# NAF recovers crashed Alpha jet, one year after

- Link: https://www.military.africa/2022/03/naf-recovers-crashed-alpha-jet-one-year-after/
- Published: 2022-03-28T08:08:00+01:00
- Author: Ekene Lionel

Nigerian Troops deployed under Operation Desert Sanity have found the wreckage of
an Alpha Jet aircraft in Sambisa Forest, Borno State [that crashed almost a year ago.](https://www.military.africa/2021/04/nigerian-air-force-alpha-jet-lost-during-counter-terror-operations)

The Nigerian Army said in a short statement on Saturday, March 26, 2022, that the
aircraft (NAF 475), belonging to the Nigerian [Air Force], had gone off the radar
with two crew members on board on March 31, 2021.

> [Nigerian Air Force Alpha jet lost during counter-terror operations](https://www.military.africa/2021/04/nigerian-air-force-alpha-jet-lost-during-counter-terror-operations/)

The Dassault Dornier Alpha jet A/E trainer and light attack aircraft was on routine
mission in support of troops of in the Northern part of Nigeria [before it crashed.](https://www.military.africa/2021/04/nigerian-air-force-alpha-jet-lost-during-counter-terror-operations)

The military did not disclose the state of the two airmen likely due to the sensitive
nature of the affair.

The Air Force [announced](https://www.military.africa/2021/04/nigerian-air-force-alpha-jet-lost-during-counter-terror-operations)
at the time that it lost radar contact of the aircraft in the late hours of Thursday,
31 of March during an attack run against jihadist forces in Maiduguri, the Borno
State capital.

ADVERTISEMENT

The NAF at the time launched a rescue mission for the missing combat aircraft pilots
but [could not locate the wreckage or crash site of its Dassault Alpha jet A/E.](https://www.military.africa/2021/10/nigeria-yet-to-locate-missing-alpha-jet-six-months-after-it-went-down)

> [Nigeria yet to locate missing Alpha jet, six months after it went down](https://www.military.africa/2021/10/nigeria-yet-to-locate-missing-alpha-jet-six-months-after-it-went-down/)

“Details of the whereabouts of the aircraft or likely cause of contact loss are 
still sketchy but will be relayed to the general public as soon as they become clear.
Meanwhile, search and rescue efforts are ongoing,” Nigerian Air Force, spokesman
Edward Gabkwet, said.

Earlier, another Dassault Alpha Jet of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) also [succumbed to intense ground fire from non-state actors ](https://www.military.africa/2022/03/naf-recovers-crashed-alpha-jet-one-year-after/military.africa/2021/07/nigerian-air-force-lose-another-alpha-jet-pilot-rescued)
on Sunday, 18 July, after completing an air interdiction mission between the boundaries
of Zamfara and Kaduna States in Nigeria’s middle belt region.

The pilot of the downed Alpha jet, Flight Lieutenant Abayomi Dairo, ejected from
the aircraft, successfully evaded the bandits searching him out, and hid in a nearby
settlement.

Over the past few years, several NAF aircraft had been [reactivated and brought to flying status after completing a Periodic Depot Maintenance (PDM)](https://www.military.africa/2022/03/naf-recovers-crashed-alpha-jet-one-year-after/military.africa/2020/03/nigerian-air-force-reactivates-alpha-jet-upgrades-avionics)
on the plane to help sustained efforts to boost Air Power’s employment capability
against insurgency and other security challenges.

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

### _Related_