| Royal Jordanian Air Force | |
|---|---|
Royal Jordanian Air Force insignia |
|
| Founded | 25 September 1955 |
| Country | Jordan |
| Branch | Air Force |
| Type | Military Aviation |
| Role | Aerial Warfare |
| Size | 520 aircraft |
| Air Headquarter | Amman |
| Commanders | |
| Chief of Air Staff | Major General Malek Habashneh |
| Insignia | |
| Roundel | |
| Ensign | |
| Aircraft flown | |
| Attack | Bell AH-1 Cobra |
| Fighter | F-16 Fighting Falcon, Dassault Mirage F1, Northrop F-5 |
| Trainer | CASA C-101 Aviojet, Slingsby T-67 Firefly |
| Transport | Lockheed C-130 Hercules, CASA C-295 |
The Royal Jordanian Air Force (RJAF— Arabic: سلاح الجو الملكي الأردني, transliterated Silāḥ ul-Jawu al-Malakī ’al-Urdunī) is the air force branch of the Jordanian Armed Forces.
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Jordan gained independence in 1945, but its first air bases had been set up in 1931 by the Royal Air Force. By 1950, Jordan began to develop a small air arm which came to be known as the Arab Legion Air Force (ALAF). The Royal Air Force assisted in training this small air arm and provided equipment. The ALAF's primary fighter was the De Havilland Vampire and a Vickers Viking was operated as a VIP aircraft for use by the King of Jordan. By 1955 King Hussein realized the need for Jordan to have a more modern Air force, and on 25 September 1955 the RJAF was established. By 1958 the Royal Air Force had left Jordan and the RJAF had taken control of the airfields in the country.
By the 1960s, the RJAF had a fleet of Hawker Hunters in the fighter role, with Dakota cargo planes and helicopters used in the transport role. 1964 brought the RJAF's first victory in the air. In the Battle of the Dead Sea, four Hawker Hunters shot down one Israeli Mirage and damaged three others.
On the morning of Nov 13, 1966 the siren sounded at Mafraq air base and a flight of two hunter aircraft scrambled. This section comprised of [sic] Lt. Salti and Lt. Shurdom. Three minutes later another pair was scrambled Lead by Lt. Jaser Zayyad and Lt. Abdeen as wingman. The reason was to alleviate the pressure on Jordanian infantry positions under attack by combined Israeli forces. Arriving at the scene I found that Red leader was engaged in combat with an Israeli mirage while number two Lt. Shurdom was closely pursued by a hostile Mirage which was closing in for a kill. According to Lt. Jaser Zayyad:
I warned Shurdom of the attacker and asked him to tighten the turn. At the time I was pulling up taking advantage of my speed to attack a flight of four Mirages capping. As I was zooming up the Israeli aircraft released one missile at close range. I called Lt. Shurdom to break left and watched the missile miss him and explode in the vineyards. Apparently, the four aircraft spotted my section because they split in two pairs. As No 3&4 turned right and down I decided to turn inside and pursue for a kill. As I was closing less than 600 yards the No 4 left his leader to the left and I asked my No2 to watch him who mistook the order to get him. I closed in to 380 yards and released a good burst of my aden guns. At that instant I heard Salti give a call Hunter behind Mirage BREAK. I immediately broke without ensuring the fate of the targeted mirage. Re grouping at low level the situation looked desperate as there was a whole squadron of Mirages in the air. As we were close to the border and far away from base I ordered withdrawal and made sure red section exited a head of my section. I lost radio contact with Salti and found out upon landing that he was lost in action..
During the 1967 Six-Day War, the RJAF destroyed an Israeli Nord Noratlas on the grounds of Sirkin air base before an Israeli counterstrike destroyed the RJAF on the ground and in their hangars decisively removing the RJAF from the war. However, in the closing stages of the war, RJAF pilots operating from Iraq (using Iraqi Hawker Hunters) managed to down one Israeli Mirage IIICJ and two Vautours heading to attack H3 for one loss. Israel said it lost three aircraft and downed three Hunters, before the mission was aborted. It is considered by Israel to be one of the failures of the war.
In the 1970s the RJAF was modernised. F-104 Starfighters were acquired from the United States following heavy losses in the Six-Day War. However, the Starfighter proved superfluous and several were donated to the Pakistan Air Force with the last unit withdrawn from service in 1977 leaving a fighter gap that would not be filled until the arrival of the Mirage F1 in 1981. The RJAF also acquired F-5 Tigers via Iran during the reign of the Shah who procured them from the United States. T-37 Tweets were also acquired for the training role. In 1975, the RJAF gave its fleet of 31 Hawker Hunters to the Sultan of Oman's Air Force having failed in their efforts to sell them to Rhodesia or Honduras. The Hunters were delivered between May and June 1975.
Following peace between Egypt and Israel in 1979, the RJAF began to modernize its fleet once again. The first part of this program was the procurement of the Dassault Mirage F1 which became the RJAF's frontline fighter supported by generous aid from wealthy oil-rich Arab states. The Mirage F1 was selected over the F-16/79 (an F-16A powered by the GE J79 turbojet series as opposed to the F-100, which had 25% more power in afterburn)[1] while also acquiring the F-5 to complement the Mirage F1CJ/EJ in the process.
In the 1980s, the RJAF supported Saddam Hussein and the Iraqi regime during the Iran-Iraq War, committing their aircraft for combat training alongside Iraqi aircraft squadrons with one joint aircraft squadron. It remains unknown (and seemingly unlikely) that RJAF pilots took part in combat with Iran. During the 1991 Desert Storm conflict, Jordan declared support for the Iraqi regime, but the RJAF was never officially committed to combat in that war. The RJAF provided instruction for Iraqi pilots who also operated the similar Mirage F1.
Some six C-130H entered RJAF service and remain critical in supporting Jordan's peacekeeping efforts. In 1987 the RJAF received CASA C-101s to replace the T-37 in the training role.
Following economic crisis that plagued the country in 1988 contributed to a general reduction in the size and strength of the armed forces since 1989, the RJAF cancelled ambitious plans to acquire the Mirage 2000EJ aircraft (eight planned but cancelled) and upgrades of the Mirage F1CJ fleet to the multi-role EJ standard. However, by 1990 the Iraqi invasion and occupation of Kuwait brought a coalition against the Iraqi regime of Saddam Hussein. Jordan, despite not supporting the occupation of Kuwait, was accused of backing Iraq.
The fallout meant that the RJAF was impacted upon but contrary to reports, did not lose its operational tempo and was not forced to cannibalize aircraft for shortages of spare parts. Despite this, the RJAF had to rationalize its existing resources due to a temporary downfall in spare parts and supplies. However, economic difficulties forced the RJAF to seek upgrades rather than the purchase of new equipment originally planned.
Modernization schemes continued with seven F-5Es sold to Singapore and some funding used to upgrade most of the remaining others with the AN/APG-67 radar (found on the aborted F-20 Tigershark, once an aircraft under evaluation by the RJAF), modern fire control systems, and WVR AAMs, thus putting the F-5 on par with more modern aircraft in terms of electronics. Despite this, the F-5s lack a BVR combat capability.
Following the 1994 Israel–Jordan peace treaty and the lending of Jordanian support to the United States during the Gulf War, the U.S. recommenced full military relations with Jordan starting with the donation of 16 F-16 Fighting Falcons, making Jordan the first country outside the United States to operate the type with the AIM-7M 'Sparrow' and AIM-9M 'Sidewinder' as primary weapons. Deliveries commenced in 1997, and were completed by 1998, following extensive exercises with the existing Mirage F1CJ/EJ and F-5E/F in RJAF service and assuming the lead role. Some 17 further ex-AMARC aircraft were also procured along with six ex-Royal Netherlands Air Force F-16BMs for training purposes (but combat capable) along with 14 ex-Belgian F-16A/B in MLU (Mid Life Update) standard, thus boosting the RJAF's own multi-role capabilities. Another six ex-Spanish Mirage F1CE/EE aircraft have been procured.
RJAF pilots have participated in 'Bright Star' in Egypt against regional F-16 Fighting Falcon and have improved their skills considerably, especially in defining critical areas of upgrading. The AIM-120 AMRAAM has been procured by the RJAF and will improve combat capabilities of the basic F-16. Unlike the AIM-7M 'Sparrow III' the AMRAAM is lighter and more versatile with superior ECM/ECCM and capable of engaging high-g targets, along with an active-radar homing warhead (unlike the semi-active homing warhead of the 'Sparrow III') with standard datalink for mid-course guidance and correction purposes.
With 17 F-16s and TAI (Turkish Aerospace Industries) modernising them to MLU standard (Block 50), this enabling advanced AGMs and latest PGMs to be carried. It remains unclear what will eventually complement the F-16s as the F-5s dwindle in numbers due to stress and fatigue reasons. The F-5s should be officially out of service by 2010, while the F-16MLU and Mirage F1CJ/EJ will remain the RJAF's standard fighters. While most sources cite that the RJAF is seeking 90-100 F-16s and RJAF now equip with 64 F-16s. The RJAF's F-16s are currently undergoing a new paint scheme to KA2 standard similar to the 'low visibility' fatigues adopted by the Royal Jordanian Land Force.
Two light CASA C-295s have been procured and procurement is likely to continue of the type. It is believed that the RJAF may also order smaller numbers of the An-72/74 from Antonov for STOL operations for army special forces.
The commander of the Royal Jordan Air Force is Major General Hussein Ahmad Shodash.
| Aircraft | Origin | Type | Versions | In service[2] | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fighter Aircraft | ||||||
| Lockheed F-16 Fighting Falcon | United States | Fighter
Trainer |
F-16A
B |
10
4 |
ADF Block 15 (Peace Falcon-1)
RJAF recognized the need to give these aircraft a mid-life update (MLU) in the next 2 or 3 years. (2 F-16A Block 15 ADF aircraft crashed over the years of service)[3] |
|
| Lockheed F-16 Fighting Falcon | United States | Multirole Fighter
Trainer |
F-16AM
BM |
34
14 |
MLU Block 40/50
17 F-16AM/BM upgraded by TAI to MLU standard (Peace Falcon-2), 16 F-16AM/BM from Belgium (Peace falcon-3), 6 F-16BM from Netherlands[4] (Peace falcon-4)[5] & An additional 9 F-16AM/BM MLU (6 F-16AM, 3 F-16BM) delivered in July/Aug 2011 from Belgium (Peace falcon-5).[6] |
|
| Northrop F-5E/F Tiger II | United States | Fighter
Trainer |
F-5E
F-5F |
33
9 |
||
| Dassault Mirage F1 | France | Trainer
Fighter Trainer Fighter |
Mirage F1BJ
Mirage F1CJ Mirage F1DJ Mirage F1EJ |
1
12 2 15 |
In storage, 13 aircraft were displayed for sale to Argentina | |
| Attack Helicopter | ||||||
| Bell AH-1 Cobra | United States | Attack Helicopter | AH-1S
AH-1F |
24
9 |
28 in service. | |
| Trainer | ||||||
| CASA C-101 Aviojet | Spain | Trainer | C-101BB | 16 | 10 in service, might be replaced by 20 Aero L-159 Alca | |
| Slingsby T-67 Firefly | United Kingdom | Trainer | T-67M-260 | 14 | 3 lost in accidents | |
| BAe Bulldog | United Kingdom | Trainer | Mk.125/A | 16 | 22 delivered | |
| Eurocopter AS350 | European Union | Light utility helicopter | AS 350-B3 | 3 | From UAEAF | |
| MD Helicopters MD 500 | United States | Light Helicopter | MD 500D | 8 | ||
| Transport | ||||||
| Ilyushin Il-76 | Russia | Heavy-Lift Transport | IL-76MF | 2 | Delivered in 2011, each aircraft carry 60 tons, another 1 IL-76MF on order. | |
| Lockheed C-130 Hercules | United States | Tactical Transport | C-130H
C-130E |
4
3 |
2 C-130E received in Dec 2011 and the 3rd in spring 2012[7][8] | |
| CASA C-295 | Spain | Tactical Transport | CN-295 | 2 | ||
| Eurocopter AS332 | European Union | Transport Helicopter | AS 332M1 | 10 | ||
| Bell UH-1 Iroquois | United States | Transport Helicopter | UH-1H | 40 | 16 were delivered to Iraqi Air Force, 40 in service. | |
| Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk | United States | Transport Helicopter | S-70A-11 | 10 | 2 S-70A-11 VIP used to transport the Head Of State and used for back up. | |
| Eurocopter EC 635 | Germany | Utility Helicopter | EC-635 | 13 | 13 in service.[9][10] | |
| Prince Hashem Bin Abdulah II brigade (Special Operations Command) | ||||||
| Antonov An-32 | Ukraine | SOCOM | AN-32 | 3 | ||
| CASA CN-235 | Spain | SOCOM Gunship | CN-235 | 2 | Modified by ATK into Gunship's carrying weapons (Hellfire II, Hydra 70, M230 link-fed 30mm chain gun ) for special operation.[11][12][13] | |
| Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk | United States | Transport Helicopter | UH-60L | 8 | ||
| MD Helicopters MD 500 | United States | Scout Helicopter | MD 500E | 6 | ||
| Reconnaissance | ||||||
| Cessna 208 Caravan | United States | Reconnaissance | Cessna 208(Recce) | 5 | ||
| Seabird Seeker | Australia/ Jordan | Reconnaissance | SB7L-360A | 6 | ||
| Utility | ||||||
| Kamov Ka-226 | Russia | Light utility | Ka-226 | 6 | it will be assembled in Jordan | |
| Socata TB | France | Utility | TB 20 Trinidad | 2 | ||
The 5 Extra 300 aerobatic aircraft of the Royal Jordanian Falcons are operated by RJAF pilots, but owned by Royal Jordanian Airlines.
The police operate 4 Eurcopter EC 120 Colibri and 3 MBB Bo.105S.
Note: These figures refer only to quantities of missiles from the transactions and not to the actual quantity of missiles in RJAF.
As well as all of its members have been trained to deal with any Airborne threat from the skies to defend the kingdom.
The roundel of the RJAF is three circles, with black, white and green circles, going from outside to inside. At the top of the roundel is a red triangle containing the seven-pointed star of the Flag of Jordan. The tails of aircraft usually carry an image of the flag of Jordan.
"60 Years of the Hawker Hunter, 1951 to 2011" by David J. Griffin.
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