According to Vanguard, the Nigerian Navy will receive new warships, gunboats, and helicopters on May 22 under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari.
Rear Admiral Seidu Garba, the chief of policy and plans for the Navy, made this statement on Wednesday in Abuja when he briefed reporters on the preparations for the Presidential Fleet Review (PFR) 2023.
The fleet review's topic is "Fleet Readiness for National Prosperity," according to Garba, and it is slated to take place in Lagos from May 19 to May 22.
The two ships, NNS Kada and NNS Ibeno, a recently purchased NN helicopter, the ceremonial sailing pass exercise, and combat and airborne demonstrations will all be inaugurated by the president, he claimed.
Permit me to remind you that 20 capital ships were acquired for the NN over the course of President Buhari's eight-year presidency. Over 300 inland patrol and assault craft are included among the ships, along with offshore patrol vessels, landing ships for transport, hydrographic survey vessels, seaward defense boats, and helicopters.
"The president also laid the keel for two further locally made ships that will be completed by 2024 and commissioned two locally built ships in 2016 and 2021."
The Commander-in-Chief ought to be recognized by the NN for his support of the service, the organization says.
The PFR 2023 is consequently held in President Buhari's honor in order to recognize his great contributions to the nation as a whole and to celebrate the end of Mr. President's government.
PFR is a ritual carried out by fleets worldwide to honor their sovereigns or heads of state, according to Garba.
He claimed it involves the gathering of ships and other marine resources in a certain location to show fealty to the state.
According to him, the assessment gives the president a chance to judge if the Navy is ready to uphold its legal commitments in the areas of maritime security, safety, and defense.
"The president is invited to review the fleet during a PFR in observance of a historic occasion, an important anniversary, or any other activity deemed necessary."
The celebration of significant milestones for the military or the nation is one reason to hold a fleet review.
He noted that the NN had frequently attended fleet reviews alongside the Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) ARADU, the country's flagship.
He cited the bicentenary of the Battle of Trafalgar in the United Kingdom in 2005 and the Brazilian Navy's 100th anniversary in 2007.
In 2013, NNS Thunder also traveled to Australia to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Australian Navy.
"More recently, the NN sent personnel to participate in the Bangladesh Navy fleet review in December 2022," he said.
According to Garba, PFR was last done in Nigeria in 2010 to honor the 50th anniversary of Nigeria's independence and the then-president, Goodluck Jonathan.
Other events, according to him, would include a capability display by the NN Special Forces, the Defense/Maritime Expo Exhibition, and combined naval drills and parades.
He claims that 16 NN vessels, three NN helicopters, and a variety of NN Air Force aircraft will participate in the PFR.
NNS CENTENARY, NNS IKENNE, NNS KADA, NNS LANA, NNS KANO, NNS NGURU, NNS IBENO, NNS ABA, NNS OJI, NNS ANDONI, NNS OSUN, NNS OSE, NNS EKULU, NNS GONGOLA, and NNS SHIRORO are among the participating NN ships.
"One MI35 helicopter, one Diamond-42, one ATR-42 MPA, and three A29 Super Tucanos are among the participating NAF aircraft.
"Some foreign warships from allied nations, including Spain, Brazil, and Ghana, are also expected to participate in the exercise."
According to Garba, President Buhari's administration saw a period of significant change for the NN Fleet, transforming it into the pride of the Gulf of Guinea and one of Africa's most adaptable naval fleets. Therefore, organizing the PFR-2023 to honor Mr. President has become necessary, according to Garba.
For his dedication to enhancing the nation's naval resources and ability to deploy her maritime power tools for national prosperity, he continued (NA
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