# Nigerian Army launches UAV command, set to receive hardware

- Link: https://www.military.africa/2020/10/nigerian-army-launches-uav-command-set-to-receive-hardware/
- Published: 2020-10-07T17:03:18+01:00
- Author: Military Africa

A few years ago, a Nigerian Air Force Ch-3 combat drone made history when it was
used to destroy a Boko Haram logistics base in Sambisa forest.

Since then, Nigeria has steadily [utilized unmanned ](https://www.military.africa/2020/10/nigerian-army-launches-uav-command-set-to-receive-hardware/military.africa/2018/09/nigerian-state-to-use-drones-to-combat-ethnic-violence)
systems in its fight against terrorism across the country.

ADVERTISEMENT

At the opening ceremony of the ongoing Combined First, Second, and Third Quarter
Chief Of Army Staff Conference held yesterday in Maiduguri, Borno State, Nigeria’s
Chief of Army Staff Lt. General Tukur Buratai highlighted the latest progress made
by the Nigerian Army in its operations across the country.

The Chief of Army Staff Conference is a periodic meeting where field commanders,
Principal staff officers, heads of units and formations come together to reflect
and review ongoing operations and strategies in order to restrategize and make improvements.

General Buratai briefed that the Army is soon to receive new equipment to prosecute
the ongoing counterterror operations.

ADVERTISEMENT

Also, Chief of Policy and Planning, Nigerian Army Lt. General Lamidi Adeosun disclosed
that the NA has implemented critical aspects of its ORBAT 2016 (Order of Battle),
established new formations and commands such as the 4th Special forces command, 
Unmanned Aerial Vehicles command for Operations Lafia Dole, as well as several [Super Camps.](https://www.military.africa/2020/10/nigerian-army-launches-uav-command-set-to-receive-hardware/military.africa/2019/09/nigerian-army-super-camps-or-strategic-retreat)

While details regarding the newly formed UAV command are still scarce, a military
insider disclosed to _Military Africa_ that the command intends to deliver responsive,
persistent and precise UAV capabilities to achieve the NA’s mission.

Also, the new UAV command will raise, train and sustain a UAV force which will ensure
task competency to deliver precise and timely Air Imagery Intelligence.

ADVERTISEMENT

“This will involve mostly, interpreting and analysing the data collected by the 
UAVs and translating them into actionable intelligence for timely dissemination 
to the Nigerian military leadership.”

For now, it is not yet certain if the new Nigerian Army UAV command will operate
alongside the Nigerian Air Force Combat Reconnaissance Group (203 _CRG_) in Gombe
state.

The Nigerian Army has been known to operate several commercial-grade drones sourced
from the civilian market.

In 2016, media reports suggested that Nigeria is expecting several Adcom Systems
[Yabhon Flash-20 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs)](https://www.military.africa/2020/10/nigerian-army-launches-uav-command-set-to-receive-hardware/military.africa/2018/12/algeria-displays-adcom-systems-yahbon-flash-20-and-united-40-uav)
from the United Arab Emirates

The Yabhon Flash-20 UAVs will replace the [Chinese-made CH-3 armed UAVs acquired from China](https://www.military.africa/2020/10/nigerian-army-launches-uav-command-set-to-receive-hardware/military.africa/2017/09/the-three-deadliest-drone-powers-in-africa),
which crashed in January 2015 and the type has apparently been problematic in Nigerian
service. The CH-3 UAVs have been armed [with AR-1 air-to-ground missiles.](https://www.military.africa/2020/10/nigerian-army-launches-uav-command-set-to-receive-hardware/military.africa/2020/01/the-chinese-ar-1-missile)

Nigeria also has Aerostar UAVs and some indigenous designs in service such as the
Gulma, Tsaigumi, Amebo, and Ichoku hand-launched mini-uav.

 military.africa/2020/05/aai-corp-awarded-contract-to-supply-aerosonde-mk4-7-to-
nigeria-and-uganda

More recently, in May this year, AAI Corp., a subsidiary of Textron Systems, Hunt
Valley, Maryland, [was contracted to supply ](https://www.military.africa/2020/10/nigerian-army-launches-uav-command-set-to-receive-hardware/military.africa/2020/05/aai-corp-awarded-contract-to-supply-aerosonde-mk4-7-to-nigeria-and-uganda)
the Aerosonde Mk4.7 unmanned aerial system to Nigeria.

The contract announced by the Pentagon on May 8 involves supplying three Aerosonde
Mk4.7 UAV systems with spare parts, logistics support, new equipment training, and
two field service representatives worth $25,610,000 firm-fixed-price to Nigeria

### _Related_