On August 14, a Nigerian aircraft on a rescue mission crashed at Chukuba village in the Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State.
In the wake of the incident, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) released a statement on Monday announcing that the aircraft departed from Zungeru in Kaduna, about 120km from the crash site, on the same day.
FIJ’s findings showed that the Chukuba crash was the third occurrence involving the Nigerian Air Force in 2023, and the 12th within the past five years.
On July 14, a NAF trainer aircraft crashed in Makurdi, the Benue State capital, with no recorded casualties. Similarly, on February 6, another NAF jet crash-landed at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, also with no casualties.
YearMonthType of AircraftCause of CrashEstimated Cost ($) ‘MCasualty toll2018SeptemberF-7 Fighter Jets (2)Collision During Rehearsal7.6712019JanuaryMi-35M HelicopterCrashed in Combat36.0052019JuneUndisclosedCrash landing00.0002019AugustRV-6A Air beetleNot-disclosed0.01312019NovemberAgusta Westland 109Not-ascertained6.7002021FebruaryBeechcraft KingAir 350iFailed Engine8.0072021MarchAlpha JetLost in Combat1.8022021MayBeechcraft KingAir 350iBad Weather8.00112021JulyAlpha JetEnemy Fire1.8002022AprilTrainer aircraft. Super MushshakUndisclosed1.0522023JulyFT-7NI Trainer AircraftUndisclosed4.8502023AugustMI-171Bandit Ambush16.4011Total Figure$92.2840MILITARY AIRCRAFT CRASHES IN NIGERIA SINCE 2018
In the past five years, 2019 and 2021 stand out with the highest occurrences of military aircraft crashes in Nigeria. Four incidents were recorded in each year.
2019 was distinct however, with the highest financial loss of about $42.71 million and a death toll of seven people.
While the financial loss in 2021 was more sober, the year ended with the highest death toll since 2018. Nigeria recorded a loss of $19.3 million and a casualty toll of 20 people, including the then Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Ibrahim Attahiru.
The skies seemed to smile on the Nigeria Air Force in 2022. The year ended with only one crash and an estimated financial cost of $1.05 million.
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The director of defence media operations, Major Gen Edward Buba, disclosed on Thursday, that at least 11 soldiers died in the crash at Chukuba village on Monday. The M1-171 rescue helicopter is estimated to have to cost the country $16.4 million.
In total, Nigeria has lost 40 people and an estimated figure $92.28 million to aircraft crashes in the last five years.
HOW WE ARRIVED AT THE ESTIMATES
FT-7s AND F-7s
According to the Nigerian Air Force, the F-7Ni fighter jets were procured from the People’s Republic of China in 2005. FIJ gathered that both the F-7 and FT-7 fighter jets are variations of the J-7 aircraft series, all of which were manufactured by the Chengdu Aviation Industry Group.
In a 2013 publication by Miguel Vasconscelos of the United States Federal Aviation Administration, the average cost of a J-7 aircraft was listed at $2 million. For accurate cost analysis, this figure was adjusted for inflation to 2005, the time of purchase.
Mi-35M HELICOPTERS
In 2020, Wilson Center and the Kennan Institute listed $36 million for 12 Mi-35M helicopters in an analysis of Russia’s military influence in Asia. Also, an aircraft crash analysis conducted by Dataphyte in 2022 pegged the price of the Mi-35M at $36,000,000.
FIJ took this figure as the average cost of the aircraft, since it has stayed consistent across a two-year period.
RV-6A AIR BEETLES
In 1989, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) mass assembled 60 RV-6A aircraft for military training under the ‘Air Beetle’ tag. The aircraft kits were ordered from VANS, an American aircraft company.
The standard kits for building an RV-6A, according to VANS, cost approximately $32,000. FIJ adjusted this figure for inflation to arrive at the estimated cost for the standard kit in 1989.
BEECHCRAFT KING AIR 350I
FIJ gathered from reports and analysis by the The Guardian Nigeria, Dataphyte and the Business Insider that a King Air 350I costs $8 million.
THE ALPHA JETS
FIJ’s findings showed that the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) facilitated the purchase of four pre-owned Alpha Jets at a total cost of $7.18 million.
Among these jets, one carried the serial tag ‘NAF 475’, the same tag of the Alpha jet that crashed in 2021. With the total cost established at $7.18 million, the individual cost of each Alpha jet was approximated to be $1.795 million.
THE SUPER MUSHAK TRAINER AIRCRAFT
The 2016 national defense budget projected the cost of 10 Super Mushak trainers to be $10.05 million. By implication, the cost of a single Super Mushak trainer stands at an approximate value of $1 million.
THE AGUSTA WESTLAND 109
In 2015, the RAND Corporation, an American research institute, published a study that outlined the cost of an Agusta Westland 109 aircraft at $6.7 million.
It’s worth noting that this aircraft has various models, each tailored to the standards of the year it was designed.
To determine which specific model the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) uses, FIJ consulted security expert Murtala Abdullah. He confirmed that the country procured only new and recent Agusta models.
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