Namibian Air Force
Encyclopedia
The Namibia Air Force was commissioned on 13 March 2005 at Grootfontein
Air Base.
The policy, mission statements and concept of operations envisage the development of an Air Force to operate in support of the Army and the Navy.
Five separate roles for Air Force are; surveillance, transport of personnel and transport of supplies/equipment; support to the civil authorities or civil community, and training.
With Grootfontein as the main air base, expansion projects are underway to expand the Keetmanshoop
air base, as well as construct a new base at Karibib. This was reported by The Namibian on 20 June 2008.
The policy for the Air Force is to acquire dedicated air assets to undertake the surveillance and transport tasks. The MOD and NDF will train and employ their own pilots and technicians. Co-operation and co-ordination with other Ministries may extend to making such assets available for non-defence tasking. In addition, consideration will be given to arrangements whereby private and other national air assets could be employed where appropriate or necessary.
! style="text-align:left; background:#acc;"|Aircraft
! style="text-align:left; background:#acc;"|Origin
! style="text-align:left; background:#acc;"|Type
! style="text-align:left; background:#acc;"|Versions
! style="text-align:left; background:#acc;"|Numbers In Service
! style="text-align:left; background:#acc;"|Comments
|-
! style="align: center; background: lavender;" colspan="7" | Fighter
/ Trainer Aircraft
|-
| Chengdu F-7 Airguard
|
China
| Fighter/Trainer
| Total
F-7NM
FT-7NG
| 12
10
2
| FT-7NG trainer versions received in November 2006
All 12 equipped with Grifo-MG radars.
|-
| Hongdu K-8 Karakorum
| China
/
| Fighter/Trainer
| K-8
| 12
|
|-
! style="align: center; background: lavender;" colspan="7" |
Transports
|-
| Cessna Skymaster
|
United States
| utility
| FTB.337G
O-2A
| 5
|
|-
| Antonov An-26 Curl
|
| transport
| An-26| 2
|
|-
| Harbin Y-12
| China
| Transport
VIP transport
| Y-12
| 2
|
|-
| Learjet 36
| United States
| VIP transport
| Model 36
| 1
|
|-
| Dassault Falcon 900
|
France
| VIP transport
| Falcon 900
| 1
|
|-
! style="align: center; background: lavender;" colspan="7" | Helicopters
|-
| Mil Mi-35 Hind-E
|
| attack helicopter
| Mi-35P
| 2
|
|-
| Mil Mi-8 Hip
|
| Assault helicopter
| Mi-8
| 2
|
|-
| Aérospatiale SA 319 Alouette III
| France
| light utility
| SA 319
| 2
|
|-
| HAL Cheetah
|
India
| light utility
|
| 1
| Indian variant of French Aérospatiale Lama
|-
| HAL Chetak
| India
| light utility
|
| 2
| Indian variant of French Aérospatiale Alouette III
Grootfontein
Grootfontein is a city of 14,200 inhabitants in the Otjozondjupa Region of central Namibia. It is one of the three towns in the Otavi Triangle, situated on the B8 national road that leads from Windhoek to the Caprivi Strip...
Air Base.
The policy, mission statements and concept of operations envisage the development of an Air Force to operate in support of the Army and the Navy.
Five separate roles for Air Force are; surveillance, transport of personnel and transport of supplies/equipment; support to the civil authorities or civil community, and training.
With Grootfontein as the main air base, expansion projects are underway to expand the Keetmanshoop
Keetmanshoop
Keetmanshoop is a city in Karas Region, southern Namibia, lying on the Trans-Namib Railway from Windhoek to Upington in South Africa. It is named after Johann Keetman, a German industrialist and founder of the city....
air base, as well as construct a new base at Karibib. This was reported by The Namibian on 20 June 2008.
The policy for the Air Force is to acquire dedicated air assets to undertake the surveillance and transport tasks. The MOD and NDF will train and employ their own pilots and technicians. Co-operation and co-ordination with other Ministries may extend to making such assets available for non-defence tasking. In addition, consideration will be given to arrangements whereby private and other national air assets could be employed where appropriate or necessary.
Aircraft Inventory
Following the independence of Namibia from South Africa in 1991, the Air defence wing of the defence forces were established in 1993-1994. Equipment purchased included Cessna O-2s, HAL Chetaks and Cheetahs from India. In late 1994 a Learjet 31A entered service for Government use.! style="text-align:left; background:#acc;"|Aircraft
! style="text-align:left; background:#acc;"|Origin
! style="text-align:left; background:#acc;"|Type
! style="text-align:left; background:#acc;"|Versions
! style="text-align:left; background:#acc;"|Numbers In Service
! style="text-align:left; background:#acc;"|Comments
|-
! style="align: center; background: lavender;" colspan="7" | Fighter
Fighter aircraft
A fighter aircraft is a military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat with other aircraft, as opposed to a bomber, which is designed primarily to attack ground targets...
/ Trainer Aircraft
|-
| Chengdu F-7 Airguard
Chengdu J-7
The Chengdu Jian-7 is a People's Republic of China-built version of the Soviet Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21. Though production ceased in 2008 it continues to serve, mostly as an interceptor, in several air forces, including China's.-Design and development:...
|
ChinaChina
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
| Fighter/Trainer
| Total
F-7NM
FT-7NG
| 12
10
2
| FT-7NG trainer versions received in November 2006
All 12 equipped with Grifo-MG radars.
|-
| Hongdu K-8 Karakorum
Hongdu JL-8
The Hongdu JL-8 is a two-seat intermediate jet trainer and light attack aircraft designed in the People's Republic of China by China Nanchang Aircraft Manufacturing Corporation. The primary contractor for this plane is the Hongdu Aviation Industry Corporation...
|
ChinaChina
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
/
| Fighter/Trainer
| K-8
| 12
|
|-
! style="align: center; background: lavender;" colspan="7" |
Transports
Cargo aircraft
A cargo aircraft is a fixed-wing aircraft designed or converted for the carriage of goods, rather than passengers. They are usually devoid of passenger amenities, and generally feature one or more large doors for the loading and unloading of cargo...
|-
| Cessna Skymaster
Cessna Skymaster
The Cessna Skymaster is a United States twin-engine civil utility aircraft built in a push-pull configuration. Its engines are mounted in the nose and rear of its pod-style fuselage. Twin booms extend aft of the wings to the vertical stabilizers, with the rear engine between them. The horizontal...
|
United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
| utility
| FTB.337G
O-2A
| 5
|
|-
| Antonov An-26 Curl
Antonov An-26
The Antonov An-26 is a twin-engined turboprop military transport aircraft, designed and produced in the USSR from 12 March 1968.-Development:...
|
| transport
| An-26| 2
|
|-
| Harbin Y-12
Harbin Y-12
-See also:-Bibliography:* Taylor, John W R. . Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1988-89. Coulsdon, Surrey, UK: Jane's Information Group, 1988. ISBN 07106-0867-5....
|
ChinaChina
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
| Transport
VIP transport
| Y-12
| 2
|
|-
| Learjet 36
|
United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
| VIP transport
| Model 36
| 1
|
|-
| Dassault Falcon 900
|
FranceFrance
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
| VIP transport
| Falcon 900
| 1
|
|-
! style="align: center; background: lavender;" colspan="7" | Helicopters
|-
| Mil Mi-35 Hind-E
Mil Mi-24
The Mil Mi-24 is a large helicopter gunship and attack helicopter and low-capacity troop transport with room for 8 passengers. It is produced by Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant and operated since 1972 by the Soviet Air Force, its successors, and by over thirty other nations.In NATO circles the export...
|
| attack helicopter
| Mi-35P
| 2
|
|-
| Mil Mi-8 Hip
Mil Mi-8
The Mil Mi-8 is a medium twin-turbine transport helicopter that can also act as a gunship. The Mi-8 is the world's most-produced helicopter, and is used by over 50 countries. Russia is the largest operator of the Mi-8/Mi-17 helicopter....
|
| Assault helicopter
| Mi-8
| 2
|
|-
| Aérospatiale SA 319 Alouette III
Aérospatiale Alouette III
The Aérospatiale Alouette III is a single-engine, light utility helicopter developed by Sud Aviation. It was manufactured by Aérospatiale of France, and under licence by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited in India as Hal Chetak and Industria Aeronautică Română in Romania.The Alouette III is the...
|
FranceFrance
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
| light utility
| SA 319
| 2
|
|-
| HAL Cheetah
Aérospatiale Lama
|-See also:-External links:...
|
IndiaIndia
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
| light utility
|
| 1
| Indian variant of French Aérospatiale Lama
|-
| HAL Chetak
Aérospatiale Alouette III
The Aérospatiale Alouette III is a single-engine, light utility helicopter developed by Sud Aviation. It was manufactured by Aérospatiale of France, and under licence by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited in India as Hal Chetak and Industria Aeronautică Română in Romania.The Alouette III is the...
|
IndiaIndia
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
| light utility
|
| 2
| Indian variant of French Aérospatiale Alouette III