Pan-African news agency (Pana) reports that Pakistani Air Force personnel are present in Nigeria working to maintain Nigerian aircraft. Two Pakistani pilots are providing technical assistance for the Air Force’s Chinese-built F-7NI and FT-7NI jets. Pakistan also operates the type and has trained Nigerian pilots.
The Pakistanis were brought in following several F-7 crashes and the loss of maintenance schedules, which resulted in the grounding of the fleet in October 2012. After assistance from the Pakistan Air Force, the jets were cleared to fly again, Pana reports.
Speaking at the meeting, the Nigerian,Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Alex M Sabundu Badeh, lauded the Pakistanis for their cooperation with Nigeria.Badeh said that in the maintenance of the F-7 aircraft, “you (Pakistanis) sent teams that looked at them and told NAF what to do. We already have instructor pilots on the F-7s. We are looking for
further assistance on the C-130 aircraft as we need an instructor pilot on the C-130.”