No, Wuhan is part of
Republic of China, well, not now anyways.
Nigerian Navy Imports Two War Ships from China
07 Dec 2013
http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/nigerian-navy-imports-two-war-ships-from-china/166063/
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Admiral-Dele-Joseph-Ezeoba.jpg - Admiral-Dele-Joseph-Ezeoba.jpg
Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Dele Joseph Ezeoba
Jude Okwe
In
order to meet operational needs and effectively police the waterways,
the Nigerian Navy has placed order for two war ships from the
Republic of China, Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Dele Joseph Ezeoba has revealed in Calabar.
He
stated this while undertaking the annual inspection of naval facilities
and formations in the Eastern Naval Command. The new ships, according
to him, on delivery, would give the Navy the needed capacity and edge to
effectively combat sea piracy and oil theft which are all acts of
economic sabotage.
One ship would be launched in China in January
2014 and brought down while the second would be delivered second
quarter of the year.
”To effectively combat our vast marine
space, helicopters, open patrol vehicles, speed boats, and adequate
manpower are needed; that is why we are taking delivery of these ships
to beef up our defence and combat capacity”, he said.
Ezeoba
commended the Eastern Naval Command for combating sea piracy and oil
theft in the Gulf of Guinea to a reasonable level, which he noted has
made the sea route along Calabar, Oron and Gabon relatively safe and
secure.
“We have a mandate from the President of this nation to
combat bunkering and piracy in the sea and the Eastern Naval Command has
combated and reduced the incidences of sea piracy and oil theft to a
very low level and this has made the Calabar Water Channel relatively
safe”, he said.
He explained that the multi billion naira Naval
Specialist Hospital in Calabar that was abandoned for over thirty years
was nearing completion and would be commissioned in the first quarter
of 2014.
“That facility has been abandoned for over thirty years
and what I did yesterday was to take an on the spot assessment of work
and from the state of work done so far, that project will be
commissioned in the first quarter of 2014”, Ezeoba added.
He said
from his assessment, the units and bases were stable which proves that
the Nigerian Navy was operationally prepared to undertake any mission in
any part of the world in terms of the efficiency of its personnel and
equipment capacity.
The naval Chief inaugurated several projects
in the Eastern Naval Command in Calabar including living quarters for
offices, senior officers’ mess and clinic.
Nigeria to order two 90m offshore patrol vessels from China
Thanks Koxinga for the link.
Nigeria approves procurement of two new offshore patrol vessels
http://www.defenceweb.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=24719:nigeria-approves-procurement-of-two-new-offshore-patrol-vessels&catid=51:Sea&Itemid=106
Written by defenceWeb Monday, 02 April 2012 15:13
altNigeria’s President Goodluck Jonathan has approved the purchase of
two new 1 800 ton Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs) for the Nigerian Navy
as the service modernises and expands.
Nigeria’s 2012 Defence Budget Proposal allocates N6.78 billion/US$42
million for the two offshore patrol vessels. The first will be built in
China while about 50% of the second ship will be constructed in Nigeria
in an effort to enhance local shipbuilding capability and provide
technology transfer.
The OPVs will be 95 metres long, with a draft of 3.5 metres. They will
be powered by two MTU 20V 4000M diesel engines, giving a speed of 21
knots, and will be armed with one 76 mm and two 30 mm guns. Crew
complement will be 70 sailors and endurance 20 days. They will be able
to carry and support a helicopter off a rear deck.
The Nigerian Navy (NN) announced that the vessels would mainly to be
used for maritime surveillance, patrol and response tasks. Other roles
of the vessels would be protection of offshore assets, Exclusive
Economic Zone (EEZ) patrol and surveillance, search and rescue and oil
spill control.
“This acquisition is expected to bolster NN presence at sea to meet the current and emerging threats,” the Navy said.
Nigeria’s Navy will be receiving nearly two dozen new acquisitions under
the 2012 defence budget. The 2012 Defence Budget Proposal also makes
provision for three Shaldag Mk III fast patrol craft, three 24 metre
coastal patrol craft and six 17 metre Manta Mk II ASD littoral
interceptors (total cost N2.2 billion/US$13.7 million). In addition, the
purchase of helicopter and ship spares will amount to N1.04 billion
(US$6.5 billion), according to Budget Office documents.
The FY2011 defence budget approved the acquisition of two offshore
patrol vessels, the refurbishment of six coastal patrol craft by TP
Marine of Holland and the delivery of nine Manta Mk II ASD craft.
French shipbuilder OCEA is building the three 24 metre coastal patrol
craft and commenced sea trials of the first vessel on March 13.
The Suncraft Group is expected to construct the six Manta Mk II ASD
vessels, bringing the total ordered over the last several years to 21.
The Manta Mk II first entered service with the Nigerian Navy in 2008.
In strengthening its military capabilities, Nigeria has paid particular
attention to improving security in the Niger Delta and off its 780
kilometre long coast, where it has numerous oil installations. In March
2007 it signed a US$73 million contract for two ATR 42MP maritime patrol
aircraft to join its Dornier 128s. The first ATR was delivered in
December 2009 and the second in March 2010.
Late last year the Nigerian Navy received the former US Coast Guard
Cutter Chase (WHEC-718), which was given to the Nigerian Navy as an
excess defence article under the US Foreign Assistance Act, and renamed
NNS Thunder.
Captain Mohammed Nagemu, the Commanding Officer of NNS Thunder, said
that the ship, which commenced active operations on January 23, had been
involved in several naval exercises, while making several arrests.
“NNS Thunder, which has sailed 14 665 nautical miles, has so far
arrested two vessels, accosted 108 vessels and carried out ‘Exercise
Obangame [Express]’, along with helicopter operations,” he said.
However, Nagemu pointed out several challenges facing the vessel,
including a scarcity of spare parts, insufficient tools and inadequate
personnel training.
Nigeria’s Navy is seeking government approval to acquire up to 49 ships
and 42 helicopters over the next ten years to police the nation’s
territorial waterways and Gulf of Guinea, according to Chief of Naval
Staff, Vice Admiral Ishaya Ibrahim.
The Nigerian Navy has received 10 donated vessels to enhance operations
in the Niger Delta. The navy has also established new base in Lokoja
known as NNS Lugard and another in Ikot Abasi known as NNS Jubilee.
The Nigerian Navy has been allocated N69 billion (US$433 million) under
this year’s budget while the Army has been allocated N122 billion
(US$766 million), and the Air Force N64 billion (US$402 million),
reports the Nigerian Budget Office. The navy has about 7 000 personnel.
