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Sudanese Air Force

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Sudanese Air Force
Sudanese Air Force Roundel
Sudanese Air Force Roundel
Founded1956
CountrySudan
Sizearound 3,000 men
around 240 Aircraft(total)
Part ofSudanese Armed Forces
Commanders
Air Force CommanderAbbas Yusuf Ahmed Al-Badri

The Sudanese Air Force (Template:Lang-ar) is the air force operated by the Republic of the Sudan. As such it is part of the Sudanese Armed Forces.

History

The Sudanese Air Force was founded immediately after Sudan gained independence from the United Kingdom in 1956. The British assisted in the Air Force's establishment, providing equipment and training. Four new Hunting Provost T Mk 53s were delivered for jet training in 1957. The following year, the Sudanese Air Force's transport wing acquired its first aircraft, a single Hunting President. In 1960 the Sudanese Air Force received an additional four re-furbished RAF Provosts and two more Hunting Presidents. Also in 1960, the transport wing's capability was increased by the addition of two Pembroke C Mk 54s.

The Air Force gained its first combat aircraft when 12 Jet Provosts with a close air support capability were delivered in 1962.[1] In the 1960s Soviet and Chinese started supplying the Sudanese Air Force with aircraft.

Inventory

The air force flies a mixture of transport planes, fighter jets and helicopters sourced from places including the European Union, Russia, and the United States. However, not all the aircraft are in a fully functioning condition and the availability of spare parts is limited. In 1991, the two main air bases were at the capital Khartoum and Wadi Sayyidna near Omdurman.[2]

Sudan has also made a successful deal to buy two different batches of 12 MiG-29 Russian fighter jets each.[3] There are 23 MiG-29s in active service as of late 2008.[4] One MiG-29 was shot down on 10 May 2008 by large-caliber machine-gun fire. Its pilot, a retired Russian Air Force fighter pilot, was killed.[5]

Sudan is currently planning to modernize its fleet and is planning to induct 10-20 JF-17 Thunder multirole jet fighters from China, for which it is negotiating with the Pakistani Air Force.[citation needed]

The Sudanese Air Forces inventory currently consists of over 200 aircraft

Template:Standard table ! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Aircraft ! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Origin ! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Type ! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Versions ! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|In service ! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Notes |----- | Chengdu F-7 Airguard |  People's Republic of China | Fighter | F-7M | 10 | Numbers in operational condition not confirmed. |----- | Utva 75 |  Serbia | Trainer | | 6 | Active (since 2009 year) | Hongdu JL-8 or K-8 |  People's Republic of China/ Pakistan |Trainer/light attack | | 12 | Active ]] |----- | Hongdu JL-8 or K-8 |  People's Republic of China/ Pakistan |Trainer/light attack | | 12 | Active

| Nanchang A-5 |  People's Republic of China | Ground attack | A-5 | 15-20 | Delivered to Sudan by China 2003, although allegedly financed by Iran. Sighted in the South Darfur region based at Nyala Airport. |----- | Shaanxi Y-8 |  People's Republic of China | Transport / multipurpose | | 2 | |----- | Antonov An-24 |  Soviet Union /  Ukraine | Transport | An-24RV | 5 | |----- | Antonov An-26 |  Soviet Union | Transport | An-26 | 1 |May be in use as an improvised bomber. |----- | CASA C.212 Aviocar |  Spain | Transport | CASA C.212-200 Aviocar | 2 | |----- | de Havilland Canada DHC-5 Buffalo |  Canada | Transport | DHC-5D | 3 | |----- | de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter |  Canada | Surveillance | DHC-6 Twin Otter 300 | 1 | |----- | Ilyushin IL-62M |  Soviet Union | Transport | Ilyushin IL-62M | 1 | VIP flights only |----- | Fokker F.27 Friendship |  Netherlands | Transport | F.27 Mk 100 | 1 | VIP flights only |----- | Dassault Falcon 20 |  France | Transport | Dassault Falcon 20F | 1 | VIP flights only |----- | Dassault Falcon 50 |  France | Transport | Dassault Falcon 50 | 1 | VIP flights only |----- | Mikoyan MiG-29 |  Russia | Fighter | MiG-29 | 23[4] | Active |----- | Lockheed C-130 Hercules |  United States | Transport | C-130H | 9 | Numbers in operational condition not confirmed. |----- | IAR 330 Puma |  Romania | Transport/search and rescue | ICA IAR-330L PUMA | 24 | Numbers in operational condition not confirmed. |----- | Shenyang F-5 |  People's Republic of China | Fighter | F-5/FT-5 | 19 | Numbers in operational condition not confirmed. |----- | Agusta-Bell AB212 Twin Huey |  United States | Transport | AB212 | 10 | Numbers in operational condition not confirmed. |----- | MBB Bo 105 |  Germany | Transport/ attack/search and rescue | Bo 105CB | 20 | Numbers in operational condition not confirmed. |----- | Mil Mi-8 |  Soviet Union | Transport | Mi-8T | 6 (plus unknown number of Mil Mi-171 variants. 3 Confirmed) | Numbers in operational condition not confirmed. |----- | Mil Mi-24 |  Soviet Union | Helicopter gunship | Mi-24V/Mi-24P | 24-30 | Numbers in operational condition not confirmed. 8 Mil Mi-24 Helicopters rumoured to be in Dafur region operating from Nyala Airport |----- | Sukhoi Su-25 |  Soviet Union | Ground attack | Su-25 | 11 |Delivered to Sudan by Belarus 2008 |----- | Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23 |  Soviet Union | Fighter | MiG-23BN | 3 | Numbers in operational condition not confirmed. |----- | F-5E Tiger II |  United States | Fighter Jet | F-5E | at least 15 | Active. 10 F-5Es and two F-5F were bought in 1978, One of the F-5Fs was sold to Jordan. further two F-5s defected to Sudan from Ethiopia during the Ogaden crisis.[6][7] | |} Sudan has also managed to locally manufacture a number of light air planes (Safat 01 light plan, Safat03 small helicopter) The Safat aviation center is expected to produce more airplanes during the next few years.

References

  1. ^ http://www.angelfire.com/ab/mazin/SudanAirForce.html
  2. ^ Library of Congress Sudan Country Study, 1991, accessed March 2009
  3. ^ http://www.sudan.net/news/posted/16168.html
  4. ^ a b "Directory: World Air Forces", Flight International, 11-17 November 2008.
  5. ^ Wasil Ali, 'Russia says fighter pilot shot down in Sudan was an ex-military officer' Sudan Tribune (30-5-2008)
  6. ^ http://home.att.net/~jbaugher1/f5_34.html
  7. ^ http://sudanesefuture.com/?page_id=111
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