The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) on Monday took delivery of two Mi-35M helicopter gunships which the Federal Government ordered from Russia.

The Autonov aircraft, which brought the 3 new helicopters touched down on the runway of the NAF Base in Makurdi at exactly 12:20pm and was received by the Chief of Aircraft Engineering at NAF Headquarters, Air Vice Marshal Abdulganiyu Olabisi on behalf of the Chief of Air Staff, Air Vice Marshal Sadique Abubakar.

According to a statement released on Monday by the NAF Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Vice Marshal Olatukunbo Adesanya, the newly delivered brand new helicopters are capable of night fighting, being the most sophisticated in the Mi-Series of helicopter gunships.

“At the inception of the current NAF leadership in 2015, it was realized that modern Mi-helicopter gunships with night fighting capability needed to be procured towards enhancing the operational capability of the NAF,” the statement said.

“Consequently, it would go a long way in adding impetus to the current efforts at combating the security challenges in Benue State and other parts of the North Central region as well as other forms of criminality facing the country.

“In addition, with the delivery of the additional Mi-35M helicopters, the ongoing counter insurgency operation in the North-east has just received a boost,” it added.

Recall that the NAF took delivery of the first batch of two brand new Mi-35M helicopters in December, 2016. The helicopters were subsequently inducted and have been making significant contributions to counter-insurgency and other internal security operations across the country.