Africa-Press – Uganda. President Museveni has said the Air Force wing of Uganda Peoples Defense Force (UPDF) has played a pivotal role in the fight against the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) rebels in Eastern DR Congo.
“The supersonic planes played a big role in eliminating the ADF rebels. The concept of combined arms is the good way to go. The combined arms move through the use of both air force and artillery is crucial in winning a fight,” Mr Museveni said while passing out 62 air force officers who have completed a Squadron Officers Course first intake at the Air Command and Leadership Training Institute in Nakasongola District on Thursday. The training lasted 28 weeks.
The president also commissioned the newly created Institute.
He also urged the trainees to promote pan-Africanism, arguing that through the practice of Pan-Africanism, Uganda has the opportunity of securing a market for its products.
Mr Museveni commended UPDF for their operations in DR Congo, saying on the first day on November 30, the Force destroyed ADF camps by using the air force and long range artillery.
“Later, the infantry was spread out. The rebels are now in trouble because of the correct use of the force,” he said.
He revealed that training an air force pilot takes 35 hours at a rate of US $ 10,000 per hour, but such costs are minimized when training is conducted within the country.
The president noted that air force pilots were currently earning Shs4 million per month which salary he said, was not sufficient. He assured them that the pay would be revised upwards as soon as resources are available.
Mr Museveni pledged that government will build the road leading to the Institute, the runway, and infrastructure within the complex.
The UPDF Air Force Commander, Lt. Gen. Charles Lutaaya, said the Uganda Air Force Academy was launched in 2009 and requested the President for more training slots for the Air Force.
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