Thread by @DefenseNigeria

Nigerian Air Force 1980s versus 2021 who wins? (TWO PA)

Background.

After the Nigerian Civil War, in the the Soviet Union delivered 25 MiG-21MF and six MiG-21UM fighters to Nigeria. The MiG-21MF worn camouflaged paint while the two seater arrived with metal color.

The MiG-21 Fishbed was badass at its time,equipped with Soviet RSBN, a short range navigation system. When Chadian forces invaded Nigeria's Lake Chad islands in April 1983, the MIG-21 had its baptism of fire. Its performance showed the military the value of air power.

MiG-21 harassing strikes halted the advance of Chadian forces and bought the army time to mobilize. By the time the army, led by GOC 2rd amoured division Gen M Buhari was fully mobilized and attacked, the Chadians, already weakened by days of airstrikes capitulated and fled.

It was a Eureka moment for the military. Air Power was the ish. A year later Nigeria aquired two Squadrons of the Sepecat Jaguars to be operated from Markurdi and plans to expand the fleet to four Squadrons.

This ambitious sparked a negative chain reaction for Nigeria.

The Sepecat Jaguar is an Anglo-French fighter jet. They were frequently deployed in defence of French national interest in Africa in the 70s. It was so badass it spurned the term "Jaguar Diplomacy" (la diplomatie du Jaguar).

To put things into perspective, French Jaguars stationed at Chads Capital Ndjamena was targeted for sabotage by Libyan Special Forces owing to their effectiveness against Libyan forces. This gives you an idea of how lethal the Jaguar is.

In the early 80s the Chadian military decimated Libya's large and powerful army. The term "Toyota War" was coined after their spectacular exploit. They not only defeated Gadaffis forces in the desert, Chadian troops entered Libya's southern territories and took several airbases.

It was one of the most spectacular one sided victories in modern military history. In one engagement 3,000 Libyan troops were killed with Chad lossing just 25 men.

It is this spectacular victory that gave the Chadians the confidence it needed to invade Nigerian territory in

an unprovoked attack and seized 19 Lake Chad islands and parts of northern Borno. They expected this to be a cake walk, afterall they decimated Gaddafdi's forces. forgeting they couldn't have done it without French air support.

They paid a terrible price for their for their misadventure into Nigerian territory. The GOC of the 3rd Armoured Div General M.Buhari unilaterally closed the Nigerian border and mobilized his forces, while MiG-21 Fishbeds pounded the Chadians round the clock,

giving them no respite. By the time Gen Buhari had fully mobilized his men and started pounding enemy position with heavy artillery the demoralized Chadians were in retreat mode and made a mad dash for the border, expecting

respite once they left Nigerian territory. But the GOC was determined to teach the Chadians a lesson they will not soon forget. Defying orders to stand down, Nigerian troops crossed the border and continued their chase, heading for the Chadian capital Ndjamena.

15km from Ndjamena it took a direct order from President Shagari, who did not want to cause an international incident, and threats of Court Marshall for the GOC to end their pursuit. The blinding counter attack was so swift there was nothing the French could do about it.

The MiG-21 was the star attraction. It was the first time air power was used in defence of Nigeria's territory against a hostile actor.

Within months Nigeria signed a contract for 18 Jaguars. Here see Nigeria's Jaguars under construction at the BAe plant in Warton.

Nigeria's Jaguar on a test flight from BAe Warton in January 1984. The month after it made its first flight it was delivered in August 1984.

This was unsettling for Paris. France knows first hand the capability of the Sepecat Jaguars. It used it against Libya to devastating effect. The prospect of the Sepecat Jaguar serving as the main strike/attack aircraft of Nigeria was unsettling. But this business.

Then Nigeria requested precision guided weapons to enhance the deep strike capability of the NAF and in flight refueling tankers

All hell broke lose. France witnessed first hand how its protège, Chad,that smashed the Libyan army was decimated by the Nigerian military.

and the role NAF MiG-21 fighters played. Instilling in France the fear of the Nigerian military. The prospect of Nigeria acquiring deep strike capabilities was more than France could take. And so began the campaign to prevent Nigeria from having deep strike capability. Paris

accused Nigeria of covertly harbouring expansionist plans and warned they could be used to invade neighbouring countries. The NAF is without peer in the region, why is Nigeria pursuing precision weaponry and in flight refueling capability for extended range? unless Nigeria had

..plans to invade its neighbour went their argument. Despite arguments to the contrary, the NAF was denied its request by BAE and insisted the NAF will have to do with iron bombs.

And in the most denigrading of manner, BAE Systems took it a step further, stipulating that the

jets is to be used for defensive purposes only. Breaching this agreement will mean withdrawal of all technical support and spare parts. Also the NAF must not seek spares from a third party without approval of BAe Systems.

A scenario that will repeat itself in 2015 (PART TWO)

The NAFs offensive air power in the 80s consisted of.

Two MiG-21 Squadron ( 24)
Two Sepecat Jaguar Squadron (18)
24 Alpha Jet.
22Aero L-29 operating from bases in Kano.

In the late 1980s, NAF donated ten of its L-29s to the Ghana Air Force, leaving it with a fleet of 12.

The NAF ordered 24 new L-39ZA aircraft in the mid-80s. The L-39ZA is armed and equipped with Western avionics, The aircraft arrived in Nigeria in two batches in 1986 and 1987, on its own axis.

In the early nineties, the Nigerian Air Force put into storage its Sepecat Jaguars and MiG-21MF-75/bis and UM aircrafts due to a lack of spares and finance.

MiG-21 and Sepecat Jaguars open storage at Markurdi base in 2009.