In early September there were reports that the Nigerian military captured a “quad barreled ZSU-23-4 Shilka” anti-aircraft gun that was mounted on a Toyota technical truck, from Boko Haram.
Sahara Reporters later confirmed that the Nigerian military captured heavy weapons systems from Boko Haram
such as a T-55 tank and a Panhard ERC-90 “Sagaie.” Now that we know the
kind of weaponry in Boko Haram’s possession, we are left with two major
questions.
First, can Boko Haram operate these weapons systems? While T-55’s and
ZSU-23-4 “Shilka’s” are not the most advanced weapon systems, it does
require some training to operate these systems properly (in Shekau’s
latest video he loses control of a heavy machine gun he was firing).
With time and practice, it is quite feasible that Boko Haram insurgents
could learn to use these systems. It would seem that they have the
experience needed as Boko Haram apparently shot down a Nigerian jet in early September with an anti-aircraft system similar to the captured Shilka.
The real difficulty in operating systems such as the T-55
and the “Sagaie” is more a matter of logistics than training. Vehicles
need parts. Guns need bullets. And, tanks need gas. It is difficult for
modern militaries like the United States to keep 100 percent of their
tanks functional. These are machines that require an immense amount of
maintenance and repair. If Boko Haram is somehow able to keep its heavy
weaponry in working order, it will have to fuel them in order to use
them in the fight against the Nigerian military. The basic fuel load on a
T-55 tank carries 254 gallons of fuel which gives the T-55 a range of
242 miles. That means that a T-55 tank gets less than one mile per
gallon of gas.
This raises a second question: if Boko Haram is able to use its heavy
weaponry, how does it supply its logistical needs? The personnel to
maintain the equipment would almost certainly come from one of the
militaries in the region. But, where do the parts, bullets, and the fuel
come from? There are varying hypotheses regarding the origin of the
weaponry. It is possible that it comes from Libya or even the Nigerian
military itself. Most likely, the equipment comes from various sources.
Does Boko Haram get its fuel from Nigeria or other sources in the
region? T-55’s run on diesel fuel. As Nigeria has to import diesel, it
can’t be bunkered fuel from the south,
which means that it would have to come from a supply purchased from
outside of the region. Where would Boko Haram gain access to the fuel
reserves necessary to keep its heavy weaponry running?
If Boko Haram is able to operate these weapons systems, it signifies a
whole new level to the conflict. However, it is also possible that
these systems go unused except as background pieces for propaganda
videos. If this is the case the Nigerian military’s capture of these
kinds of weapons are largely hollow victories.
Culled from:
Council on Foreign Relations
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