The Nigerian Air Force (NAF), says it has graduated additional fighter pilots to boost its operational capability to meet contemporary security challenges.

NAF Director of Public Relations’ and Information, AVM Olatokunbo Adesanya, said this in a statement issued on Friday in Abuja.

Adesanya said the graduation was part of NAF’s unrelenting efforts at boosting its operational capability to meet contemporary security challenges.

“ The graduation, which took place at the 407 Air Combat Training Group (ACTG), Kainji underscores the importance the current NAF leadership places on human capacity development for improved professional performance,” Adesanya said.

The statement said that the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, said the graduation of additional combat pilots would boost the efforts of the Air Force in the ongoing fight against insurgency and other forms of armed banditry in the country.

Abubakar said training has always remained a major agent of transformation, noting that 407 ACTG has continued to fulfill its role of training combat ready fighter pilots for NAF to defend the nation’s territorial integrity by air.

The statement said the airforce chief was represented by AVM Mohammed Idris, the Air Officer Commanding (AOC), Air Training Command.

Abubakar congratulated the graduands for being able to complete the combat training programme.

He said the rigours of the training were aimed at giving the pilots the requisite foundation and balance to prepare them for greater challenges they would face in the operational squadron.

He reminded them of their importance to operational effectiveness and accordingly urged them to be ready to contribute their quota to enhance NAF operations.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that the Tactical Fighter Course 21B, which commenced in April 2017, included the Ground Academics and Flying Phases with the Flying Phase focusing on conversion flying on the Alpha Jet aircraft and tactical flying on the same aircraft.

Additionally, the pilots received training on air-to-ground and air-to-air missions.