ABUJA, April 27 (Xinhua) -- The Nigerian Air Force is to participate in the upcoming international mobility competition being hosted by the United States Air Force (USAF) 's Air Mobility Command, a U.S. embassy statement said here on Friday.

    The competition would be held at the McChord Air Force Base in Washington of the United States from July 22 to July 28, the statement said.

    It said that the event called Air Mobility Command's RODEO 2007,which was a USAF's Mobility Air Force (MAF) readiness competition, would focus on improving worldwide air mobility forces' professional core abilities.

    "More than 100 teams and 2,500 people from 31 allied nations are expected to compete or observe at the competition," the statement added.

    The competition, which started in 1956 as the "Reserve Troop Carrier Rodeo," tests the flight and ground skills of aircrew as well as the related skills of special tactics, security forces, aerial port operations, aero medical evacuation and maintenance.