The
National Air Force of Angola (
PortuguesePortuguese is a Romance language that arose in the medieval Kingdom of Galicia, nowadays Galicia and Northern Portugal. The southern part of the Kingdom of Galicia became independent as the County of Portugal in 1095...
:
Força Aérea Nacional Angolana, FANA) is the
air branchAn air force, also known in some countries as an air army, is in the broadest sense, the national military organization that primarily conducts aerial warfare. More specifically, it is the branch of a nation's armed services that is responsible for aerial warfare as distinct from an army, navy or...
of the
Armed Forces of AngolaThe Angolan Armed Forces are the military in Angola that succeeded Forças Armadas de Libertação de Angola following the abortive Bicesse Accord with UNITA in 1991. As part of the peace agreement, troops from both armies were to be demilitarized and then integrated. Integration was never completed...
.
FAN was established, after the independence of
AngolaAngola, officially the Republic of Angola , is a country in south-central Africa bordered by Namibia on the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the north, and Zambia on the east; its west coast is on the Atlantic Ocean with Luanda as its capital city...
from
PortugalPortugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
, on January 21, 1976 as the
People's Air and Air Defence Force of Angola (
Força Aérea Popular de Angola/Defesa Aérea e Antiaérea (FAPA/DAA)) and initially made use of the aircraft left behind by the
Portuguese Air ForceThe Portuguese Air Force is the air force of Portugal. Formed on July 1, 1952, with the Aeronáutica Militar and Aviação Naval united in a single independent Air Force, it is one of the three branches of the Portuguese Armed Forces and its origins dates back to 1912, when the military aviation...
. The FAPA/DAA fought several battles with
South African Air ForceThe South African Air Force is the air force of South Africa, with headquarters in Pretoria. It is the world's second oldest independent air force, and its motto is Per Aspera Ad Astra...
aircraft.
FAN has bases are at
LuandaLuanda, formerly named São Paulo da Assunção de Loanda, is the capital and largest city of Angola. Located on Angola's coast with the Atlantic Ocean, Luanda is both Angola's chief seaport and its administrative center. It has a population of at least 5 million...
,
BelasDiellas is a village in the Mala Prespa, Albania, District Pustec, Korçë District....
,
LuenaLuena is a town located in east central Angola. It is the administrative capital of Moxico Province. While no exact figures are available, estimates on the population of the city varies from 60,000 to 200,000 residents, including an unknown number of refugees from the Angolan Civil War that...
,
KuitoKuito is a city located in central Angola. It is the administrative capital of Bié Province. Under Portuguese rule until 1975, it was called Silva Porto. Kuito was under siege in 1993/94 and again in 1998/99 by the rebel forces from UNITA...
,
LubangoLubango is the capital city of the Angolan province of Huíla. Its last known population was 100,757. Until 1975, the city's official name was Sá da Bandeira.-Portuguese rule:...
and
MocamedesMoçâmedes may refer to:*Moçâmedes, was the name of a region and its chief city in the Portuguese Overseas Province of Angola, the present-day Namibe province and city, in South-Western Angola....
.
The World FactbookThe World Factbook is a reference resource produced by the Central Intelligence Agency of the United States with almanac-style information about the countries of the world. The official paper copy version is available from the National Technical Information Service and the Government Printing Office...
, produced by the CIA, reported that by 2007 the name of the force had changed to "National Air Force".
Most of the inventory is out of service, and refers to historical equipment delivered along the years. FAN has many bases - most of them, former Portuguese Air Force bases and other courtesy of the cold war - but few airplanes that actually fly. The main body of the active air force is made of transport/cargo planes, used for moving supplies, equipment and personnel between parts of the country.
Aircraft Inventory
! style="text-align: left; background: #aabccc;"|Aircraft
! style="text-align: left; background: #aabccc;"|Source
! style="text-align: left; background: #aabccc;"|Type
! style="text-align: left; background: #aabccc;"|Versions
! style="text-align: left; background: #aabccc;"|In service
! style="text-align: left; background: #aabccc;"|Notes
|-----
! style="align: center; background: lavender;" colspan="7" | Fighter AircraftA 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...
|-
| Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 FishbedThe Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 is a supersonic jet fighter aircraft, designed by the Mikoyan-Gurevich Design Bureau in the Soviet Union. It was popularly nicknamed "balalaika", from the aircraft's planform-view resemblance to the Russian stringed musical instrument or ołówek by Polish pilots due to...
|
| Fighter
Trainer
| Total
MiG-21MF
MiG-21U
| 18
20
5
|
|-
| Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23 FloggerThe Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23 is a variable-geometry fighter aircraft, designed by the Mikoyan-Gurevich design bureau in the Soviet Union. It is considered to belong to the Soviet third generation jet fighter category, along with similarly aged Soviet fighters such as the MiG-25 "Foxbat"...
|
| Fighter
| MiG-23ML
| 26
|
|-----
| Sukhoi Su-27 FlankerThe Sukhoi Su-27 is a twin-engine supermanoeuverable fighter aircraft designed by Sukhoi. It was intended as a direct competitor for the large United States fourth generation fighters, with range, heavy armament, sophisticated avionics and high manoeuvrability...
| /
| Air superiority fighter
Trainer
| Total
Su-27S
Su-27UB
| 18
5
1
| from Belorussia
|-----
! style="align: center; background: lavender;" colspan="7" | Ground AttackIn military tactics, close air support is defined as air action by fixed or rotary winged aircraft against hostile targets that are close to friendly forces, and which requires detailed integration of each air mission with fire and movement of these forces.The determining factor for CAS is...
|-
| Sukhoi Su-22 Fitter
| /
| Ground attack
| Su-22M-4
| 8
|
|-----
| Sukhoi Su-25 FrogfootThe Sukhoi Su-25 is a single-seat, twin-engine jet aircraft developed in the Soviet Union by the Sukhoi Design Bureau. It was designed to provide close air support for the Soviet Ground Forces. The first prototype made its maiden flight on 22 February 1975...
|
| Ground attack
| Su-25K
| 8
|
|-----
! style="align: center; background: lavender;" colspan="7" | Trainer Aircraft
|-----
| Pilatus PC-7 Turbo Trainer
|
| Trainer
| PC-7
| 12
|
|-
| Yakovlev Yak-11 Moose|-See also:-References:* Gordon, Yefim, Dmitry Komissarov and Sergey Komissarov. OKB Yakovlev: A History of the Design Bureau and its Aircraft. Hinkley, UK: Midland Publishing, 2005. ISBN 1 85780 203 9....
|
| Trainer
| Yak-11
| 11
|-
| Embraer EMB-312 Tucano
|
| Trainer
| EMB-312
| 5
|
|-----
! style="align: center; background: lavender;" colspan="7" | Maritime patrolMaritime patrol is the task of monitoring areas of water. Generally conducted by military and law enforcement agencies, maritime patrol is usually aimed at identifying human activities....
|-----
| Embraer EMB-110 Bandeirante
|
| Maritime patrol
| EMB-111
| 2
|
|-
| Fokker F27 FriendshipThe Fokker F27 Friendship is a turboprop airliner designed and built by the Dutch aircraft manufacturer Fokker.-Design and development:Design of the Fokker F27 started in the 1950s as a replacement to the successful Douglas DC-3 airliner...
|
| Maritime patrol
| F27MPA
| 1
|
|-----
! style="align: center; background: lavender;" colspan="7" | TransportsA 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...
|-----
| Ilyushin Il-76 CandidThe Ilyushin Il-76 is a multi-purpose four-engined strategic airlifter designed by Ilyushin design bureau. It was first planned as a commercial freighter in 1967. Intended as a replacement for the Antonov An-12, the Il-76 was designed for delivering heavy machinery to remote, poorly-serviced areas...
| /
| Transport
| Il-76
| 1
| Crashed on 27 August 2009
|-
| Antonov An-32 ClineThe Antonov An-32 is a twin-engined turboprop military transport aircraft.-Design and development:The An-32 is basically a re-engined An-26. The launch customer was the Indian Air Force, which ordered this aircraft partly due to good relations between then USSR leader Leonid Brezhnev and then...
| /
| Transport
| An-32
| 3
|
|-
| Antonov An-26 CurlThe 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
| 12
|
|-
| CASA C.212 AviocarThe CASA C-212 Aviocar is a turboprop-powered STOL medium transport aircraft designed and built in Spain for civil and military use. C-212s are also produced under licence in Indonesia by Indonesian Aerospace, formerly called IPTN but now known as IAe...
|
| Transport
| Total
C.212-200
C.212M
| 11
6
5
|
|-
| IAR BN-2 IslanderThe Britten-Norman BN-2 Islander is a 1960s British light utility aircraft, regional airliner and cargo aircraft designed and originally manufactured by Britten-Norman of the United Kingdom. The Islander is one of the best-selling commercial aircraft types produced in Europe. Although designed in...
|
| Transport
| IAR BN-2A
| 8
|
|-
| Antonov An-12 CubThe Antonov An-12 is a four-engined turboprop transport aircraft designed in the Soviet Union. It is the military version of the Antonov An-10.-Design and development:...
| /
| Transport
| An-12
| 10
|
|-
| Pilatus PC-6 Porter
|
| Transport
| PC-6/B
| 4
|
|-
| Lockheed L-100 Hercules
|
| Transport
| L-100-30
| 1
|
|-
| Dornier Do 228The Dornier 228 is a twin-turboprop STOL utility aircraft, manufactured by Dornier GmbH from 1981 until 1998. In 1983, Hindustan Aeronautics bought a production licence and manufactures the 228 for the Asian market sphere. Approximately 270 Do 228 were built at Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany and...
|
| Transport
| Do 228
| 1
|
|-
| Cessna 172 SkyhawkThe Cessna 172 Skyhawk is a four-seat, single-engine, high-wing fixed-wing aircraft. First flown in 1955 and still in production, more Cessna 172s have been built than any other aircraft.-Design and development:...
|
| Utility
| Cessna 172
| 3
|
|-
| Dornier Do 28The Dornier Do 28 Skyservant is a twin-engine STOL utility aircraft, manufactured by Dornier Flugzeugbau GmbH. It served with the Luftwaffe and Marineflieger and other air forces around the world in the communications and utility role....
|
| Utility
| Do 28
| 1
|
|-
| Embraer ERJ-135The Embraer ERJ 145 family is a series of regional jets produced by Embraer, a Brazilian aerospace company. Family members include the ERJ 135 , ERJ 140 , and ERJ 145 , as well as the Legacy business jet and the R-99 family of military aircraft. The ERJ 145 is the largest of the group...
|
| VIP Transport
| ERJ-135BJ Legacy 600
| 1
|
|-
| Embraer EMB-120 Brasilia
|
| VIP Transport
| EMB-120
| 1
| Crashed on
|-----
! style="align: center; background: lavender;" colspan="7" | Helicopters
|-----
| Mil Mi-24 HindThe 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
| Total
Mi-25
Mi-35
| 15
5
10
|
|-
| Mil Mi-8 HipThe 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....
| /
| transport helicopter
| Mi-8
| 48
|
|-
| Aérospatiale SA 315 Alouette II
|
| Utility helicopter
| SA 315B
| 2
|
|-----
| IAR 316 Alouette IIIThe 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...
|
| Utility helicopter
| IAR 316B
| 15
|
|-----
| Aérospatiale SA 365 DauphinThe Eurocopter SA 365/AS365 Dauphin 2 is a medium-weight multipurpose twin-engine helicopter manufactured by Eurocopter .-Design and development:...
|
| Utility helicopter
| SA 365C
| 10
|
|-----
| Aérospatiale SA 342 GazelleThe Aérospatiale Gazelle is a five-seat light helicopter, powered by a single turbine engine. It was designed and manufactured in France by Sud Aviation . It was also manufactured under licence by Westland Aircraft in the United Kingdom , by SOKO in Yugoslavia and ABHCO in Egypt...
|
| Utility helicopter
| SA 342M
| 7
|
|-----
| Bell 212 Twin Huey
|
| Utility helicopter
| Bell 212
| 8
|
|-
|}
Accidents and incidents
: An Embraer EMB-120ER Brasilia-Accidents:*Brazilian Air Force on July 8, 1988 an Embraer EMB 120RT Brasília registration FAB-2001 crashed during and engine-out landing at São José dos Campos. Five of the 9 occupants died....
, tail numberAn aircraft registration is a unique alphanumeric string that identifies a civil aircraft, in similar fashion to a licence plate on an automobile...
T-500, carrying 23 occupants aboard, crashed in HuamboHuambo, formerly Nova Lisboa , is the capital of Huambo province in Angola. The city is located about 220 km E from Benguela and 600 km SE from Luanda. The city's last known population count was 225,268...
, breaking in two and catching fire. Seventeen people lost their lives in the accident.
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