From MOLLY KILETE, Abuja
President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, yesterday unveiled Nigeria’s first Indigenous Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), to combat insecurity in the country. The Unmanned Ariel Vehicle, code named “Gulma”, produced by the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), is capable of performing both military and civil roles such as surveillance, disaster management, convoy protection and maritime patrol. It is also capable of performing policing operations, pipeline and power line monitoring, border patrol, weather forecasting among others.
Unveiling the UAV, during a ceremony held at the 333, Logistic Group Hanger, Kaduna, President Goodluck Jonathan commended officers and men of the Nigerian armed forces for their commitment of not just protecting the nation’s sovereignty but helping to keep our nation ahead in military science and technology.
He pledged his administration’s resolve to support all military research projects and expressed the hope that the Nigerian Air Force would mark a turning point for indigenous technology in every sector of our national life and facilitate our match towards a prosperous Nigeria.
While congratulating officers and men of the Nigerian Air Force, for the pioneering achievement which he said would strengthen our nation and enhance our role in peace keeping and in conflict prevention, the president noted that besides its diverse military application, the UAV, “provides mankind with a range of benefits; in disaster management, power line surveys, law enforcement, telecommunications, weather monitoring and aerial imaging/mapping.
It is also rapidly, becoming an important tool in news coverage, environmental monitoring and oil and gas exploration.”
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