| Rwandan Air Force | |
|---|---|
| Force Aérienne Rwandaise | |
| Founded | 1962 |
| Country |  Rwanda |
| Type | Air force |
| Role | Aerial warfare |
| Size | 1000 personnel[1] |
| Part of | Rwanda Defence Force |
| Commanders | |
| President of Rwanda | Paul Kagame |
| Air Force Chief of Staff | Lt Gen Jean-Jacques Mupenzi[2] |
| Insignia | |
| Roundel |  |
| Aircraft flown | |
| Attack helicopter | Mil Mi-24 |
| Utility helicopter | Mil Mi-17, Aérospatiale Gazelle |
| Transport | Cessna 208 Caravan, Diamond DA42 Twin Star |
The Rwandan Air Force (French: Force aérienne rwandaise) is the air branch of the Rwandan Defence Forces.
History
After achieving independence in 1962, the Air Force was formed with the aid of Belgium, the initial aircraft consisted of three ex-French Air Force CM.170 Magisters, which operated in a counterinsurgency role along with a Britten-Norman Islander. Other deliveries included SA 342L Gazelles, Nord Noratlas, SOCATA Guerrier, and C-47 Skytrains. After fighting began between the RPA and the government in 1990 most aircraft were shot down, destroyed on the ground or crashed.[3]
Inventory
A Rwandan Air Force Mil Mi-17
| Aircraft | Origin | Type | Variant | In service | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Transport | ||||||
| Cessna 208 Caravan | United States | utility | 2[4] | |||
| Diamond DA42 | Austria | utility | 2[4] | |||
| Helicopters | ||||||
| Mil Mi-17 | Russia | utility | 12[4] | |||
| Mil Mi-24 | Russia | attack | 5[4] | |||
| Aérospatiale Gazelle | France | utility | 342 | 3[4] | ||
| Unmanned aerial vehicle | ||||||
| Bayraktar TB2 | Turkey | UCAV | N/A | [5] | ||
References
- ↑ International Institute for Strategic Studies (25 February 2021). The Military Balance 2021. London: Routledge. p. 484. ISBN 9781032012278.
- ↑ de la Croix Tabaro, Jean (4 June 2021). "Maj. Gen. Mubarakh Muganga Promoted to Lt. Gen. as President Kagame Shuffles Army Top Brass". KT Press. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
- ↑ "World Air Forces1983 pg. 366". flightglobal.com. 6 August 1983. Retrieved 15 November 2019.
- 1 2 3 4 5 "World Air Forces 2023". Flightglobal Insight. 2023. Retrieved 14 February 2023.
- ↑ Oryx. "An International Export Success: Global Demand For Bayraktar Drones Reaches All Time High". Oryx. Retrieved 4 January 2024.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Air force of Rwanda.
- Official website
- https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/rwanda/air-force.htm
- https://www.rwandan-flyer.com/rwanda-air-force-guide-2014
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