The Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, on Monday, commissioned a Liquid Oxygen plant at Nigerian Air Force Base Yola.
In a series of tweets, NAF spokesman, Air Commodore Olatokunbo Adesanya, disclosed that the newly commissioned plant has the capacity to produce 1000 litres of liquid oxygen every 8 hours, about 3000 litres daily.
He said the capacity was more than required for NAF operations and that the CAS has directed that the excess oxygen capacity be supplied for use by government hospitals in Adamawa State.
Liquid oxygen is commercially used for industrial and medical purposes. Advanced military like the US, has long recognised the strategic importance of liquid oxygen, both as a fuel and as a supply of gaseous oxygen for breathing in hospitals and high-altitude aircraft flights.
NAF said the liquid oxygen to be produced in Yola is critical for the survival of its fighter pilots especially during high altitude manoeuvres.
Meanwhile, the CAS was elated with the delivery of the project. According to him, “it is a dream come true today as I commission the Liquid Oxygen plant located on the Nigerian Air Force Base in Yola.
“This puts to rest the perennial shortage of supply of Liquid Oxygen for use by our fighter pilots.”
Earlier in February, 2017, the NAF Chief of Training and Operation (CTOP) Air Vice Marshal (AVM), Abubakar Iya while inspecting the plant during an operational visit to the 103 Strike Group Yola, had disclosed that the facility will be an all-purpose plant which asides mainly producing liquid oxygen, will also produce nitrogen and gaseous oxygen for medical use.
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