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Aviation History
2003
2003 - 2754.PDF
Directory: world air forces Type UH-60L UH-1N Mi-17 Hip Convair 580 Commander 500/1000 No 28 33* 14 •• 1/2 Super King Air/King Air C901/1 PA-31 Navajo PA-34 Seneca PA-28 Cherokee U206 Stationair UTVA-75 2 4 4 2 5 Role utility utility trans trans comms comms comms comms comms comms trng COMOROS MILITARY AVIATION This small group of islands off the coast of East Africa has a military aviation element equipped with an AS350B Ecureuil. FORCE AERIENNE CONGOLAISE (AIR FORCE) The Congo's latest acquisition is an Mi-26 heavylift heli copter, although the machine is probably operated by a Russian company on the air force's behalf. Congo is believed to retain some of the 16 MiG-21s it received in 1986, as well as MiG-17Fs and a two-seat MiG-15UTI trainer. All, however, are believed to be unserviceable, with most stored in the open. Type MIG-21MF/U Fishbed MiG-17F Fresco MiG-15UTI Midget An-24 Coke 727 SA365 Dauphin SA316 Alouette III Mi-26 Halo No 12 8 1 3 1 •n 2 Role int/attack attack trng trans trans/VIP comms comms trans MOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF AIR FORCE The former Zaire had a small air force before civil war engulfed the country, leading to a change of govern ment in July 1997. It is unlikely that much of the fleet is serviceable. Up to 10 Su-25s have been handed over from eastern European sources and reports suggest 22 Mi-24s have been ordered, with perhaps eight deliv ered. European Union and UN peacekeepers deployed by air to the country's eastern border region in the summer of 2003 to contain ethnic violence. Type Mirage 5 MB326GB/MB326K C-130H Hercules 727-100 AS332 Super Puma SA316 Alouette III SF260MZ Reims Cessna FRA150 BN-2A Islander DHC-5D Buffalo C-47 Dakota C212-200 Aviocar SA330 Puma Mi-24 Hind Su-25 Frogfoot MiG-29 Fulcrum No 6 9/6 2 •• 1 HH 5 12 1 3 8 •• 9 22t 10 8t Role int/attack trng/attack trans trans/VIP trans comms trng trng utility trans trans trans trans attack attack attack tunconfirmed COSTA RICA GUARDIA CIVIL SECCION AEREA (CIVIL GUARD) Costa Rica has not had armed forces since the end of a civil war in 1948. The air arm is part of the Policia de Fronteras, one of five elements of the public security ministry. Its Cessna 0-2/337 Super Skymaster is the last of three received in 1986 under US military aid. Type Cessna 0-2A No 1 Cessna U206G Stationair 4 Mi-17 Hip PA-31 Navajo PA-34 Seneca MD 500E DHC-4A Caribou 1 ••• 1 2 2 Role support comms trans (wfu) comms comms comms/SAR trans HRVATSKE ZRACNE SNAGE (AIR FORCE) The Croatian air force was formed in the third quarter of 1991 after the former Yugoslav republic declared independence. Its main combat type, the MiG-21, was initially modified, including integration of new weapons. A further upgrade by Israeli companies has been on and off since the late 1990s, but in early 2002 Croatia signed a deal with Romania's Aerostar for 12 single- seaters and the purchase of four MiG-21 UMs for upgrade, the first examples of which have been returned to Zagreb. The aircraft that are not upgraded will be disposed of. Fifteen Mi-8s and Mi-24s were also reportedly sent to Poland for overhaul and possible upgrade around the same time. A requirement exists to replace the elderly UTVAs, with the SF260 and Zlin 242 being considered. BN-2T Turbine Islander. Turkish army U-17s and UH-1Ds are on permanent duty at Salamis and Nicosia in Northern Cyprus. Type No Role Type MiG-21 bis/MF/RF/U/UM Mi-24V Hind Mi-8T/P/S/MTV-1 Hip An-2 Colt An-32B Cline CN235M CL215/CL415 No 32 15 25 13 3 5* 2/3 Role int/att/rec/trng attack trans/assault trans trans trans fire bomber DEFENSE ANTI-AEREA Y FUERZA AEREA REVOLUCIONARIA (ANTI-AIRCRAFT DEFENCE AND REVOLUTIONARY AIR FORCE) Although Cuba's air force is one of the largest and best equipped in Latin America, its effectiveness has been compromised by the withdrawal of technical and opera tional support after the collapse of the Soviet Union and the island's poor economic situation. Foreign defence analysts estimate that nearly one quarter of the aircraft in the DAAFAR's inventory may no longer be opera tional, a situation that is expected to continue to deterio rate. In May 2001, senior Cuban defence officials visited Moscow to discuss possible fighter upgrades. Type No Role MiG-29/UB Fulcrum MiG-21 F/PFM/MF/bis/21 MiG-23M/BN/U Flogger Mi-24D Hind Mi-14PL Haze An-24 Coke An-26 Curl An-30 Clank An-32 Cline Yak-40 Codling An-2 Colt Mi-2 Hoplite Mi-8/Mi-17 L-39 Albatros MiG-17F Fresco Zlin 326 Zlin 142 Cessna 172/T210N Sabreliner 75A Challenger 601 Dornier 28 Skyservant PC-9 Bell 206B-3 JetRanger MD500 Mi-2 Hoplite PA-28 Warrior PA-31 T UTVA-75 18/2 U 30/35/2 80/18 20/45/4 12 14 4 20 1 2 2 20 6 36/14 25 18 20 10 1/1 1 2 1 20 10 4 1 3 2 10 int/attack/trng 0/ int/attack/trng attack/int/trng attack ASW/SAR trans trans trans trans trans trans trans/trans trng trng trng utility/comms comms/comms VIP VIP trans trng trng/utility trng/trans/AOP trans trans trans trng fsome CYPRUS CYPRUS AIR FORCE The Cyprus national guard air arm was renamed the Cyprus Air Force in 1996. It adopted Greek national military markings at the same time. It took delivery in 2001 of 12 new Mi-24VK-2 Hinds from Russia to sup plement a few armed Gazelles. An order for an Mi-26 heavylift helicopter has been placed, while the Greek army handed over two UH-1Hs in 2002. The Greek Cypriot police also has an air element based at Larnaca, equipped with two Bell 412 helicopters and a Bell 206L3 LongRanger 2 BN-2B Maritime Defender 1 MD500 2 MHM PZL-Swidnik Kania SA342L-1 Gazelle Mi-24VK-2 Hind Mi-26 UH-1H 2 2 4 12 1* 2 obs/liaison patrol/trans obs/liaison patrol/trng trans anti-tank/comms attack trans trans CZECH REPUBLIC CESK LETECTVO A PROTIVZDUSNA OBRANA (AIR FORCE AND AIR DEFENCE) A long competition to select a supersonic fighter looked like it was settled in December 2001, with the govern ment deciding to buy 24 Gripens, but the deal fell through and now 14 fighters are to be leased, relieving the elderly MiG-21 fleet, which must be retired in 2005. Contenders include F-16s and ex-RAF/ltalian Tornado F3s. The Czech air force's on-going procurement of 72 indigenous L-159s is consuming 80% of the defence acquisition budget. By the end of 2003, 62 of the L-159s are due to have been been delivered, with pro duction beginning to wind down. The defence ministry subsequently decided to dispose of 58 of the aircraft with Egypt, Israel and Kenya likely customers. Meanwhile, Su-25s were retired in December 2000 and Su-22s in April 2002. The government has announced plans to sell off three Mi-24s, six Mi-17s, 17 Mi-2s, a Tu-154 and Let L-410s. A transport requirement is to be filled by taking two An-70s in 2005-6 as part of Russia's debt repayment to Prague, but the deal looks in doubt after the Russian government threatened to pull out of the airlifter project with Ukraine. The deal also includes MiG-21 and helicopter spares, and six Mi- 35s. The Czech Republic had planned to taking part in the stalled Visegrad Mi-24 upgrade effort and now intends to upgrade 18 of the attack helicopters to Mi-35 standard in co-operation with Mil. Type No Role MiG-21MF/MiG-21UM L-159A/L-159B An-70 Mi-24V/D/DU/Mi-35 Mi-8/17 Hip An-24RV Coke An-26 Curl An-30 Clank L-410M/T/UVP/L-610 Tu-154 Careless Yak-40 Challenger W-3 Sokol Mi-2 HoDlite L-39 Albatros If 11 H "••••• Zlin 142/Zlin 143 DENMARK 36/20 7272* 3 36/6* 40 2 4 1 18/1 3 1 1 6/4 33 37 23 8/4 int/attack/trng attack/int/trna trans attack/attack trans/AEW/cmd pt/ELINT trans trans/ELINT survey txans/survev/trans VIP VIP VIP trans/SAR liaison/trna trng/TT/attack trng trng/trng KONGELIGE DANSKE FLYVEVBEN (ROYAL DANISH AIR FORCE) Denmark's air force sent F-16s to join a multinational squadron to central Asia to support US troops in Afghanistan during 2002. Denmark has received three C-130Js ordered in December 2000 to replace its C-130Hs. It has an option for a fourth aircraft. The country participated in the four-nation Nordic Standard Helicopter Programme but, unlike the other three coun tries, selected the EH101 to replace elderly S-61s from 2004. It has also reserved funding for new F-16 radars to be fitted from 2004, which will see the aircraft out of service some time after 2010. The F-16 MLU pro gramme is due for completion in 2005. Denmark is par ticipating in the JSF SDD phase. The remaining Gulfstream III is to be replaced by a third Challenger ordered in mid-2000. The Challengers are being modi fied by Canada's Field Aviation with surveillance radar and a retractable FLIR. The aircraft will be used for 38 25 NOVEMBER - 1 DECEMBER 2003 FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL www.flightinternational.com
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