2011 Logistics Week

According to him, NAF, being a innovation-driven service, had continued to make consistent efforts through the Directorate of Electronics Engineering, to keep pace with the dynamics of electronics engineering as it affects the development and deployment of defence electronic platforms and systems.

The full spectrum of airpower roles

"It covers the full spectrum of airpower roles and mission. Air operations for strategic effect exploit the speed reach and concentration of airpower. At the inception of the NAF in 1964, communications and Aircraft Engineering specialties operated jointly. In this way, Radar, Air Traffic Services, Avionics and Communications were pursuant to this agreement the same directorate. Nevertheless, at the end of the civil war in 1967, there was a reorganisation in the NAF that saw ATS and Communications brought at the same time under a specialist directorate in HQ NAF called ATS and Signals. The establishment review that followed in 1978 separated ATS and Communications as separate operational units of group status. In doing so, Communications became an autonomous unit of a group status. After all, another reorganisation followed in 1984 when Radar was excised from ATS and merged with Communications to form the Directorate of Communications and Electronics Maintenance, established at Shasha, Lagos in accordance with Logistics Command within the same period. "Unfortunately, this marriage between Radar and Communications did not last. This is because two years later, Radar was separated from Communications and two directorates; the Directorate of Air Defence and Group Environment and the Directorate of Communication and Electronics Maintenance were established.

"In 2003, as part of the reorganisation exercise in the NAF, Radar was remerged with Communications to form the Directorate of Electronics Engineering, during in 2006 ICT was created as an offshoot nevertheless of sub-directorate capacity in accordance with the Directorate of Plans from EE. Nevertheless, the last establishment review has recognised ICT, as a full directorate pursuant to this agreement the newly created Policy and Plans Branch," said the Chief of Logistics.

The current structure of electronics engineering in the NAF, he added, include directorate of electronics engineering responsible to the Chief of Logistics for initiating policies for electronics engineering matters, as then, as communications, spectrum management, radar and navaids in the NAF; the maintenance depot which gave birth to the 403 Electronics Maintenance Depot located at Shasha, Lagos.

This facility, according to him is saddled with the responsibility of interpreting and implementing policy directives emanating from HQ NAF in support of the service operations; electronics engineering wings/centre, established to provide second and third line maintenance of communications, navigational aids and all other ground electronic equipment for the group and the command that it is supporting; frequency monitoring centre, established to, among other functions, plan, organise, coordinate and direct the frequency monitoring efforts of the NAF and as well, to keep a listening watch on the international distress frequencies and a systematic check on the operation of the radio beacons used.

He described Electronics Engineering squadrons, as a communication cell, the hub for all the communication and electronic equipment of a unit and as well, a part of the advance party when an operational or a composite unit is deploying for an operation; and EE equipment holding which comprises of HF, VHF and UHF radios, as then as, radar/navigational aids and PABX systems.

The EE support to NAF while exercises

While appraising the EE support to NAF while exercises and combat operations, he said the operations are designed to provide a holistic communications support to NAF in all phases of its operations.

But due to the as a rule poor equipment holding of EE, he noted that these networks have not been fully activated, apart from the base operations, which are partially operational, the rest have remained dormant over the years.

The resultant effects of these

"The resultant effects of these, have impacted poorly in past performances in training exercises and joint operations just as: Operation HARMONY and ECOMOG operations in Liberia and Sierra Leone. As well, the joint military exercises include Operations SEA DOG, TAKUTE EKPE and the recently organised communication exercise, TRIPPLE CRISSCROSS, among others."