The Nigerian Airforce says it will continue to leverage on the use of research and development to protect the country’s interests through the use of effective airpower.
The Chief of Standards and Evaluation, Air Vice Marshal Michael Onyebashi stated this at the annual intra-command research and development competition organised by the Air Training Command headquarters in Kaduna State.
Air Vice Marshal Michael Onyebashi who was represented by Director of research and development at the NAF headquarters, Air Vice Marshal Ndubuisi Okoro explained that research and development plays a crucial role in the innovation process, as it has in many ways, helped to increase the number of platforms set for operations in various parts of the country.
He pointed out that research and development discourse would optimize personnel output, especially with the current security challenges in different parts of the country.
The Chief of Standards and Evaluation observed that developing and strengthening a research and development culture would not only provide powerful knowledge and insights, but would also lead to the improvement of NAF platforms for effective response to national security imperatives.
Air Vice Marshal Onyebashi charged participants not to take the competition as just a competition, but strive to improve upon all that is on display.
Earlier in a welcome address, the Air Officer Commanding Air Training Command, Air Vice Marshal Nnamdi Ananaba explained that the objective of the competition was to enable personnel and units under the command showcase their innovative prowess directed towards solving service problems that border on maintenance and operational effectiveness of the NAF.
He maitained that it is expected that through the competition, the competition would contribute innovative ideas that could place the NAF in a better stead towards attaining its desire to be self-reliant in sustenance of its operations across Nigeria.
A total of fifteen units under the Air Training Command participated in the competition.
Highlights of the event were inspection and assessment of projects by the special guest of honour and the AOC, presentation of prizes to winners of the competition as well as presentation of honourarium to the team of assessors.
Cov/Usman Sani.
