The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has taken a step towards reducing reliance on foreign technical support for military aviation after its personnel completed the local reassembly of two H125 helicopters at its Ikeja base in Lagos.

The exercise, carried out with technical assistance from Airbus Helicopters following delivery of the aircraft, gave NAF personnel direct hands-on experience in assembling and supporting the modern rotary-wing platforms.

Beyond the delivery of the two helicopters, the exercise is significant for the technical knowledge transferred to Nigerian personnel, particularly in the maintenance and operational support of the aircraft.

The NAF said the engagement with Airbus technical personnel exposed its personnel to practical procedures required to support the helicopters, while strengthening their capacity to handle modern aviation platforms.

The development also deepens the technical relationship between the Nigerian military and Airbus Helicopters, with the local reassembly providing an opportunity for knowledge exchange between the manufacturer’s specialists and NAF technicians.

For the Air Force, the experience could provide an important foundation for building a broader pool of locally trained personnel capable of supporting sophisticated rotary-wing aircraft through their operational life.

The completion of the reassembly exercise at the NAF Base in Ikeja therefore represents more than the arrival of two new helicopters, as it also highlights the growing emphasis on developing domestic technical expertise to support Nigeria’s military aviation fleet.