| Cameroon Air Force | |
|---|---|
Cameroon Air Force Roundel |
|
| Founded | 1960 |
| Country | Cameroon |
| Size | 35 aircraft in service, including 9 combat jets and 12 helicopters |
| Aircraft flown | |
| Attack | Atlas Impala.Dornier Alpha Jet |
| Patrol | Do 128 |
| Trainer | Atlas Impala.Fouga Magister |
| Transport | IAI Arava.C130 Hercules |
The Cameroon Air Force (French: Armée de l'Air du Cameroun) is the air force of the African nation of Cameroon. The Cameroon Air Force, along with the Cameroon Army, the Cameroon Navy (including the Naval Infantry), the National Gendarmerie, and the Presidential Guard make up the Cameroonian Armed Forces.
The Cameroon Air Force (Armée de l'Air du Cameroun) theoretically possesses a fairly well balanced force of relatively unsophisticated aircraft, although many of these are now ageing and serviceability levels are likely to be low. Emphasis is placed on transport and utility operations in support of ground forces. Combat capability is modest, being restricted to a few armed trainers that can be used for ground attack and close air support roles.Six Atlas Impala jet trainers purchased from South Africa in 1997 had a lengthy gestation period before becoming operational and did not enter service until late 1998. Apart from a few ultralight aircraft, these are the most recent additions to the inventory.Cameroon's air arm is lacking in training aircraft and has also experienced a significant decline in transport assets, most recently involving the 2001 grounding of the remaining three DHC-5D Buffalo aircraft. As with other regional air forces, few aircraft have been procured since the end of the oil boom in the early 1980s and the burden is beginning to show on equipment that is now at least two decades old.
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The Cameroon Air Force was established in August 1960. French supplied aircraft provided the first equipment of the Cameroon Air Force. Later orders from France included the Alouette II, Alouette III and Gazelle helicopters, and Fouga Magister and Dassault-Dornier Alpha Jet jet trainers. In 1977 two C-130 Hercules entered service. Following that four turboprop DHC-5D Buffalos were ordered from 1981. In 1982 three twin turboprop Do 128’s entered service for the maritime patrol role.
The Cameroon Air Force has bases are located in Garoua, Koutaba, Yaoundé, Douala and Bamenda.
The Cameroon Air Force has the following rank structure:[1]
Private 1st Class, Soldat de 1ere Clase
All Cameroonian military aircraft are under control of the air force. There are 35 aircraft in service, including 9 combat jets and 12 helicopters.
| Aircraft | Origin | Type | Versions | Ordered[2] | In service | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atlas Impala | Italy/ South Africa | trainer light attack |
Mk I Mk II |
2 4 |
1 4 |
One Mk I crashed in Yaounde airbase killing both the pilot instructor (Lt-Col Bile Samba) and pilot student (Biko Mongo). |
| Aérospatiale SA 318 Alouette II | France | utility helicopter | SA 318C | 2 | 1 | |
| Aérospatiale SA 319 Alouette III | France | utility helicopter | SA 319B | 2 | 2 | |
| Aérospatiale SA 342 Gazelle | France | attack/utility helicopter | SA 342L | 4 | 3 | One crashed in Bakassi killing both the pilot and a medical personnel |
| Aérospatiale SA 330 Puma | France | transport helicopter | SA 330 | 2 | 2 | |
| Bell 206L LongRanger | United States | utility helicopter | 206L III | 4 | 2? | One crashed in North Cameroon |
| Bell 412 | Canada/ Belgium | utility helicopter | 412 | 2 | 1 | One crashed on November 22, 2010 while on a liaison flight between Limbe and Yaounde. Amongst the four casualties who members of the cameroonian special force unit BIR (Bataillon d'Intervention Rapide) was the retired israeli Lt-Col Abraham Avi Sirvan, Paul Biya's security adviser. |
| Dassault-Breguet/Dornier Alpha Jet | France/ Germany | trainer/light attack | NGEA | 6 | 5? | One was damaged during training exercises |
| IAI Arava | Israel | utility transport | Arava 201 | 2 | ? | |
| Gulfstream III | United States | VIP transport | Gulfstream III | 1 | 1 | |
| Aérospatiale SA 332 Super Puma | France | VIP transport | SA 332 | 1 | 1 | |
| Lockheed C-130 Hercules | United States | tactical transport | C-130H C-130H-30 |
2 1 |
1 1 |
TJX-AC was written off in France |
| Piper PA-23 Aztec | United States | utility | PA-23-250F | 2 | ||
| Humbert Tetras | France | training | Tetras | 7 | 7 |