The Ministry of Defence has officially handed over three Agusta Westland 109 Trekker helicopters to the Nigerian Navy in a brief ceremony held at Caverton Helicopters Limited in Ikeja, Lagos.
In a statement issued by the Director Naval Information, Commodore A. Adams-Aliu, the event saw the attendance of key military officials, including the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, along with the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Defence, Ibrahim Abubakar Kana, and other dignitaries from the Caverton Group.
The AW 109 helicopters are equipped with a purpose-built VIP configuration, featuring a luxurious leather interior and advanced noise attenuation systems. Designed with landing skids, these helicopters boast superior loading capacity compared to their wheeled counterparts. Notably, the helicopters come with auxiliary fuel tanks, allowing for an impressive operational endurance of up to 3 hours and 40 minutes, making them ideal for long-range transport missions. They can also be retrofitted with specialized mission equipment as needed.
During the ceremony, Vice Admiral Ogalla expressed deep appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his unwavering support for the Armed Forces, particularly the Nigerian Navy. He also thanked the Minister of Defence and the Minister of State for Defence for their roles in facilitating the acquisition, which is expected to significantly enhance naval operations in areas such as air reconnaissance, search and rescue, air insertion, and medical evacuation (MEDEVAC).
The addition of these helicopters marks a pivotal step in bolstering the operational capabilities of the Nigerian Navy, ensuring readiness for various missions in support of national security.
