Rwandan Air Force
| Rwandan Air Force | |
|---|---|
| Force Aérienne Rwandaise | |
| Founded | 1962 |
| Country |  Rwanda |
| Type | Air force |
| Role | Aerial warfare |
| Size | 21 helicopters, and 2 fixed wing |
| Part of | Rwanda Defence Force |
The Rwandan Air Force (French: Force aérienne rwandaise) is an air branch of the Rwandan Defence Forces.
History
After achieving independence in 1962, the Air Force was formed with the aid of Belgium, the initial aircraft consisted of three ex-French Air Force CM.170 Magisters, which operated in a counterinsurgency role along with a Britten-Norman Islander. Other deliveries included SA 342L Gazelles, Nord Noratlas, SOCATA Guerrier, C-47 Skytrains. After fighting began between the RPA and the government in 1990 most aircraft were shot down, destroyed on the ground or crashed.[1]
Current inventory
| Aircraft | Origin | Type | Variant | In service | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fighter | ||||||
| Sukhoi Su-27 | Russia | Fighter | 8[2] | |||
| Transport | ||||||
| Cessna 208 Caravan | United States | utility | 2[3] | on order | ||
| Diamond DA42 Twin Star | Austria | utility | 2[3] | |||
| Helicopters | ||||||
| Mil Mi-17 | Russia | utility | 12[3] | |||
| Mil Mi-24 | Russia | attack | 5[3] | |||
| Aérospatiale Gazelle | France | utility | 342 | 4[3] | ||
| Trainer | ||||||
| Yakovlev Yak-130 | Russia | Advanced Jet Trainer | 16[2] | |||
References
- ^ "World Air Forces1983 pg. 366". flightglobal.com. 6 August 1983. Retrieved 15 November 2019.
- ^ a b "World Air Forces 2019". Flightglobal Insight. 2019. Retrieved 12 May 2019.
- ^ a b c d e "World Air Forces 2021". FlightGlobal. 4 December 2020. Retrieved 5 January 2021.
External links
https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/rwanda/air-force.htm
https://www.rwandan-flyer.com/rwanda-air-force-guide-2014
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