(NAF) said it had concluded arrangements to collaborate with the Centre for Space Transport and Propulsion (CSTP) to enhance its weapon delivery capability.

This is contained in a statement signed by its Director of Public Relations and Information, Group Capt. Ayodele Famuyiwa, in Abuja.

The statement said NAF was zealous about optimising indigenous capacity and willing to expand existing frontier of collaboration with research institutions in the country that possessed the potential to enhance its operations.

It said that with the recent launch of Experimental Rocket by the centre to a height of 5 km, the force intended to take advantage of it to improve its weapon delivery capability.

The statement said it could be achieved by leveraging on the existing partnership with the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA).

"The possible areas of collaboration, the Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar noted, include: extending the range of rocket release beyond 1.5 km for Mi-35 helicopters and development of guided munitions.

"As well as weapon delivery capacity for own made Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV),’’ it said.

The statement said beyond the ongoing counter -insurgency operations in the North-East, these objectives were crucial to fulfilling NAF statutory roles now and in future.