Kenya Air Force
| Kenya Air Force Jeshi la Anga la Kenya | |
|---|---|
 Kenya Air Force emblem | |
| Founded | 1 June 1964 |
| Country |  Republic of Kenya |
| Branch | Air Force |
| Part of | Kenya Defence Forces |
| Command Headquarters | Nairobi |
| Motto(s) | Tuko Imara Angani |
| Engagements | Operation Linda Nchi (16 October 2011 – June 2012) AU Mission in Somalia (June 2012 – Present) |
| Commanders | |
| Air Force commander | Major General Samuel Thuita |
| Insignia | |
| Roundel |  |
| Flag |  |
| Aircraft flown | |
| Fighter | Northrop F-5 |
| Helicopter | Mil Mi-171, SA330 Puma, MD 500 |
| Patrol | Harbin Y-12 |
| Trainer | Bulldog, Short Tucano, Grob G 120 |
| Transport | DHC-5, Dash 8, Harbin Y-12 |
The Kenya Air Force (KAF) is the national aerial warfare service branch of the Republic of Kenya.
The main airbase operating fighters is Laikipia Air Base in Nanyuki, while Moi Air Base in Eastleigh, Nairobi is the headquarters. Other bases include Forward Operating BAse (FOB) Mombasa (Moi International Airport), FOB Mandera, FOB Wajir & FOB Nyeri (mainly helicopters/small planes). The air force does not own attack helicopters: all of Kenya's fleet of armed helicopters are operated by the Army's 50th Air Cavalry Battalion.
History
The Kenya Air Force was formed on 1 June 1964, soon after independence, with the assistance of the United Kingdom.
Former aircraft in service included de Havilland Canada Chipmunks and Beavers (since 1974), six Hawker Hunters (bought from RAF, in operation from 1974–79), six BAC Strikemaster fighters (in operation from 1971, and 12 BAE Systems Hawks delivered in 1980. All these types have now been withdrawn.
From 1979–1982 President Daniel arap Moi used Northrop F-5 fighter jets to escort his flights in and out of the country; later commentators have pointed out that there was no threat justifying the waste of fuel and the difficult and complex requirements of the escort mission.[1]
After a failed coup by a group of Air Force officers on 1 August 1982, the Air Force was disbanded. Air Force activity was reconstituted and placed under tighter army control as the 82 Air Force. The Air Force regained its independent status in 1994.
On 10 April 2006 a KAF Harbin Y-12 crashed near Marsabit with 17 on board, of whom 14 died. It was carrying several local and national politicians; Bonaya Godana, a former minister, was among the casualties. The pilot in command was Major David Njoroge.
Since 1978, the F-5 has been the KAF's main air defense fighter. A total of 29 were delivered; 12 F-5E & 2 F-5F from USA, and 10 F-5E,3 F-5EM & 2 F-5F formerly in service with the Royal Jordanian Air Force (RJAF). The ex RJAF aircraft were upgraded to F-5EM standard before being delivered to the Kenya Air Force. There was controversy over the purchase of the F-5s from Jordan, which were shipped to Kenya and assembled locally.[2] Currently a F-5 upgrade and procurement program is underway (10 F-5E, 2 F-5F, and 3 F-5EM from Jordan.[3]).
Aircraft
Current inventory
| Aircraft | Origin | Type | Variant | In service | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Combat Aircraft | ||||||
| F-5 | United States | fighter | 17[4] | |||
| Reconnaissance | ||||||
| Cessna 208 | United States | surveillance / light transport | 1 on order[4] | |||
| Transport | ||||||
| Bombardier Dash 8 | Canada | VIP | 3[4] | |||
| DHC-5 | Canada | utility / transport | 5[4] | |||
| Harbin Y-12 | China | transport | 11[4] | |||
| Helicopters | ||||||
| Mil Mi-17 | Russia | utility / transport | Mi-171 | 2[4] | ||
| SA 330 Puma/IAR 330 | France/Romania | utility / transport | 14[4] | |||
| Harbin Z-9 | China | utility | 6[4] | |||
| MD 500 | United States | light utility | 41[4] | one lost to crash 2015[5] | ||
| Trainer Aircraft | ||||||
| F-5 | United States | conversion trainer | F-5F | 4[4] | ||
| Short Tucano | United Kingdom | trainer | Tucano 51 | 12[4] | licence-built variant of the EMB-312 | |
| Grob G 120 | Germany | trainer | 120A | 6[4] | ||
| Bulldog T1 | United Kingdom | basic trainer | 5[4] | |||
Former fleet
- BAC 167 Strikemaster fighters (in operation since 1971) (sold to Botswana 1993–94) -6 Delivered
- BAE Hawk 52 (in operation since 1980, 8 or more built, all grounded) -12 delivered
- De Havilland Canada DHC-1 Chipmunk trainers (in operation 1964–74) - 6 delivered
- De Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver bush planes (in operation 1964–83) - 7 delivered
- De Havilland Canada DHC-4 Caribou transport (in operation 1966–87) - 4 delivered
- Dornier Do 28D utility, (in operation since 1977, 4 or more built) -8 Delivered.
Aircraft armament
- HJ-8 anti-tank Missiles
- TY-90 air-to-air missiles
- 72x AIM-9J Sidewinder air-to-air missiles
- 72x AGM-65A Maverick air-to-surface missiles
Air defence equipment
Anti-aircraft equipment:
Commanders
The following officers have been in command of the Kenya Air Force:[6]
- 12 December 1964 Group Captain Ian Sargenson Stockwell CBE DFC RAF[7]
- 22 February 1967 Group Captain F Rothwell DFC TD RAF
- 9 August 1971 Group Captain David John Edwards CBE AFC RAF[8]
- 17 April 1973 Colonel Dedan Gichuru[9]
- 27 June 1980 Major General P M Kariuki
- 1982 Major General Mohamoud Mohamed (as commander of the 82 Air Force)
- 27 February 1986 Major General Dedan N Gichuru (as commander of the 82 Air Force)
- 10 May 1989 Major General D K Wachira
- 28 June 1994 Major General N L Leshan
- 1 December 2000 Major General S K Muttai
- 27 November 2003 Major General J W Karangi
- 10 August 2005 Major General Harold M Tangai
- 13 July 2011 Major General Joff Otieno
- 30 July 2014 Major General Samuel Ng’ang’a Thuita
See also
References
- ^ "Escorting Moi with fighter jets".
- ^ The Nation, [1]
- ^ http://www.eastandard.net/InsidePage.php?id=1143989992&cid=159&j=2008&m=7&d=12
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "World Air Forces 2015 pg. 21". Flightglobal Insight. 2015. Retrieved 9 April 2015.
- ^ "Kenyan MD500 crash kills two". defenceWeb.
- ^ http://www.mod.go.ke/Kafsite/history2.htm
- ^ "I S Stockwell".
- ^ "D J Edwards".
- ^ Hornsby, Charles (2012). Kenya: A History Since Independence. London/New York: I. B. Tauris. p. 231. ISBN 978-1-84885-886-2., indicates Edwards tenure 1971–73, and Gichuru 1973–80.
- Hoyle, Chris (9–15 December 2014). "World Air Forces Directory". Flight International. Vol. 186, no. 5468. pp. 24–55.
External links
