Air Chief: Volatility, Others Place Demands on Military to Develop Relevant Doctrines, Innovative Operational Thinking
Linus Aleke in Abuja
The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, has said the volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity of contemporary warfare place increasing demands on the military to develop relevant doctrines and innovative operational thinking to prepare personnel for complex security challenges.
He stressed that meeting these demands requires not only capable aircraft and modern equipment but also sound doctrines, effective professional military education, informed operational planning and institutions capable of translating lessons from operations into improved combat effectiveness.
Speaking at the inauguration of new vehicles procured for the Air Warfare and Doctrine Centre (AWDC), the CAS commended the commandant and the entire staff of the centre for their continued efforts to advance the professional and intellectual capabilities of the service.
Represented by the Chief of Logistics, Air Vice Marshal Henry Yurkusi, the CAS noted that the Air Warfare and Doctrine Centre occupies an important position in this process, adding: “The centre’s responsibilities in doctrinal development, research and professional military education are central to our institutional growth.”
The CAS said the centre’s output helps shape how the service understands air power, prepares its personnel and responds to emerging operational requirements.
“It is, therefore, important that the centre has the necessary resources to support its activities and sustain the tempo required to fulfil its mandate. The vehicles being commissioned today represent a practical investment in that institutional capacity. Beyond their immediate transportation function, they will improve the centre’s ability to coordinate official engagements, supervise activities, support training programmes and facilitate other institutional assignments.
“Their availability is expected to reduce mobility constraints and contribute to more efficient administration. While these vehicles may appear to be a modest addition to the centre’s overall inventory, their value lies in how effectively they support the work the centre was established to carry out.”
Air Marshal Aneke stressed that lessons emerging from operations must inform the development and review of doctrine, while training must remain responsive to the realities confronting aircrew and ground personnel.
“We must continually assess whether our concepts, procedures and institutional approaches adequately prepare the service for present and future challenges. In this regard, I expect the centre to sustain its efforts towards producing sound doctrinal products and competent personnel who can translate professional knowledge into operational advantage,” he concluded.
In his welcome address, the Commandant of the Air Warfare and Doctrine Centre, Air Vice Marshal Garba Ibrahim Jibia, said the centre was established not only to provide the conceptual component of the Nigerian Air Force’s fighting power through doctrines and employment concepts but also to play an integral role in its operations, as outlined in its five core mandates.
He said these mandates were to review and, where necessary, develop Nigeria Air Force (NAF) doctrines and employment concepts; teach NAF doctrines and operational competencies; coordinate all joint and single-service operational exercises; advise the appropriate superior authority on the operational readiness of platforms, systems and units; and review and, where necessary, develop tactics, techniques and procedures (TTPs) for operational units, advise them on operational matters, and assist them with mission support during wartime.