, it lacks modern radars, modern electronic systems etc. No argument about that.

However, they are less complex and easy to maintain in comparison to high performance jet fighters , and when fighting insurgents hiding in the bush, they are nearly as effective.

Nigerian air force has made the most combat use of the Alpha jet. More so than France, Germany, Morocco, Portugal put together. The A-jet first came into prominence during the Liberian civil war. Nigeria had just retired its Jaguars after a spat with BAE systems

The MiG-21 were strictly for strategic air defence. All Nigeria was left with was the Alpha jet aircraft, that had to quickly reconfigured for light attack roles.

You might ask why would Nigeria need air power during peacekeeping operations. Well..

In West Africa peacekeeping is not so straight forward as is the case elsewhere...like the image you see of UN peacekeeping soldiers with blue helmets and white painted vehicles looking chill and everything in order. Its a whole different dynamics in West Africa.

The term peacekeeping is a misnormer, because there is usually no peace to keep. ECOMOG had to militarily subdue the rampaging NPFL rebels first before it could try to

organize a peaceful political settlement, as was the case in Liberia. In the last four months of 1990, a detachment four Alpha Jets hammered rebel enemy gun emplacements at Charles Taylor’s headquarters in Kakata, forcing him to move his base.

Later, ships running guns for Taylor were sunk by the Alpha jets in the seaport of Buchanan. The first and only documented case of an Alpha Jet sinking a ship, to the amazement of the West. The 1990 edition of the prestigious Time Magazine gave a flattering caption.

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

In October 1992, Charles Taylor again launched a massive new assault on Monrovia. This time around Charles Taylor was to have a taste of Nigerian air power.

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 & destroy mission were so effective that the NPFL began attacking at night.

The Alpha Jet didn’t have night flying equipment, but the NAF decided to give it a try anyway. Experienced pilots flew several night raids, fortunately without mishap.

When Nigerian troops needed to cross a bridge aptly called Saint John’s, NPLF rebels had earlier wired with explosives the night before, Alpha Jets were sent to strafe anyone trying to detonate the explosives until ECOMOG troops managed to cross the bridge.

From then on, the A-jets were involved in interdicting the NPFL supply convoys and sank six of the group’s cargo ships.

In 1995 when RUF rebels captured a Uranium mine, two NAF Alpha Jets paired up with a South African mercenary contingent in a counter offensive to recapture the uranuim mines. The A-jets, along with mercenary Mi-24 helicopter gunships pounded RUF positions with bombs and rockets.

.... until they began to flee  into the teeth of ground based ambush parties of tribal Kamajor fighters. The offensive succeeded in driving the RUF from the country and led to the Abidjan peace accords in 1996.

In 1999 the RUF changed their name to “the West Side Boys”, (like it would make a difference) and killed 6,000 people in an operation they named "Operation No Living Thing" and burnt much of the city.

Not satisfied the "West Side Boys" perpetrated mass amputations of civilians. This time around the Nigerian military acted unilaterally. There was no ECOWAS emergency session. Nigeria basically launched an armed invasion of S-leone.

Over 3,000 Nigerian troops supported by a full Squadron of 13 rocket firing Alpha Jets led a bloody counterassault that succeeded in driving the rebels out of the capital . It was a hard fought battle every step of the way.

During the campaign, five aircraft sustained heavy damage from anti-aircraft fire. Three Alpha jets were lost, though all the crew survived. The cause of the losses are unspecified, though at least one is believed to have been shot down.