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Aviation History
1987
1987 - 2531.PDF
WORLD'S AIR FORCES which was expected to be set up in 1986. Deliv ery of 24 SA.365 Dauphins is under way to the Royal Saudi Navy which operates them, equipped with radar and armed with AS.15TT ASMs, from the decks of frigates as well as from land bases. Type No Role Air Force F-15C/D Eagle Tornado ADV Tornado IDS F-5E/F Tiger II RF-5E Tigereye F-5B E-3A Sentry KE-3A Hawk PC-9 Strikemaster 80/80A Cessna 172G/H/M Jetstream 31 KC-130H Hercules C-130E/H Hercules VC-130H Hercules C-130H Hercules CN-235 Boeing 747SP/707-320 Boeing 737-200 Gulfstream III Jetstar 8 Learjet 25/35A Super King Air 200 Cessna 310 KV-107-II AS-61A AB.205A/212 AB.206A JetRanger Navy SA.365N Dauphin " Delivery in progress "" On order 43/15 24" 48* 63/22 10 15 5 8* 30* 30* 37 13 2 8 9/21 2 2 5* 1/2 1 1 2 1/2 1 1 17 3 20/29 26 24* Senegambia Int Training Int Attack Int/Attack/Tmg Recce Training AEW Tanker Training Training Train/Attack Training Training Tanker Transport VIP Hospital Transport Royal Flight Royal Flight VIP VIP VIP/Target a/c VIP Communications SAR/Utility VIP Trans/SAR/VIP Training/SAR Anti-shipping Senegambia Air Force The December 1981 confederation pact between Senegal and The Gambia, under which the two countries retain sovereignty but develop joint policies, has apparently had little practical effect. As far as the Senegalese Air Force was concerned, no change, other than in name, was expected, since The Gambia did not have an air arm. The Senegambia Air Force has a limited light-attack capability centred on the CM.170 Magister, and also operates a number of armed light aircraft. A Twin Otter 300M is fitted with a Litton 360 surveillance radar for maritime patrol duties. Type No Role CM.170 Magister Cessna F337F Rallye 235 Guerrier Rallye 160ST/235A F.27 Friendship 400M Boeing 727-200 Caravelle III DHC-6 Twin Otter 300M Broussard SA.330F Puma SA.341H Gazelle Alouette II 5 1 4 2/2 6 1 1 1 C M 2 1 2 Attack Coin Coin Training Transport VIP VIP MR Comms VIP VIP Liaison Seychelles Seychelles Defence Force Air Wing Formed in 1980, this small air arm is primarily tasked with maritime surveillance around the Republic's 92 islands. A BN-2A Maritime Defender and a Merlin IIIB carry out regular patrols, often working together to discourage illegal fishing in Seychelles waters. The Defender is not armed, although its underwing pylons carry long-range tanks to increase endurance. The Indian Government donated two HAL Chetak helicopters in 1981 to improve inter-island communication, but one crashed in August 1987. Two Rallye 235Es are also used for communications flying in addition to their main role of pilot training. Sharjah Amiri Guard Air Wing One of the United Arab Emirates, this small state formed an air arm at Murgab Camp on December 20, 1984, with a single Bell 206B JetRanger. During 1985 a Shorts 330UTT and a Skyvan 3M were ordered. The Skyvan was in service before the end of 1985, while the 330UTT arrived in early June 1986. By that time the AGAW had moved its base to Sharjah International Airport and two more JetRangers had been acquired. The AGAW is nominally a component of the United Arab Emirates Air Force, but appears to operate autonomously. Sierra Leone Sierra Leone Defence Force This tiny force was set up in 1973 with Swedish assistance. Initial equipment was four MFI-17 Safaris, a Hughes 269C, and two Hughes 369s. One of the Safaris crashed, and lack of funds forced the sale of the remaining aircraft and the helicop ters. A BO.105C helicopter, bought in 1976 for Presidential use, is still in service alongside two AS.355 Ecureuils, obtained in 1984 for general liaison duties. Singapore Republic of Singapore Air Force Singapore selected the F-16 as its next-generation fighter in 1984, ordering eight of the General Electric J79 powered F-16/79 model. Following US approval of Thailand's purchase of standard F-16A/Bs in 1985, Singapore requested and received permission to upgrade its own order to the F-16A/B. The first F-I6s are scheduled for delivery to Singapore in 1988. The RSiAF's principal attack aircraft is the A-4 Skyhawk. Following the completion by Lockheed Aircraft Services of the initial contract for the refurbishment of 47 ex-US Navy A-4Bs, a further 70 surplus A-4C and 16 TA-4B airframes were acquired for conversion by Sing apore Aircraft Industries. The resulting Skyhawks, known as A-4S-ls, incoporate a number of refinements, such as wing spoilers, not built into the earlier A-4S aircraft. It is expected that 40 to 50 A-4S-1/TA-4S-1 will ultimately be completed. Other projects involving the Skyhawk fleet include the F404 re-engining programme and an avionics update, the latter including the installation of Litton LN-93 INS and a Ferranti HUD. Two aircraft initially received F404 powerplants, and the first flew in late September 1986. Following successful trials with these aircraft in 1986/87, the go-ahead for conversion of additional A-4s was given in June 1987. SAI also continues to assemble S.211 trainers supplied in kit form by SIAI-Marchetti. The S.211s have displaced the T-33A in RSiAF service, and the entire fleet of 20 aircraft was sold to the Royal Thai Air Force in 1986. AS.332 Super Pumas are also being assembled in Singapore, by SAMCO, and options are held on 12 maritime attack versions with AM.39 Exocet anti-shipping missiles. The RSiAF's two E-2C Hawkeye AEW aircraft are now in service after completion of crew training in the USA. Type No Role F-16A/B F-5E/F Tiger II A-4S/S-1 Skyhawk TA-4S/S-1 Skyhawk Hunter FGA.74/FR.74A/ FR.74B Hunter T.75/T.75A Strikemaster 81/82/84 S.211 SF.260M/W E-2C Hawkeye C-130B/H Hercules Skyvan 3M AS.332B/M Super Puma Bell 212 UH-1B/H Iroquois AB.205A/A-1 AS.350E Ecureuil 4**/4** 29/6 31/32+" 5/8+* 29 4 14 30* 26 2 4/4 6 5/17* 3 24/16 2/2 6 Int/T raining Int/Training Attack Training FGA/Recce Training Coin Training Training Coin Training AEW Transport SAR/Transport SAR/Transport SAR Transport Transport Training Delivery in progress ' On order Somalia Somalian Aeronautical Corps A poor coun try, Somalia first turned to the Soviet Union for aid and received a number of Soviet aircraft. Somalia later had brief contact with China, but is now backed by the West. In return for the USA's use of airfields and the deep-water port of Berbara, Somalia receives both military and economic aid. No aircraft have been offered to date, although a number of Hunters and Islanders were received from Abu Dhabi in 1983. A reported order for six S.211s for the light-attack role remains unconfirmed. Six SM.1019E liaison aircraft ordered in 1980 were never delivered. Type No Role MiG-21 Fishbed Shenyang F-6 (MiG-19) Hunter FGA.76 Hunter FR.76A/T.77 II-28 Beagle MiG-17F Fresco MiG-15UTI Midget SF.260W Warrior Yak-11 Moose Cessna FRA150L An-24 Coke/An-26 Curl G.222 C-47 Dakota BNr2A Islander Piaggio P. 166DL An-2 Colt Cessna 150M/185A AB.204B/AB.412 Mi-8 Hip Mi-4 Hound 6+ 20+ 7 1/1 3 10 2 5 12 + 2 3/1 4 2 3 4 3 1/1 1/4 2 6 Int FGA FGA Recce/Training (WFU?) FGA Training Coin Training Training Transport Transport Transport Comms Comms Comms Police Liaison Transport Transport Transport FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL, 28 November 1987
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