THE NIGERIAN AIR FORCE PARTICIPATION IN THE AIR BEETLE AIRCRAFT PROJECT: PROBLEMS AND PROSPECTS

Abstract

THE NIGERIAN AIR FORCE PARTICIPATION IN THE AIR BEETLE AIRCRAFT PROJECT: PROBLEMS AND PROSPECTS

This study is designed to examine, analyse and assess the Air Beetle Project, with particular emphasis on the NAF/Government participation in it. The Study has been conducted to help shed light on some of the problems and prospects of the project with a view to making appropriate recommendations for the NAF/Government effective participation. This effort, therefore, is aimed at contributing towards the NAF/Government being fully involved and committed in a laudable programme which can lead to aerospace revolution and air power accomplishment for Nigeria.

The study seeks to determine the progress, the achievement of the project and the level of the NAF/Government involvement so far. This project being new in Nigeria, with all its complexity in technology and structure, has opened up challenges towards the development of aircraft industry locally in Nigeria; it is therefore necessary to explore how best the technology can be acquired and the challenges accomplished by Nigerians in Nigeria. This is because Nigeria is a developing country with no technological base; a country with a mono-cultural and dwindling economy and slow industrial development.

All possible sources were utilised for the purpose of this study and it has been possible to become conversant with the problems of aircraft construction, development and production in a developing country like Nigeria. For this essay, most of the materials used were from the HQ NAF, AIEP, NAF R&D Unit in AIEP, NAF Training Command Units in Kaduna, FCAA, Federal Civil Aviation College of Technology, Zaria, official documents and publications and books relevant to the topic. However, during this research, it was impossible to acquire certain information and data concerning the Air Beetle Project. For this reason, a few comments on certain aspects of the topic could not be supported with data.

The theoretical framework for this study was based on the principle of the NAF and the nation taking advantage of this opportunity and deriving maximum benefit from the programme in future. This is because the programme has a lot of inherent advantages and tremendous prospects of meeting any competition in the market and making a commercial success. Therefore, the methodological approaches used in this essay are basically descriptive, historical and analytical.

Chapter One covers the preamble and goes on to describe the conceptualisation and lapses in the programme. It ends in giving the significance, definitions of terms and methodology used in the essay. Chapter two describes the developmental phases of the project and goes on to examine the level of the NAF/Government involvement. Chapter three looks at policy evolution and the effects on participation in the project.

Chapter Four advocates the way forward for the NAF/Government in the programme. It takes a cursory look at military aviation and the aerospace development in some selected countries so as to provide basis for proposing the way forward for Nigeria. It then analyses the examples of the selected countries and proposes for the development of human, material and financial resources towards the programmes.

Mindful of the restrictions of the privatisation and commercialisation policy on government and its agencies, chapter five sets out to suggest strategies for NAF/Government participation in the programme. This chapter spells out the various steps and procedure to follow. The concluding chapter, having argued out the crucial nature and the relevance of the programme to aerospace revolution and air power accomplishment in Nigeria, goes on to make appropriate recommendations for possible implementation by the Federal Government of Nigeria