Sudanese Air Force 

Sudanese Air Force
Sudanese Air Force Roundel
Sudanese Air Force Roundel
Founded 1956
Country Sudan
Size around 3,000 men[1]
Part of Sudanese Armed Forces
Commanders
Air Force Commander Abbas Yusuf Ahmed Al-Badri[2]

The Sudanese Air Force (Arabic: Al Quwwat al-Jawwiya As-Sudaniya‎) is the air force operated by the Republic of the Sudan. As such it is part of the Sudanese Armed Forces.

Contents

History

The Sudanese Air Force was founded immediately after the 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.[3]

In the 1960s Soviet and Chinese started supplying the Sudanese Air Force with aircraft. The Air Force also gained its first combat aircraft when 12 Jet Provosts with a close air support capability were delivered in 1962.[4]

The Sudanese Air force operates around 200 aircraft.

Inventory

The air force flies a mixture of transport planes, fighter jets and helicopters sourced from nations 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. There are a few air force bases in Sudan including one at the capital Khartoum.Sudan is currently planning to modernize its fleet and is planning to induct 10-20 JF-17 Thunder Jet Fighters From Pakistan.

Aircraft Origin Type Versions In service Notes
Antonov An-24 Coke  Soviet Union /  Ukraine Transport An-24RV 5
Antonov An-26 Curl  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
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-Gurevich MiG-29 Fulcrum  Soviet Union Fighter MiG 29S/UB 60 purchased 12 more ordered Nov 2008
Lockheed C-130 Hercules  United States Transport C-130H 9 Numbers in operational condition not confirmed.
Chengdu F-7 Airguard  People's Republic of China Fighter F-7M 22 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 12-16 Numbers in operational condition not confirmed. 8 Mil Mi-24 Helicopters rumoured to be in Dafur region operating from Nyala airport.
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. Rumoured to be in Dafur region based at Nyala airport.
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23  Soviet Union Fighter MiG-23BN 3 Numbers in operational condition not confirmed.
Hongdu JL-8 or K-8  People's Republic of China/ Pakistan Trainer/light attack 12 Numbers in operational condition

Future Plans

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 JF-17 Thunder multirole fighter aircraft Chengdu Aircraft Corporation(CAC) for the export market. Sudan has also made a successful deal to buy 12 MiG-29 Russian fighter jets 1.

References