NAF converts fuel tankers into aircraft refuelling bowsers to enhance operations
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has successfully converted four pre-owned fuel tankers into specialised aircraft refuelling bowsers as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen operational logistics and enhance combat readiness.
According to a statement signed on Wednesday by Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, Director of Public Relations and Information at NAF Headquarters, the innovation was carried out under the supervision of the 643 Equipment Supply Depot in Lagos. It aligns with the strategic vision of the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hasan Bala Abubakar, to deepen a culture of maintenance, self-reliance, and proactive logistics across the Service.
“These reconfigured bowsers represent more than just fuel on wheels; they embody our drive for self-reliance and operational adaptability,” said Air Marshal Abubakar.
“In an era where speed and sustainability of logistics are critical to mission success, the Nigerian Air Force cannot afford to be reactive. We must anticipate, adapt, and innovate.”
The converted bowsers are expected to play a pivotal role in ongoing air operations, particularly in counterterrorism missions and joint force deployments nationwide. Their deployment will ensure rapid and reliable aircraft refuelling, enhance air presence, and improve mission turnaround times in complex operational theatres.
The CAS emphasized that modern warfare, especially against asymmetric threats, requires logistics to be viewed not as a support function but as a critical frontline enabler. “Asymmetric threats demand agile and sustained responses,” he noted. “That is why logistics must no longer be seen as a backend function, but as a frontline enabler of combat power.”
One of the new bowsers has already been deployed to the 407 Air Combat Training Group in Kainji, with the others set to be distributed to strategic locations across the country.
The initiative is expected to significantly enhance the NAF’s operational capability and reaffirms its commitment to safeguarding Nigeria’s territorial integrity and the safety of its citizens.
