Namibian Air Force

Namibian Air Force
Founded 1994 (Namibia Defence Force Air Wing)
2005 (Namibian Air Force)
Country Namibia
Part of Namibia Defence Force
Commanders
Air Force Commander Brigadier-General Martin Pinehas

The Namibia Air Force was commissioned on 13 March 2005 at Grootfontein Air Base.[1] The policy, mission statements and concept of operations envisage the development of an Air Force to operate in support of the Army and the Navy.

Five separate roles for Air Force are; surveillance, transport of personnel and transport of supplies/equipment; support to the civil authorities or civil community, and training.[2]

With Grootfontein as the main air base, expansion projects are underway to expand the Keetmanshoop air base, as well as construct a new base at Karibib. This was reported by The Namibian on 20 June 2008.

The policy for the Air Force is to acquire dedicated air assets to undertake the surveillance and transport tasks. The MOD and NDF will train and employ their own pilots and technicians. Co-operation and co-ordination with other Ministries may extend to making such assets available for non-defence tasking. In addition, consideration will be given to arrangements whereby private and other national air assets could be employed where appropriate or necessary.

Aircraft Inventory

Following the independence of Namibia from South Africa in 1991, the Air defence wing of the defence forces were established in 1993-1994. Equipment purchased included Cessna O-2s, HAL Chetaks and Cheetahs from India. In late 1994 a Learjet 31A entered service for Government use.

Aircraft Origin Type Versions Numbers In Service Comments
Fighter / Trainer Aircraft
Chengdu F-7 Airguard China Fighter/Trainer Total
F-7NM
FT-7NG		 12
10
2		 FT-7NG trainer versions received in November 2006 [3]

All 12 equipped with Grifo-MG radars.
Hongdu K-8 Karakorum China/  Pakistan Fighter/Trainer K-8 12

Transports
Cessna Skymaster United States utility FTB.337G
O-2A		 5
Antonov An-26 Curl  Soviet Union transport 2
Harbin Y-12 China Transport
VIP transport		 Y-12 2
Learjet 36 United States VIP transport Model 36 1
Dassault Falcon 900 France VIP transport Falcon 900 1
Helicopters
Mil Mi-35 Hind-E  Soviet Union attack helicopter Mi-35P 2
Mil Mi-8 Hip  Soviet Union Assault helicopter Mi-8 2
Aérospatiale SA 319 Alouette III France light utility SA 319 2
HAL Cheetah India light utility 1[4] Indian variant of French Aérospatiale Lama
HAL Chetak India light utility 2[4] Indian variant of French Aérospatiale Alouette III

References

  1. ^ http://www.mod.gov.na/n_item1.htm Accessed 2007/07/27
  2. ^ http://www.mod.gov.na Accessed 2007/07/27
  3. ^ http://cnair.top81.cn/F-7_J-7_J-8.htm Accessed 2007/07/27
  4. ^ a b HAL bags $10 mn order for Chetak, Cheetah from Namibia

External links