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Aviation History
1994
1994 - 2010.PDF
AIR FORCES OF THE WORLO CM.170 Magister Nanchang CJ-6 Cessna 152/337F An-26 Curl/An-24 Coke Mi-8 Hip Bell 212 Bell 206L LongRanger 15 trng 35 trng 4/2 trng/comms 5/1 trans 13 trans 11 trans 2 comms BELARUS (CIS REPUBLIC) The third Slavic republic of the CIS initially will have about 90,000-100,000 people in the armed forces (45,000 in the army, up to 12,000in between seven and eight air force reg iments, 22,000 in air-defence force) later reducing the num ber of servicemen to 75,000. A bilateral agreement with Russia has been signed on defence co-operation, defining the status of the Russian troops in Belarus. As a former western guard of the Soviet border, the republic is the most militarised state in Europe, with one military serviceman for every 43 civilians of popu lation (in Russia, the military/civilian ratio is 1:643). Around 90% of fighter-bombers and 10% of heavy bombers based on the Belarussian territory have been trans ferred to the republican air force. The Belarussian air force will be equipped with the most modern types, and to comply with the CFE treaty, Belarus has begun to scrap aircraft such as the MiG-27. About half of the air force units in Belarus have been transferred to Russia's jurisdiction. It is reported that the remaining aviation units of Russia's Long Range Aviation Group are to be completely with drawn from Belarus by September. The district Long Range Aviation headquarters in Bobruysk is to be closed. In July, the 121st Guards Sevastopol Aviation Regiment withdrew the first of five of its Tu-22s from Machulishchi, near Minsk, to central Russia. Unlike other airfields in Belarus, Machulishchi is to retain its military status after the com plete withdrawal of Russian units, and will be occupied by a Belarussian aviation regiment. BELGIUM FORCE AERIENNE BELGE/BELGISCHE LUCHTMACHT (AIR FORCE) The dual-language Belgian air force is organised in two major commands: the tactical air force command (TAFC), which includes all operational units, flying and non-flying, as well as the operational support units. The air force train ing and support command (AFT&SC) includes the schools and the logistic support units. Delivery of a total of 116 F-16A/Bs was completed in 1985, while partial replacement of the Mirage fleet by a fur ther 44 F-los began in 1987 and was completed by the end of 1991. In June 1993, the Government decided to partici pate in the F-16 mid-life update programme. This programme includes a major avionics upgrade, including installation of GPS, MLS, improved radar and advanced IFF. Forty-eight Belgian F-16s will be mod ernised. After completion of the current re-structuring plan, the flying combat units of the TAFC will consist of two combat wings, with a total of six F-16 squadrons (72 air craft). Belgium is looking to sell some of its F-16s. The TAFC also controls 15 Wing, with 20 and 21 transport squadrons and 40 helicopter squadron, which includes the Navy's Alouette III flight. The C-130s are undergoing a major life extension programme. The AFT&LC also encompasses the SF-260s, Alpha Jets and the remaining Fouga Magisters, and controls the Logistics and Support Wings. Belgium has sold its 20 Mirages and the associated MIR- SIP upgrade package to Chile. Type F-16A/B Alpha Jet E CM.170 Magister SF.260M C-130H Hercules HS.748 Boeing 727QC SWIII Merlin Falcon 20 Sea King Alouette III No Role 80/20 int/attack 31 trng 18 trng/liaison 36 trng 12 trans trans trans/VIP VIP/sur/calib VIP SAR liaison/SAR AVIATION LEGERE DE LA FORCE TERRESTRE/UCHT VUEGWEZEN VAN DE LANDMACHT (ARMY AVIATION) The Belgian army aviation component consists of three bat talions and an Army Aviation School operating Agusta A109s, Alouettes lis and BN-2 Islanders from its bases at Bierset and Brasschaat in Belgium and at Merzbrueck and Butzweilerhof in Germany. The Army Aviation units based in Germany are to be re-deployed to Bierset in 1995. Type BN-2 Islander Agusta A-109A-II(HA/H0) Alouette II (Astazou) No Role 10 liaison/trng 28/18 anti-tank/scout 33 AOP/trng BELIZE BELIZE DEFENCE FORCE, AIR WING Belize has appealed for assistance in deterring aggression from neighbouring Guatemala after the UK announced its decision to withdraw all but 100 of its 1,600-strong garrison force by October. The Air Wing, formed in 1983 and based at Belize International Airport, operates two Pilatus Britten-Norman BN-2B Defenders in reconnaissance, search-and-rescue, casevac, aerial re-supply and troop-lift roles. The Air Wing also supports the police in internal-security tasks (mainly anti-drug and anti-smuggling operations) and can be called upon by the Maritime Wing for SAR duties. BENIN FORCE ARMEES POPULAR DU BENIN (AIR ARM) Tailored to transport and liaison duties, this small air-arm incorporates a presidential flight. Since 1984, some trans port aircraft have been operated jointly with the national airline, Transports Aeriens de Benin. Type An-26 Curl C-47 Dakota Dornier 128-2 DHC-6 Twin Otter Boeing 707-320 Commander 500B AS.350B Ecureuil Alouette II No Role 2 trans 3 trans 2 trans 1 trans 1 VIP 1 VIP 2 liaison 1 liaison BOLIVIA FUERZA AEREA BOMVIANA (AIR FORCE) The air force is equipped mainly with ageing aircraft, as a lack of funds precludes re-equipment. Ten ex-US Army UH-1H helicopters were acquired in late 1987 and six ex- USAF C-130A Hercules in mid-1988. To support Bolivia's anti-drug operations, the USA supplied six more UH-ls and two C-130s in 1990 and agreed to overhaul the air force's AT-33s. Brazil donated 15 T-23 Uirapuru piston trainers to Bolivia, which hopes to buy 12 IA-63 Pampa jet trainers from Argentina later in the decade. The air force has pur chased a US Lancair 320 kitbuilt aircraft for evaluation as a primary trainer. A Basler Turbo-67 turboprop Dakota was delivered in late 1991. Type F-86F Sabre AT-33A/N PC-7 Turbo-Trainer AT-6G Texan SF.260C T-23 Uirapuru/Tangara Cessna 152 Aerobat Cessna 172K/T-41D Lancair 320 C-130A/H/L-100-30 Hercules F27 Friendship 400M CV-440 Metropolitan DC-4 C47 Dakota Turbo-67 IAI-201 Arava C-212 Aviocar PC-6B Turbo-Porter L-188C Electra Sabreliner 60/65A Learjet 25/35A King Air F90/200/200C No 4 32 22 4 3 12+ 12 3/6 1 5/2/1 5 3 1 2 1 1 1 16 1 1/1 1/1 1/1/2 Role int COIN/trng COIN/trng COIN (WFU) trng trng trng trng trng trans trans trans trans trans trans trans trans trans VIP VIP survey/VIP comms Commander 690 Cessna 402B/404/421B Cessna 185/206/210/310 Bell 212 UH-1H Iroquois Hughes 500M SA.3158/HB.315 Lama/ Gaviao 2 comms 2/1/1 comms/survey 19/8/2/1 liaison 2 VIP/comms 19 trans 10 COIN/liaison 7/8 SAR/liaison ARMY/NAVY Both the Bolivian army and navy maintain small air arms, the latter to patrol borders formed by rivers and lakes, as the country has no coastline. Type C.212 Aviocar King Air 200 Cessna U206G Cessna 402C No Role 2 Army utility 1 Army VIP 1 navy patrol 1 navy VIP BOPHUTHATSWANA BOPHUTHATSWANA AIR FORCE The Bophuthatswana Air Force, together with the Bophuthatswana Defence Force, was disbanded on 27 April, 1994, to integrate with the new South African Air Force (SAAF). The integration process is scheduled for comple tion by the end of 1994. All the aircraft and helicopters of the former Bophuthatswana Air Force will be integrated into the SAAF. A final decision on the future of the air base, which was first occupied in December 1990, will be taken shortly. The pilots on the first Pilatus PC-7 Turbo-Trainer training programme received their wings in November 1993. BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA The Army of Bosnia-Herzegovina (known as the BiH or Armija) has a small air arm, whose main role is to provide communications with encircled Muslim enclaves in the east ern and western parts of the country. Six iMil-8 Hip helicopters and four UTVA-75 light air craft seized from the JRV Federal Yugoslav Air Force) in 1992 are believed to be the only airframes in its inventory. The BiH aircraft and helicopters are operated on a shuttle service between the old JRV air bases at Tuzla and Bihac from several improvised highway strips in central Bosnia near Zenica and Travnic. Fuel and spare parts shortages are believed to severely limit the serviceability of the BiH air craft and helicopters. BOTSWANA BOTSWANA DEFENCE FORCE AIR ARM The Air Arm came into existence in 1977 as part of the Army, and much of its activity is in support of ground forces. It acquired the first of nine Strikemasters, believed to be for mer Kuwait air force aircraft, in 1988. In 1990, piston- engined Bulldogs were replaced by PC-7 Turbo-Trainers and Trislander light transports by two additional Defenders. During the same year, a new BAe 125 arrived to replace a similar aircraft damaged in 1989, and two more Agusta-Bell 412 helicopters were acquired. Type Strikemaster PC-7 Turbo-Trainer BN-2A Defender CN-235 BAe 125-800 Cessna 152 Bell 412 AS.350 Ecureuil No Role 8 COIN 7 trng/COIN 8 COIN/patrol 2 trans 1 VIP 2 trng 5 trans/VIP 2 trng/comms BRAZIL FORCA AEREA BRASILEIRA (AIR FORCE) Brazil is continuing to upgrade its air force, although fund ing continues to determine the pace of purchases. As part of the Amazon surveillance system being implemented by Raytheon, Embraer Brasillias will be fitted with the Ericsson Erieye airborne early-warning radar. The air force has revived a long standing plan to upgrade its F-5 fleet, with up to 50 aircraft due to be improved. A third batch of 22 Embraer-built AMX attack aircraft was ordered in August 1993, a delay of almost 12 months. A total of 56 of a planned 65 AMXs and 14 two-seat AiVIX-Ts have been ordered. Deliveries began in November 1989. Brazil is developing its own SCP-01 multi-mode radar 32 FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 24 - 30 August 1994
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