View source for Montenegrin Air Force

{{Short description|Air arm of the Military of Montenegro}}
{{Infobox military unit
| unit_name                     = Montenegrin Air Force
| native_name                   = ''Vazduhoplovstvo i protivvazdušna odbrana''
| image                         = Montenegrin Air Force emblem.svg
| image_size                    = 200px
| caption                       = Emblem of the Montenegrin Air Force
| start_date                    = {{start date and age|2006|df=yes}} <ref name=AFM38>''Force Report: Montenegrin Air Force'', [[Air Forces Monthly]] magazine, December 2008 issue, p. 38</ref>
| country                       = {{flag|Montenegro}}
| allegiance                    = 
| branch                        = 
| type                          = [[Air force]]
| role                          = [[Aerial warfare]]
| size                          = 11 helicopters
| command_structure             = [[Armed Forces of Montenegro|Montenegrin Armed Forces]]
| garrison                      = [[Podgorica]]
| garrison_label                = Headquarters
| nickname                      = 
| patron                        = 
| motto                         = 
| colours                       = 
| colours_label                 = 
| march                         = 
| mascot                        = 
| anniversaries                 = 
| equipment                     = 
| equipment_label               = 
| battles                       = 
| decorations                   = 
| battle_honours                = 
| battle_honours_label          = 
| flying_hours                  = 
| website                       = 
<!-- Commanders -->
| commander1                    = [[President of Montenegro|President]] [[Jakov Milatović]]
| commander1_label              = [[Commander-in-Chief]]
| commander2                    = 
| commander2_label              = Commander
| notable_commanders            = 
<!-- Insignia -->
| identification_symbol         = [[File:Roundel of Montenegro.svg|80px]] [[File:Roundel of Montenegro – Low Visibility.svg|80px]]
| identification_symbol_label   = [[Military aircraft insignia|Roundel]]
| identification_symbol_2       = [[File:Flag of Montenegro.svg|80px]]
| identification_symbol_2_label = [[Fin flash]]
| identification_symbol_3         = [[File:Ensign of the Montenegrin Air Force.svg|150px]]
| identification_symbol_3_label = Flag
<!-- Aircraft -->
| aircraft_attack               = 
| aircraft_bomber               = 
| aircraft_electronic           = 
| aircraft_fighter              = 
| aircraft_helicopter           = [[Bell 412]], [[Bell 505]]
| aircraft_helicopter_attack    = 
| aircraft_helicopter_cargo     = 
| aircraft_helicopter_multirole = 
| aircraft_helicopter_observation = 
| aircraft_helicopter_trainer   = 
| aircraft_helicopter_utility   = 
| aircraft_interceptor          = 
| aircraft_patrol               = 
| aircraft_recon                = 
| aircraft_trainer              = 
| aircraft_transport            = 
| aircraft_tanker               = 
| aircraft_general              = 
}}

The '''Montenegrin Air Force''' ({{lang-cg|Vazduhoplovstvo i protivvazdušna odbrana|italics=yes}}; ''V i PVO'') is the [[air force|air arm]] of the [[Military of Montenegro]]. The aircraft marking of the Montenegrin Air Force consist of a red-on-gold roundel, currently being the sole air arm using the latter colour in its official insignia.

== History ==
In 1991–1992, [[Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia|Yugoslavia]] [[Breakup of Yugoslavia|disintegrated]], and the republics of [[Republic of Serbia (federal)|Serbia]] and [[Republic of Montenegro (federal)|Montenegro]] established the [[Serbia and Montenegro|Federal Republic of Yugoslavia]]. The Air Force was renamed the [[Air Force of Serbia and Montenegro]], (also known as the Air Force of Yugoslavia). In spring of 1999 they suffered heavy losses in [[NATO bombing of Yugoslavia]], during the [[Kosovo War]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/2004/2004-09%20-%202376.html |title=World Air Forces 2004 pg. 83 |publisher=flightglobal.com |access-date=10 February 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150218205421/http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/2004/2004-09%20-%202376.html |archive-date=18 February 2015 |url-status=live |df=dmy-all }}</ref> After years of political turmoil, [[Montenegro]] declared its [[Montenegro#Independence|independence]] in June 2006, bringing an end to the state union of [[Serbia and Montenegro]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/serbia/fry.htm|title=Serbia-Montenegro Federal Republic of Yugoslavia|publisher=globalsecurity.org|access-date=10 February 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150218213916/http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/serbia/fry.htm|archive-date=18 February 2015|url-status=live|df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/serbia/air-force-fry.htm|title=Republic of Yugoslavia Air Force|publisher=globalsecurity.org|access-date=10 February 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150218213948/http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/serbia/air-force-fry.htm|archive-date=18 February 2015|url-status=live|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

== Aircraft inventory ==
{{update-section|date=July 2021}} 
Following the dissolution of the state union of [[Serbia and Montenegro]], the newly formed Republic of Montenegro was left with a considerable number of aircraft at the Golubovci airbase, more than required for its own needs.<ref name=AFM38 /> After the break-up, speculation arose regarding the division of the aircraft, but the [[Serbian Government|Serbian Ministry of Defense]] issued a statement declaring that the eventual division of the fleet was not in either country's interest. However, a total of 11 [[G-4 Super Galeb]]s, of which 8 are airworthy, were still located at the base in 2008. An official decision regarding their fate has not been made, but most likely they will not be operated by Montenegro due to expensive operating costs.<ref name=AFM38 /> The four [[Utva 75]] trainer aircraft have a better chance to become operational, although no decision about them has been made yet.<ref name="AFM38"/>
[[File:Military Montenegro 29 (cropped).jpg|thumb|305px|A pair of [[Aérospatiale Gazelle|SA342]] helicopters on lift off]]

=== Current inventory ===
{| class="wikitable"
! style="text-align:center; background:#acc;"|Aircraft
! style="text-align: center; background:#acc;"|Origin
! style="text-align:l center; background:#acc;"|Type
! style="text-align:left; background:#acc;"|Variant
! style="text-align:center; background:#acc;"|In service
! style="text-align: center; background:#acc;"|Notes
|-
! colspan="6" style="align: center; background: lavender;" | [[Helicopters|Combat helicopter]]
|-
| [[Bell 412]]
| [[United States]]
| utility 
| [[Bell 412#Variants|412EPI]]
| 3<ref name="World Air Forces 2024">{{cite web |last = Hoyle |first = Craig |url= https://www.flightglobal.com/download?ac=98881|title = World Air Forces 2024|publisher= [[FlightGlobal]] |year= 2023 |access-date= 22 March 2024}}</ref>
|
|-
| [[Bell 505]]
| United States
| utility 
|
| 2<ref name="World Air Forces 2024"/>
|
|-
|[[Aérospatiale Gazelle]]
|{{FRA}}<br />{{UK}}<br />{{YUG}}
|utility
|[[Aérospatiale Gazelle#Variants|342]]
|6<ref name="World Air Forces 2024"/>
|
|}

=== Retired ===
{| class="wikitable"
! style="text-align:center; background:#acc;"|Aircraft
! style="text-align: center; background:#acc;"|Origin
! style="text-align:l center; background:#acc;"|Type
! style="text-align:left; background:#acc;"|Variant
! style="text-align:center; background:#acc;"|In service
! style="text-align: center; background:#acc;"|Notes
|-
! colspan="6" style="align: center; background: lavender;" | [[Military aircraft#Combat aircraft|Combat aircraft]]
|-
| [[Soko G-4 Super Galeb|Soko G-4]]
| [[Yugoslavia]]
| attack / jet trainer
|
|4
|Placed in storage in 2012 
|-
! colspan="6" style="align: center; background: lavender;" | [[Trainer aircraft]]
|-
| [[UTVA 75]]
| Yugoslavia
| trainer 
|
| 4<ref>[https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/europe/me-af.htm Montenegrin Air Force &#91;Vazdušne snage Crne Gore&#93;] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180214142027/https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/europe/me-af.htm |date=2018-02-14 }} at globalsecurity.org</ref>
| Retired from service in 2012
|-
! colspan="6" style="align: center; background: lavender;" | [[Helicopters]]
|-
| [[Mil Mi-8]]
| {{flag|Soviet Union}}
| transport / utility 
|Mi-8T
| 4<ref name="World Air Forces 2008 pg. 68">{{cite web|url=http://www.flightglobal.com/assets/getasset.aspx?ItemID=26061|title= Directory: World Air Forces|publisher= Flightglobal|year=2008|access-date= 4 December 2014|archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20081219003223if_/http://www.flightglobal.com/assets/getasset.aspx?ItemID=26061|archive-date=2008-12-19}}</ref>
| Retired from service in 2012
|-
| [[Aérospatiale Gazelle]]
| Yugoslavia
| utility / scout
| [[Aérospatiale Gazelle#Variants|341/42]]
| 13
| Placed in storage in 2019<ref>{{cite news|newspaper=[[Slobodna Dalmacija]]|date=9 November 2021|title=Veliki dosje: Može li na prostoru bivše Jugoslavije izbiti novi rat?|language=hr|url=https://slobodnadalmacija.hr/vijesti/regija/veliki-dosje-moze-li-na-prostoru-bivse-jugoslavije-izbiti-novi-rat-sudeci-po-nekim-izjavama-dio-politicara-ga-i-prizeljkuje-evo-cije-su-vojske-najopremljenije-a-tko-ima-muzejske-eksponate-1141721|accessdate=18 November 2021}}</ref>
|}

== Aircraft markings ==

<gallery class="center">
File:Montenegro-Air-Force-trial-roundel.svg|Early roundel used in some limited examples
File:Roundel of Montenegro (2006–2018).svg|Roundel used from 2006 to 2018
File:Roundel of Montenegro.svg|Roundel adopted in 2018
File:Roundel of Montenegro – Low Visibility.svg|Reduced visibility version of the 2018 roundel
</gallery>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Montenegro topics}}
{{Military of Montenegro}}
{{Air forces in Europe}}
{{Air forces}}
{{Allied Air Command}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Military of Montenegro]]
[[Category:Military units and formations established in 2006]]
[[Category:Air forces by country]]
[[Category:2006 establishments in Montenegro]]