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Ghana Air Force

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Ghana Air Force
Ghana Air Force roundel
Founded29 July 1959 - present
Country Ghana
AllegianceConstitution of Ghana
TypeAir Force
RoleAerial warfare
Size24 aircraft[1]
Part of Ghana Armed Forces
GHF HQBurma Camp
Colors   
Commanders
Chief of the Air StaffAir Vice Marshal M. Samson-Oje
Insignia
Ensign
Aircraft flown
TrainerHongdu K-8 Karakorum
TransportEADS CASA C-295
Fokker F28 Fellowship

The Ghana Air Force (GHF) is the aerial warfare organizational military branch of the Ghanaian Armed Forces (GAF). The GHF, along with the Ghanaian army (GA) and Ghanaian navy (GN), make up the Ghanaian Armed Forces (GAF) which are controlled by the Ghanaian Ministry of Defence (MoD).

History

The GHF (Ghana Air Force) started on 24 July 1959 as a Flying Training School with Israeli instructors and technicians. The School was established as a cradle of a service to complement the Army and the Navy. Later that year a headquarters was established in Accra under the command of Indian Air commodore Jaswant Singh who was appointed as the first Chief of Air Staff (CAS).[2] In 1960 Royal Air Force personnel took up the task of training the newly established Ghana Air Force and in 1961 they were joined by a small group of Royal Canadian Air Force personnel. In September 1961 as part of President Kwame Nkrumah's Africanization program, a Ghanaian CAS was appointed, with the first being J.E.S. de Graft-Hayford. Although born in the U.K. he was of Ghanaian descent. The Ghana Air Force was in the beginning equipped with a squadron of Chipmunk trainers, and squadrons of Beavers, Otters and Caribou transport aircraft. In addition a DH125 jet was bought for Kwame Nkrumah, Hughes helicopters were bought for mosquito spraying plus DH Doves and Herons. British-made Westland Whirlwind helicopters and a squadron of Italian-made MB-326 ground attack/trainer jets were also purchased. In 1962 the national school of gliding was set up by Hanna Reitsch, who was once Adolf Hitler's top personal pilot. Under the command of Air Commodore de Graft-Hayford, she served as director, operations instructor and trainer of the school. She also acted as the personal pilot of Kwame Nkrumah from 1962−1966.

Organization

The GHF headquarters and main transport base are located in Accra, close to Kotoka International Airport. Other GHF air bases include:

GHF Air Force Base, Sekondi-Takoradi, started as Ghana Air Force, Sekondi-Takoradi, on 1 March 1961. The Chipmunk Basic Trainer Aircraft was the first aircraft used at the Station with an all Rank Air Force Station.

The GHF Air Force Base, Accra, came into being soon after the Royal Air Force (RAF) had taken over the administration from the Indian and Israeli Air Force officers at the beginning of 1961. The station was housed at No 3 hangar at the Accra Airport (Kotoka International Airport) with hardly any aircraft. The Unit had four main sub-units, i.e. the Administration Wing, Flying Wing, Technical Wing and Equipment Wing. The School of Technical Training was also located at this station. The Station moved from No 3 hangar to its present location in Burma Camp towards the end of 1965.[2]

Mission

The role of the Ghana Air Force, as defined in the National Defense Policy, is to provide “Air Transport and Offensive Air Support to the Ghana Armed Forces and to protect the territorial air space of Ghana”. The National Defense Policy further states certain specific tasks, which the Ghana Air Force is expected to perform. These tasks are as follows:

  • To maintain Fighter Ground Attack capability and provide Close Air Support during operation.
  • To provide transport support to the Ghana Armed Forces.
  • To provide surveillance over the air space of Ghana and over the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
  • To provide liaison and recce flight capability.
  • To provide VIP flight capability.
  • To provide transport support for civilians as government directs.
  • To provide medical evacuation and air rescue assistance.

The Ghana Air Force is also responsible for the co-ordination and direction of Search and Rescue (SAR) within the Accra Flight Information Region.[2]

Aircraft

Current inventory

A Ghanaian special forces team board a Mi-17 helicopter
Ghana’s Fokker F27 Friendship
Aircraft Origin Type Variant In service Notes
Combat
EMB 314  Brazil light attack / COIN 5 on order[3]
Reconnaissance
Diamond DA42  Austria surveillance 2[4]
Transport
CASA C-295  Spain utility / transport 2[4]
F27  Netherlands transport 1[4]
Helicopters
Mil Mi-17  Russia utility / transport Mi-17/171 7[4] 6 on order[4]
Bell 412  United States utility 1[4]
A 109  Italy light utility 2[4]
Z-9  China utility 4 on order[4]
Trainer Aircraft
K-8  China jet trainer 4[4]
DA42  Austria multi engine trainer 1[4]

Retired aircraft

A former Short SC.7 Skyvan from the GHF
Aircraft Origin Type In service Notes
Combat Aircraft
Aermacchi MB-339  Italy light attack 4[5] placed in storage
Transport
Short Skyvan  Ireland transport 2[5] overhaul in 2004, later retired from service
BN-2T Islander  United Kingdom transport 4[5] retired from service
Cessna 172  United States liaison / utility 3[5] retired from service
Helicopters
Aérospatiale Alouette III  France light utility 5[5] retired from service
Bell 212  United States utility 2[5] placed in storage
Trainer Aircraft
Aero L-39ZO  Czech Republic jet trainer 2[5] retired from service

Chiefs of Air Staff

The senior appointment in the GHF is the Chief of Air Staff. The following is a list of the Ghana Air Force Chiefs of Air Staff:[6]

Rank structure

Honor Guards with M-16s from GHF (Ghana Air Force)

The GHF's rank structure is similar to the RAF's rank structure from where its ranks were derived.

Officers

In descending order of importance the GHF officer ranks are:[1]

Airmen

In descending order of importance the GHF airman ranks are:[2]

References

  1. ^ "World Air Forces 2014". Flightglobal Insight. 2014. {{cite web}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help); Missing or empty |url= (help)
  2. ^ a b c Ghana air force. gaf.mil.gh.
  3. ^ http://www.janes.com/article/46165/ghana-to-get-super-tucanos. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "World Air Forces 2015 pg. 16". Flightglobal Insight. 2015. Retrieved 7 March 2015.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g "World Air Forces 2004 pg, 42". Flightglobal I. 2004. Retrieved 4 December 2014.
  6. ^ "Past Chiefs of Air Staff". Official website. Ghana Armed Forces. 2008-02-06. Retrieved 2008-11-02.
  7. ^ Military Air Vice-Marshal. thestatesmanonline.com.
  8. ^ "Immediate Past Chief of Air Staff - Ghana Air Force". Official website. Ghana Armed Forces. 22 April 2005. Retrieved 2007-06-11.
  9. ^ "Chief of Air Staff - Ghana Air Force". Official website. Ghana Armed Forces. 21 May 2005. Retrieved 2007-06-11.
  10. ^ "Chief of Air Staff - Ghana Air Force". Official website. Ghana Armed Forces. 31 March 2009. Retrieved 2009-03-31.
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