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Aviation History
1993
1993 - 2811.PDF
WORLD'S AIR FORCES SA.330C Puma Alouette III ** on order 10 trans/SAR 21 utility/trng Marinha Portugesa The Portugese navy is establishing an air arm which will give the navy its first aircraft. The Westland Super Lynx was selected in preference to the SH-2 Seasprite offered by the USA. The first of five helicopters will be delivered in 1993 for operation from the new Vasco de Gama frigates (Meko 200). QATAR Qatar Emiri air force A small but oil-rich Gulf state, Qatar has a potent combat force of Mirage F.ls and Alpha Jets, flown by 7 and 11 Squadrons respectively of No 1 Fighter Wing. No 2 Rotary Wing comprises 6 Squadron flying Commando 3s armed for anti- surface-vessel missions, and 9 Squadron which has a mixed fleet of Commando 2s and Super Pumas. Type Mirage F.1E/B Alpha Jet AS.332F Super Puma Commando 2A/2C/3 AS.332F Super Puma SA.342L Gazelle SA.341G Gazelle No 12/2 6 6 3/1/8 6 14 2 Role int/attack/trng attack/trng trans trans/VIP/ASV trans scout/liaison police ROMANIA Fortele Aeriene ale Republicii Socialiste — Romania Despite enormous internal political upheaval com bined with the demise of the Warsaw Pact, of which it was a member, Romania continues to operate a small air force. A squadron of MiG-29 Fulcrum fighters are the most modern aircraft in service and are based at Constanta. Romania has awarded Israel's Elbit with the contract to upgrade 100 of its Mikoyan Mig-21s. Elbit is upgrading IAR.330L Pumas with HUD while the air force has also expressed an interest in the Python 3 air-to-air missile for the IAR-99 Soim. The air force is organised into two air divisions, centred on Bucharest and Cluj military districts, each of which has two combat regiments. The 12 Romanian air-defence squadrons operate MiG-21s, MiG-23s and MiG-29s, while the two ground-attack regiments have replaced their MiG-17s with the joint Jugoslav/ Romanian IAR-93 Orao. Some 200 IAR-93 Oraos are required, including 165 IAR-93Bs fitted with a locally designed afterburner. L-39 Albatrosses equip a reconnaissance unit. Type MiG-29A/UB Fulcrum MiG-23MF/UM Flogger MiG-21 Fishbed/Mongol IAR-93A/B Orao H-5R (II-28) L-39 Albatross MiG-17F Fresco MiG-15bis/UTI Fagot/Midget L-29 Delfin IAR-99 Soim IAR-823 Yak-18 Max IAR-28M An-24/An-26 Coke/Curl An-30 Clank 11-18 Coot Tu-154 Careless Boeing 707-320 BN-2A Islander An-2 Colt IAR-330 Puma Mi-8 Hip Mi-2 Hoplite IAR-316 Alouette III IAR-317 Airfox Navy Mi-14PL Haze IAR-316 Alouette III No 12 30+ 100+/12+ 35/165* 12+ 30, 6- 12* 30+ 50 40 2ft I 10 10/6 3 2 1 2 3 10 90 fit 6r 95- 12- (it 6+ Role int/trng int/trng FGA/int/trng attack recon/attack recon/trng tactical trng tactical trng trng trng trng trnq trug trans photo survey trans VIP VIP utility utility trans trans liaison anti-tank/liaison attack ASW liaison RWANDA Force Aerienne Rwandaise The only armed aircraft in service are two Rallye 235 Guerriers which carry light weapons for COIN duties. The main operating base is at Kigali, the capital. Type Rallye 235G N.2501F Noratlas Caravelle III Falcon 50 SA.365N Dauphin BN-2A Islander SA.342L Gazelle Alouette III No 2 2 1 1 1 1 Si 7 Role COIN/liaison trans VIP VIP VIP comms liaison liaison SAUDI ARABIA Royal Saudi Air Force The Royal Saudi Air Force has key acquisitions in the past two years, with manufac turing work on 72 MDC F-15S strike-fighters (a down-graded version of the F-15E) now in progress and with the order in 1993 for 48 additional Tornado IDS under the Ai Yamamah agreement with the UK. Additional Hawk advanced jet trainers and Pilatus PC-9 trainers are expected to be ordered to support the new combat aircraft acquisitions. The US Air Force supplied 24 F-15C/Ds in September 1990. Established air force combat units, include 5 Squadron at Taif (King Fahd AB), 6 Squadron at Khamis Mushayt (King Khaled AB) and 13 Squadron at Dhahran (King Abdul Aziz AB) all flying the F-15 Eagle, while F-5E/Fs are used by 3 Squadron and 10 Squadron at Taif, 15 Squadron at Khamis Mushayt and 17 Squadron at Tabuk. The latter unit also has RF-5E Tigereyes for tactical reconnaissance. At Dhah ran 7 Squadron is equipped with Tornado IDS and 29 Squadron was the first Tornado ADV unit. Training is undertaken by the King Fisal Air Academy at Riyadh, which operates Cessna 172s, PC-9s, Strikemasters, Hawks and a Jetstream. Transport units include 4 Squadron with C-130s and KV-107s at Jeddah; 12 and 14 Squadrons with AB-205/206 and AB-212s respec tively based at Taif; and 16 Squadron with C-130s at Riyadh. The E-3A/KE3A operator is 18 Squadron; 1 Squadron is the Royal Flight and operates VIP aircraft from Riyadh. Type F-15S F-15C/D Eagle 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 TriStar BAe 146 Gulfstream III Jetstar 8 HS.125-800 Learjet 25/35A Super King Air 200 Cessna 310 KV-107-II AS.61A AB.205A/212 AB.206A JetRanger * on order No 72* 61/19 973* 24 48' 61/21 10 15 5 8 30 30 36 13 1 8 9/19 2 2 4 1/2 1 1 4 1 2 4 1/2 1 1 17 3 20/29 26 Role int/ajfack int/trnn int/trng air defence attack int/attack/trng recon trng AEW trng trng trng/attack trng trng tanker trans VIP hospital trans royal fit royal fit royal fit VIP VIP VIP VIP VIP/TT VIP comms SAR/utility VIP trans/SAR/VIP trng/SAR Royal Saudi Land Forces Prompted by the Gulf War, the US Government approved the sale of the AH-64A Apache to Saudi Arabia, and a contract for 12 was signed in April 1991. Eight UH-60s were also ordered in early 1991, taking total Black Hawk procurement to 21. Up to 90 Westland WS-70 Black Hawks for the RSLF may be part of Al Yamamah II deal. Type No AH-64A Apache 12* S-70A/UH-60L Black Hawk 13/8* SA.365N Dauphin 6 Bell 406CS Combat Scout 15 * delivery in progress Role anti-tank/attack utility/aeromedevac aeromedevac scout/COIN Royal Saudi Navy Twelve Super Pumas were ordered for the navy in June 1988. Six will be for transport duties, the remainder are to be armed with AM.39 Exocet anti-ship missiles. Delivery of 24 radar- equipped, AS.15TT-armed Dauphins is now complete. SENEGAMBIA Senegambia Air Force Senegal and the Gambia formed a confederation pact in December 1981, under which the two countries retain sovereignty but develop joint policies. The Senegalese air force expected no change, other than in name, since Gambia contributed only a Shorts Skyvan, a Britten-Norman Defender and 25 personnel to the force. The service has a limited light-attack capability centred on the Fouga CM. 170 Magister, and also operates a number of armed light aircraft. A de Havilland Canada Twin Otter 300M is fitted with a Litton surveillance radar for coastal- patrol. Type CM.170 Magister Cessna F337F Rallye 235 Guerrier Rallye 160ST/235A F27 Friendship 400M C-47 Boeing 727-200 DHC-6 Twin Otter 300M EMB-111P Bandierante Broussard SA.330F Puma SA.341H Gazelle Alouette II Skyvan BN-2 Defender No 5 I 4 2/2 6 5 I 1 1 2 2 1 2 1 1 Role attack COIN COIN trng trans trans VIP coastal patrol coastal patrol comms VIP VIP liaison trans COIN/trans SEYCHELLES Seychelles People's Air Force Formerly the Air Wing of the Defence Forces, the air force is tasked with maritime surveillance, SAR, logistics support and coastal defence around the Republic's 113 islands. A Merlin III maritime patrol aircraft was sold during 1989 and has been superseded by a suitably equipped Citation V. A Caravan II was acquired from France at the same time. One of the country's two Alouette Ills ditched in the sea at the end of 1992. Type BN-2A Defender Citation V Caravan II Rallye 235E Cessna 152 Alouette II! Fairchild C-26A No Role MR MR/trans/VIP utility comms/tmg trng coastal patrol/liaison trans SHARJAH Amiri Guard Air Wing One of the United Arab Emirates, this small state formed an air arm at Murgab Camp on 20 December, 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. Two BK-117s are also in use. The AGAW is nominally a component of the United Arab Emirates Air Force. SIERRA LEONE Sierra Leone Defence Force Set up in 1973, this force has less than 100 personnel. One Eurocopter BO.105C helicopter was purchased in 1976 for presidential use and is in service with two AS.355 Ecureuils. SINGAPORE Republic of Singapore Air Force The service plans to lease nine General Dynamics F-16s from the US Air FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 24 - 30 November, 1993
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