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Aviation History
1987
1987 - 2546.PDF
WORLD'S AIR FORCES with their associated TOW missiles. No deliv eries have been reported to date. The paramilitary gendarmerie, the Turk Jandarma Teskilati, has its own helicopter fleet, and the for.ce comes under Army control. Turk Cumhuriyet Bahrya Following the transfer of the S-2 Tracker fleet to the Air Force in the mid-1970s, the Turkish Navy's air arm has operated only helicopters. Currently, the fleet comprises AB.212ASWs and AB.204ASs for ASW operations from frigates. The S-2 Trackers flown by 103 Filo of the THK at Topel still undertake naval missions, and there is believed to be some form of naval operational control over the squadron. An addi tional 18 to 20 Trackers were received in 1985 and, while most will be used as spares sources, a few may be refurbished for operational use. Uganda Uganda Army Air Force The UAAF was once strong in numbers, but the deprivations of the Amin regime, the Israeli raid on Entebbe in 1976, the invasion of the country by neigh bouring Tanzania in 1979, and the military coup in 1985 led to the destruction of most of the Soviet supplied combat aircraft, although about five MiG-21MFs, a dozen MiG-17Fs, and a few L-29 Delfins are believed to remain in storage. About 15 helicopters and light aircraft, including two SF.260Ws donated by Libya in mid-1987, remain serviceable. The Police Air Wing fleet also suffers poor serviceability because of spares shortages. Type No Role Air Force SF.260W Warrior AS-202 Bravo AB.412/AB.205 AB.206 JetRanger Police Air Wing DHC-6 Twin Otter DHC-2 Turbo-Beaver Bell 214 B.206B JetRanger 2 6 2/3 2 Training Training Transport Liaison Transport Comms Comms Liaison United Arab Emirates United Arab Emirates Air Force The UAE Federation consists of seven Gulf states: Abu Dhabi, Amman, Dubai, Fujairah, Ras Al- Khaimah, Sharjah, and Umm-al-Qaiwan. Each of these states contributes to equipping and running the UAEAF, which was formed from the Abu Dhabi Air Force, the United Air Force and the Dubai Police Wing. Sharjah has recently formed its own Air Wing which, although nominally an element of the UAEAF, appears to be administered as an autonomous unit. The UAEAF Headquarters is at Abu Dhabi, but the main base is at Dubai, where most maintenance is carried out. In practice the two main elements of the UAEAF tend to be operated as separate air arms, one in Abu Dhabi and the other in Dubai. True amalgamation is still the ultimate goal, and perhaps came slightly nearer to becoming a reality with the formation early in 1986 of the Western Air Command (formerly the Abu Dhabi Air Force) and the Central Air Command (previously the Dubai Air Wing) of the unified UAEAF. The Western Air Command controls Al Dhafra air base and its resident units, comprising II Shaheen Squadron with Mirage Vs, Al Ghezelle Squadron with Gazelles, and the Flying Training School with PC-7 Turbo- Trainers and Hawks; Bateen air base with the Transport Wing; and I Shaheen Squadron, which flies the rest of the Mirage Vs from Shar jah Airport. Central Air Command is responsible for Mindhat air base, whose units consist of III Shaheen Squadron with Hawks, the Flying Training Academy with SF.260s, MB.326s, and MB.339s, and the Transport Squadron. Delivery of Mirage 2000s was due to begin in September 1986 but has been repeat edly delayed by difficulties with the integration of US equipment into a French aircraft. 24 new fighters are required. The F-16 has been elimi nated, with the F-18 remaining as the favoured contender. A final decision is expected by the end of 1987. Type No Role Abu Dhabi Mirage 200OE/R/D Mirage VAD/RAD/DAD Hawk 63 PC-7 Turbo-Trainer C-130H Hercules DHC-5D Buffalo C-212 Aviocar BN-2A Islander AS.332F/L Super Puma SA.330 Puma AS.350 Ecureuil SA.342 Gazelle Alouette III AB.206B JetRanger Dubai MB.326KD/LD MB.339A Hawk 61 SF.260TP L-100-30 Hercules G-222 BN-2T Islander Cessna 182 Bell 212/214B Bell 205A Bell 206B/AB-206A JetRanger Bell 206L LongRanger BO.105S 22*78*76* 23/3/3 16 23 4 4/1 4 1 6/2/2 11 1 12 7 1 3/2 5 8 5 2 1 1 1 4/4 6 2/3 1 3/3 * Int/Recce/Trng Int/Recce/Trng Attack/Train Training Transport Transport/VIP Transport Utility Trans/Anti-ship/ VIP Transport Liaison Anti-tank Anti-tank Liaison Coin/Training Coin/Training Training Training Transport Transport Utility Royal Flt/VIP Utility Utility Liaison Liaison SAR/Liaison On order United States United States Air Force Responsible for two legs of the USA's nuclear triad, the USAF is updating its ICBM and bomber forces by both the introduction of new equipment and by the modernisation of in-service assets. Fifty MEM- 118 Peacekeeper (MX) ICBMs will be deployed in Minuteman silos by the end of 1988, while another fifty will eventually be allocated to the rail-garrison system which is currently under development. Meanwhile, research and development on a small, mobile ICBM con tinues, with initial operating clearance scheduled for 1992. Fifty Minuteman II ICBMs are being upgraded to Minuteman III standard, and half the 600-strong force now have MIRVs with three independently targeted Mk.12 warheads. The USAF operates seven ICBM wings: 1,500 of the present-generation ALCMs are being deployed on B-52Gs and Hs, to be followed by the Advanced Cruise Missile (ACM) being developed by Convair. One hundred Rockwell B-lBs are scheduled for delivery, with the last due in 1988. The first B-1B base, Dyess AFB, Texas, became oper ational in September 1986, and was followed by Elsworth, South Carolina, early in 1987. Grand Forks, North Dakota, was scheduled to become operational with the type in October 1987. The last B-1B base will be McConnell, in Kansas. Initially the B-lBs will be used in the pene tration role, until relieved by the Northrop ATB from about 1992. The B-lBs will then be used as stand-off cruise missile launchers, taking over from B-52Hs, which in turn will displace B-52Gs. As the first of 132 ATBs begin to enter service the FB-111 force will be reas signed to Tactical Air Command. The last part of the USAF's nuclear strategic force is the ground launched cruise missile (GLCM). Deployment to Europe continues, with units in Britain, Sicily, and the Netherlands, although the promised US/USSR medium-range missile treaty will see their withdrawal. In the air defence of the continental USA, F-15s are replacing F-106s and F-4 Phantoms. The Air National Guard currently mans ten of the 15 AD squadrons. The USAF's new dual- role fighter, the F-15E, first flew in December 1986, and 392 are required to replace F-4s and These Aermacchi MB.326KDs form part of Dubai's contribution to the UAEAF 96 FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL, 2s November 1987
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