Nigeria partners Briech UAS To Manufacture Attack Drones With Missiles, Explosives
Nigeria partners Briech UAS To Manufacture Attack Drones With Missiles, Explosives
The Nigerian government and Briech UAS have launched the first indigenously manufactured attack drones with bombs and missiles.
This relationship between the Nigerian military and Briech has led to the successful demonstration of the attack drone and bomb at the headquarters of Briech UAS in Abuja.
The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Christopher Musa, lauded the initiative as a major step in Nigeria’s journey towards self-reliance in defence technology, strengthened military capabilities and national security capabilities.
He noted that these drones would facilitate decisive actions against threats in an era where security challenges were increasingly complex and asymmetric.
“These force multipliers will play a vital role in enhancing the operational effectiveness of our military. Particularly in a world where global politics surrounding the procurement of advanced military hardware have become more intricate.”
According to him, “Countries that do not produce such solutions face bureaucratic bottlenecks and diplomatic hurdles when acquiring these critical platforms. We are facing such challenges directly.
“If you don’t produce what you need, you will be at the mercy of others, even when you have the financial resources to acquire them. By manufacturing these drones locally, Nigeria reduces its dependence on foreign resources, ensures prompt acquisition, and strengthens its ability to respond swiftly to security threats.
“With the brilliant minds we have, particularly among our youth, we can create outstanding technology that competes globally,” he added.
The Governor of Plateau, Caleb Mutfwang, on his part stressed that Nigeria’s growth depends on recognising and patronising indigenous products.
He emphasised that the drones would play a critical role in protecting national sovereignty both in Plateau and across the nation.
According to him, some of these indigenous technologies have been deployed to Plateau already and there are significant improvement with the efficiency of ground forces.
“As a nation, we made a mistake by allowing non-state actors to acquire capabilities that nearly rival those of state actors.
“We have entered into a partnership that has enabled the deployment of these facilities in our state. We have witnessed significant improvements in the efficiency of our security forces.”
He also noted that mistakes had been made in the past regarding security and that it’s time to correct them
“Indeed, it was an error to allow non-state actors to amass capabilities that almost overpower those of legitimate state forces. It is time to rectify that imbalance.
We must ensure that no one within our borders possesses capabilities that match or exceed those entrusted with the constitutional duty of protecting our national sovereignty,” he advised.
Speaking earlier, the Chairman of Briech UAS, Dr. Bright Echefu, stated that insurgent groups such as Boko Haram, ISWAP and others had recently adopted commercial drones for reconnaissance and attack missions.
“These drones have been used to track and attack our troops. They are being deployed to coordinate ambushes and execute crude aerial strikes.”
