Air Force yet to deploy its unmanned aerial vehicle – Spokesman

The Nigerian Air Force on Tuesday said its Unmanned Aerial Vehicle, nick-named GULMA, had yet to be deployed for operations.
This was contained in a statement signed by the Air Force Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Yusuf Anas, in Abuja.
The statement said that training of the UAV’s operators was currently ongoing.
It noted that what was unveiled by President Goodluck Jonathan on December 17, 2013 at the Air Force Base, Kaduna was a prototype, adding that its full scale production is in the making.
The statement was reacting to a report, which said the opportunity to locate the kidnapped girls was blown because the drone was not used.
The report stated that last December, Nigeria unveiled a locally made drone at an Air Force base in Kaduna, although it had not flown since.
The story alluded to the fact that the Nigerian Air Force UAV, which could have been used by government to locate the girls had not flown.
The statement noted that there was the need, therefore, to put the record straight as it concerned the service’s UAV.
It explained that the service after several years of research and development efforts was able to produce the first indigenous unmanned aerial vehicle nicknamed GULMA.
It added that it was this achievement that was unveiled to the public by the President.