Royal Jordanian Air Force
Encyclopedia
The Royal Jordanian Air Force (RJAF— Arabic
: سلاح الجو الملكي الأردني, transliterated Silāḥ ul-Jawu al-Malakī ’al-Urdunī) is the air force
branch of the Jordanian Armed Forces
.
Jordan gained independence in 1945, but its first air bases had been set up in 1931 by the Royal Air Force
. By 1950, Jordan began to develop a small air arm which came to be known as the Arab Legion Air Force (ALAF). The Royal Air Force assisted in training this small air arm and provided equipment. The ALAF's primary fighter was the De Havilland Vampire
and a Vickers Viking
was operated as a VIP aircraft for use by the King of Jordan. By 1955 King Hussein realized the need for Jordan
to have a more modern Air force
, and on 25 September 1955 the RJAF was established. By 1958 the Royal Air Force
had left Jordan
and the RJAF had taken control of the airfields in the country.
By the 1960s, the RJAF had a fleet of Hawker Hunter
s in the fighter role, with Dakota cargo planes and helicopters used in the transport role. 1964 brought the RJAF's first victory in the air. In the Battle of the Dead Sea, four Hawker Hunter
s shot down one Israel
i Mirage
and damaged three others.
On the morning of Nov 13, 1966 the siren sounded at Mafraq air base and a flight of two hunter aircraft scrambled. This section Lt. Salti and Lt. Shurdom. Three minutes later another pair was scrambled Lead by Lt. Jaser Zayyad and Lt. Abdeen as wingman. The reason was to alleviate the pressure on Jordanian infantry positions under attack by combined Israeli forces. Arriving at the scene I found that Red leader was engaged in combat with an Israeli mirage while number two Lt. Shurdom was closely pursued by a hostile Mirage which was closing in for a kill. According to Lt. Jaser Zayyad:
During the 1967 Six-Day War
, the RJAF destroyed an Israeli Nord Noratlas
on the grounds of Sirkin air base before an Israeli counterstrike destroyed the RJAF on the ground and in their hangars decisively removing the RJAF from the war. However, in the closing stages of the war, RJAF pilots operating from Iraq (using Iraqi Hawker Hunters) managed to down one Israeli Mirage IIICJ and two Vautours heading to attack H3 for one loss. Israel said it lost three aircraft and downed three Hunters, before the mission was aborted. It is considered by Israel to be one of the failures of the war.
In the 1970s the RJAF was modernised. F-104 Starfighter
s were acquired from the United States
following heavy losses in the Six-Day War
. However, the Starfighter proved superfluous and several were donated to the Pakistan Air Force
with the last unit withdrawn from service in 1977 leaving a fighter gap that would not be filled until the arrival of the Mirage F1 in 1981. The RJAF also acquired F-5 Tigers via Iran
during the reign of the Shah
who procured them from the United States
. T-37 Tweets were also acquired for the training role. In 1975, the RJAF gave its fleet of 31 Hawker Hunter
s to the Sultan of Oman's Air Force having failed in their efforts to sell them to Rhodesia or Honduras. The Hunters were delivered between May and June 1975.
and Israel
in 1979, the RJAF began to modernize its fleet once again. The first part of this program was the procurement of the Dassault Mirage F1
which became the RJAF's frontline fighter supported by generous aid from wealthy oil-rich Arab states. The Mirage F1 was selected over the F-16/79 (an F-16A powered by the GE J79 turbojet series as opposed to the F-100, which had 25% more power in afterburn) while also acquiring the F-5 to complement the Mirage F1CJ/EJ in the process.
In the 1980s, the RJAF supported Saddam Hussein and the Iraqi regime during the Iran-Iraq War, committing their aircraft for combat training alongside Iraqi aircraft squadrons with one joint aircraft squadron. It remains unknown (and seemingly unlikely) that RJAF pilots took part in combat with Iran. During the 1991 Desert Storm conflict, Jordan declared support for the Iraqi regime, but the RJAF was never officially committed to combat in that war. The RJAF provided instruction for Iraqi pilots who also operated the similar Mirage F1
.
Some six C-130H entered RJAF service and remain critical in supporting Jordan's peacekeeping efforts. In 1987 the RJAF received CASA C-101s to replace the T-37 in the training role.
The fallout meant that the RJAF was impacted upon but contrary to reports, did not lose its operational tempo and was not forced to cannibalize aircraft for shortages of spare parts. Despite this, the RJAF had to rationalize its existing resources due to a temporary downfall in spare parts and supplies. However, economic difficulties forced the RJAF to seek upgrades rather than the purchase of new equipment originally planned.
Modernization schemes continued with seven F-5Es sold to Singapore and some funding used to upgrade most of the remaining others with the AN/APG-67 radar (found on the aborted F-20 Tigershark
, once an aircraft under evaluation by the RJAF), modern fire control
systems, and WVR AAM
s, thus putting the F-5 on par with more modern aircraft in terms of electronics. Despite this, the F-5s lack a BVR combat
capability.
during the Gulf War
, the U.S. recommenced full military relations with Jordan starting with the donation of 16 F-16 Fighting Falcon
s, making Jordan the first country outside the United States to operate the type with the AIM-7M 'Sparrow'
and AIM-9M 'Sidewinder'
as primary weapons. Deliveries commenced in 1997, and were completed by 1998, following extensive exercises with the existing Mirage F1CJ/EJ and F-5E/F in RJAF service and assuming the lead role. Some 17 further ex-AMARC aircraft were also procured along with six ex-Royal Netherlands Air Force
F-16BMs for training purposes (but combat capable) along with 14 ex-Belgian F-16A/B in MLU (Mid Life Update) standard, thus boosting the RJAF's own multi-role capabilities. Another six ex-Spanish Mirage F1CE/EE aircraft have been procured.
RJAF pilots have participated in 'Bright Star' in Egypt
against regional F-16 Fighting Falcon and have improved their skills considerably, especially in defining critical areas of upgrading. The AIM-120 AMRAAM
has been procured by the RJAF and will improve combat capabilities of the basic F-16. Unlike the AIM-7M 'Sparrow III' the AMRAAM is lighter and more versatile with superior ECM
/ECCM
and capable of engaging high-g targets, along with an active-radar homing warhead
(unlike the semi-active homing warhead of the 'Sparrow III') with standard datalink for mid-course guidance and correction purposes.
With 64 F-16s and TAI
(Turkish Aerospace Industries) modernising them to MLU standard (Block 50), this enabling advanced AGM
s and latest PGMs to be carried. It remains unclear what will eventually complement the F-16s as the F-5s dwindle in numbers due to stress and fatigue reasons. The F-5s should be officially out of service by 2010, while the F-16MLU and Mirage F1CJ/EJ will remain the RJAF's standard fighters. While most sources cite that the RJAF is seeking 90 F-16s and RJAF now equip with 64 F-16s. The RJAF's F-16s are currently undergoing a new paint scheme to KA2 standard similar to the 'low visibility' fatigues adopted by the Royal Jordanian Land Force
.
Two light CASA C-295s have been procured and procurement is likely to continue of the type. It is believed that the RJAF may also order smaller numbers of the An-72
/74 from Antonov
for STOL
operations for army
special force
s.
The commander of the Royal Jordan Air Force is Major General Hussein Ahmad Shodash.
The 5 Extra 300 aerobatic aircraft of the Royal Jordanian Falcons
are operated by RJAF pilots, but owned by Royal Jordanian Airlines.
The police operate 4 Eurcopter EC 120 Colibri
and 3 MBB Bo.105S.
Note: These figures refer only to quantities of missiles from the transactions and not to the actual quantity of missiles in RJAF.
As well as all of its members have been trained to deal with any Airborne threat from the skies to defend the kingdom.
. The tails of aircraft usually carry an image of the flag of Jordan.
Arabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
: سلاح الجو الملكي الأردني, transliterated Silāḥ ul-Jawu al-Malakī ’al-Urdunī) is the air force
Air force
An 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...
branch of the Jordanian Armed Forces
Jordanian Armed Forces
The Jordanian Armed Forces , also referred to as The Arab Army , with all of it branches, is under direct control of the King of Jordan...
.
Early days
Jordan gained independence in 1945, but its first air bases had been set up in 1931 by the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
. By 1950, Jordan began to develop a small air arm which came to be known as the Arab Legion Air Force (ALAF). The Royal Air Force assisted in training this small air arm and provided equipment. The ALAF's primary fighter was the De Havilland Vampire
De Havilland Vampire
The de Havilland DH.100 Vampire was a British jet-engine fighter commissioned by the Royal Air Force during the Second World War. Following the Gloster Meteor, it was the second jet fighter to enter service with the RAF. Although it arrived too late to see combat during the war, the Vampire served...
and a Vickers Viking
Vickers VC.1 Viking
The Vickers VC.1 Viking was a British twin-engine short-range airliner derived from the Vickers Wellington bomber and built by Vickers Armstrongs Limited at Brooklands near Weybridge in Surrey. In the aftermath of the Second World War, the Viking was an important airliner with British airlines...
was operated as a VIP aircraft for use by the King of Jordan. By 1955 King Hussein realized the need for Jordan
Jordan
Jordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , Al-Mamlaka al-Urduniyya al-Hashemiyya) is a kingdom on the East Bank of the River Jordan. The country borders Saudi Arabia to the east and south-east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and the West Bank and Israel to the west, sharing...
to have a more modern Air force
Air force
An 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...
, and on 25 September 1955 the RJAF was established. By 1958 the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
had left Jordan
Jordan
Jordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , Al-Mamlaka al-Urduniyya al-Hashemiyya) is a kingdom on the East Bank of the River Jordan. The country borders Saudi Arabia to the east and south-east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and the West Bank and Israel to the west, sharing...
and the RJAF had taken control of the airfields in the country.
By the 1960s, the RJAF had a fleet of Hawker Hunter
Hawker Hunter
The Hawker Hunter is a subsonic British jet aircraft developed in the 1950s. The single-seat Hunter entered service as a manoeuvrable fighter aircraft, and later operated in fighter-bomber and reconnaissance roles in numerous conflicts. Two-seat variants remained in use for training and secondary...
s in the fighter role, with Dakota cargo planes and helicopters used in the transport role. 1964 brought the RJAF's first victory in the air. In the Battle of the Dead Sea, four Hawker Hunter
Hawker Hunter
The Hawker Hunter is a subsonic British jet aircraft developed in the 1950s. The single-seat Hunter entered service as a manoeuvrable fighter aircraft, and later operated in fighter-bomber and reconnaissance roles in numerous conflicts. Two-seat variants remained in use for training and secondary...
s shot down one Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i Mirage
Dassault Mirage III
The Mirage III is a supersonic fighter aircraft designed by Dassault Aviation during the late 1950s, and manufactured both in France and a number of other countries. It was a successful fighter aircraft, being sold to many air forces around the world and remaining in production for over a decade...
and damaged three others.
On the morning of Nov 13, 1966 the siren sounded at Mafraq air base and a flight of two hunter aircraft scrambled. This section Lt. Salti and Lt. Shurdom. Three minutes later another pair was scrambled Lead by Lt. Jaser Zayyad and Lt. Abdeen as wingman. The reason was to alleviate the pressure on Jordanian infantry positions under attack by combined Israeli forces. Arriving at the scene I found that Red leader was engaged in combat with an Israeli mirage while number two Lt. Shurdom was closely pursued by a hostile Mirage which was closing in for a kill. According to Lt. Jaser Zayyad:
During the 1967 Six-Day War
Six-Day War
The Six-Day War , also known as the June War, 1967 Arab-Israeli War, or Third Arab-Israeli War, was fought between June 5 and 10, 1967, by Israel and the neighboring states of Egypt , Jordan, and Syria...
, the RJAF destroyed an Israeli Nord Noratlas
Nord Noratlas
The Nord Noratlas was a 1950s French military transport aircraft intended to replace the older types in service at the end of World War II. Several hundred were produced in a run lasting over a decade, finding a wide variety of uses.-Development:...
on the grounds of Sirkin air base before an Israeli counterstrike destroyed the RJAF on the ground and in their hangars decisively removing the RJAF from the war. However, in the closing stages of the war, RJAF pilots operating from Iraq (using Iraqi Hawker Hunters) managed to down one Israeli Mirage IIICJ and two Vautours heading to attack H3 for one loss. Israel said it lost three aircraft and downed three Hunters, before the mission was aborted. It is considered by Israel to be one of the failures of the war.
In the 1970s the RJAF was modernised. F-104 Starfighter
F-104 Starfighter
The Lockheed F-104 Starfighter is a single-engine, high-performance, supersonic interceptor aircraft originally developed for the United States Air Force by Lockheed. One of the Century Series of aircraft, it served with the USAF from 1958 until 1969, and continued with Air National Guard units...
s were acquired from the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
following heavy losses in the Six-Day War
Six-Day War
The Six-Day War , also known as the June War, 1967 Arab-Israeli War, or Third Arab-Israeli War, was fought between June 5 and 10, 1967, by Israel and the neighboring states of Egypt , Jordan, and Syria...
. However, the Starfighter proved superfluous and several were donated to the Pakistan Air Force
Pakistan Air Force
The Pakistan Air Force is the leading air arm of the Pakistan Armed Forces and is primarily tasked with the aerial defence of Pakistan with a secondary role of providing air support to the Pakistan Army and the Pakistan Navy. The PAF also has a tertiary role of providing strategic air transport...
with the last unit withdrawn from service in 1977 leaving a fighter gap that would not be filled until the arrival of the Mirage F1 in 1981. The RJAF also acquired F-5 Tigers via Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
during the reign of the Shah
Shah
Shāh is the title of the ruler of certain Southwest Asian and Central Asian countries, especially Persia , and derives from the Persian word shah, meaning "king".-History:...
who procured them from the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. T-37 Tweets were also acquired for the training role. In 1975, the RJAF gave its fleet of 31 Hawker Hunter
Hawker Hunter
The Hawker Hunter is a subsonic British jet aircraft developed in the 1950s. The single-seat Hunter entered service as a manoeuvrable fighter aircraft, and later operated in fighter-bomber and reconnaissance roles in numerous conflicts. Two-seat variants remained in use for training and secondary...
s to the Sultan of Oman's Air Force having failed in their efforts to sell them to Rhodesia or Honduras. The Hunters were delivered between May and June 1975.
1980s
Following peace between EgyptEgypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
and Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
in 1979, the RJAF began to modernize its fleet once again. The first part of this program was the procurement of the Dassault Mirage F1
Dassault Mirage F1
The Dassault Mirage F1 is a French air-superiority fighter and attack aircraft designed and built by Dassault Aviation as a successor of the Mirage III family. The Mirage F1 entered service in the French Air Force in the early seventies...
which became the RJAF's frontline fighter supported by generous aid from wealthy oil-rich Arab states. The Mirage F1 was selected over the F-16/79 (an F-16A powered by the GE J79 turbojet series as opposed to the F-100, which had 25% more power in afterburn) while also acquiring the F-5 to complement the Mirage F1CJ/EJ in the process.
In the 1980s, the RJAF supported Saddam Hussein and the Iraqi regime during the Iran-Iraq War, committing their aircraft for combat training alongside Iraqi aircraft squadrons with one joint aircraft squadron. It remains unknown (and seemingly unlikely) that RJAF pilots took part in combat with Iran. During the 1991 Desert Storm conflict, Jordan declared support for the Iraqi regime, but the RJAF was never officially committed to combat in that war. The RJAF provided instruction for Iraqi pilots who also operated the similar Mirage F1
Dassault Mirage F1
The Dassault Mirage F1 is a French air-superiority fighter and attack aircraft designed and built by Dassault Aviation as a successor of the Mirage III family. The Mirage F1 entered service in the French Air Force in the early seventies...
.
Some six C-130H entered RJAF service and remain critical in supporting Jordan's peacekeeping efforts. In 1987 the RJAF received CASA C-101s to replace the T-37 in the training role.
1991 Gulf War and the 1990s
Following economic crisis that plagued the country in 1988 contributed to a general reduction in the size and strength of the armed forces since 1989, the RJAF cancelled ambitious plans to acquire the Mirage 2000EJ aircraft (eight planned but cancelled) and upgrades of the Mirage F1CJ fleet to the multi-role EJ standard. However, by 1990 the Iraqi invasion and occupation of Kuwait brought a coalition against the Iraqi regime of Saddam Hussein. Jordan, despite not supporting the occupation of Kuwait, was accused of backing Iraq.The fallout meant that the RJAF was impacted upon but contrary to reports, did not lose its operational tempo and was not forced to cannibalize aircraft for shortages of spare parts. Despite this, the RJAF had to rationalize its existing resources due to a temporary downfall in spare parts and supplies. However, economic difficulties forced the RJAF to seek upgrades rather than the purchase of new equipment originally planned.
Modernization schemes continued with seven F-5Es sold to Singapore and some funding used to upgrade most of the remaining others with the AN/APG-67 radar (found on the aborted F-20 Tigershark
F-20 Tigershark
The Northrop F-20 Tigershark was a privately-financed light fighter, designed and built by Northrop. Its development began in 1975 as a further evolution of Northrop's F-5E Tiger II, featuring a new engine that greatly improved overall performance, and a modern avionics suite including a powerful...
, once an aircraft under evaluation by the RJAF), modern fire control
Fire control
control of fire 'control of fire' is the practice of reducing the heat output of a fire, or reducing the area over which the fire exists, or suppressing or extinguishing the fire by depriving a fire of fuel, oxygen or heat ....
systems, and WVR AAM
Air-to-air missile
An air-to-air missile is a missile fired from an aircraft for the purpose of destroying another aircraft. AAMs are typically powered by one or more rocket motors, usually solid fuelled but sometimes liquid fuelled...
s, thus putting the F-5 on par with more modern aircraft in terms of electronics. Despite this, the F-5s lack a BVR combat
Combat
Combat, or fighting, is a purposeful violent conflict meant to establish dominance over the opposition, or to terminate the opposition forever, or drive the opposition away from a location where it is not wanted or needed....
capability.
Modern Era
Following the 1994 Israel–Jordan peace treaty and the lending of Jordanian support to the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
during the Gulf War
Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
, the U.S. recommenced full military relations with Jordan starting with the donation of 16 F-16 Fighting Falcon
F-16 Fighting Falcon
The General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon is a multirole jet fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force . Designed as an air superiority day fighter, it evolved into a successful all-weather multirole aircraft. Over 4,400 aircraft have been built since...
s, making Jordan the first country outside the United States to operate the type with the AIM-7M 'Sparrow'
AIM-7 Sparrow
The AIM-7 Sparrow is an American, medium-range semi-active radar homing air-to-air missile operated by the United States Air Force, United States Navy and United States Marine Corps, as well as various allied air forces and navies. Sparrow and its derivatives were the West's principal beyond visual...
and AIM-9M 'Sidewinder'
AIM-9 Sidewinder
The AIM-9 Sidewinder is a heat-seeking, short-range, air-to-air missile carried mostly by fighter aircraft and recently, certain gunship helicopters. The missile entered service with United States Air Force in the early 1950s, and variants and upgrades remain in active service with many air forces...
as primary weapons. Deliveries commenced in 1997, and were completed by 1998, following extensive exercises with the existing Mirage F1CJ/EJ and F-5E/F in RJAF service and assuming the lead role. Some 17 further ex-AMARC aircraft were also procured along with six ex-Royal Netherlands Air Force
Royal Netherlands Air Force
The Royal Netherlands Air Force , Dutch Koninklijke Luchtmacht , is the military aviation branch of the Netherlands Armed Forces. Its ancestor, the Luchtvaartafdeling of the Dutch Army was founded on 1 July 1913, with four pilots...
F-16BMs for training purposes (but combat capable) along with 14 ex-Belgian F-16A/B in MLU (Mid Life Update) standard, thus boosting the RJAF's own multi-role capabilities. Another six ex-Spanish Mirage F1CE/EE aircraft have been procured.
RJAF pilots have participated in 'Bright Star' in Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
against regional F-16 Fighting Falcon and have improved their skills considerably, especially in defining critical areas of upgrading. The AIM-120 AMRAAM
AIM-120 AMRAAM
The AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile, or AMRAAM , is a modern beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile capable of all-weather day-and-night operations. Designed with the same form-factor as the previous generation of semi-active guided Sparrow missiles, it is a fire-and-forget...
has been procured by the RJAF and will improve combat capabilities of the basic F-16. Unlike the AIM-7M 'Sparrow III' the AMRAAM is lighter and more versatile with superior ECM
Electronic countermeasures
An electronic countermeasure is an electrical or electronic device designed to trick or deceive radar, sonar or other detection systems, like infrared or lasers. It may be used both offensively and defensively to deny targeting information to an enemy...
/ECCM
Electronic counter-countermeasures
Electronic counter-countermeasures is a part of electronic warfare which includes a variety of practices which attempt to reduce or eliminate the effect of electronic countermeasures on electronic sensors aboard vehicles, ships and aircraft and weapons such as missiles. ECCM is also known as...
and capable of engaging high-g targets, along with an active-radar homing warhead
Warhead
The term warhead refers to the explosive material and detonator that is delivered by a missile, rocket, or torpedo.- Etymology :During the early development of naval torpedoes, they could be equipped with an inert payload that was intended for use during training, test firing and exercises. This...
(unlike the semi-active homing warhead of the 'Sparrow III') with standard datalink for mid-course guidance and correction purposes.
With 64 F-16s and TAI
Turkish Aerospace Industries
Turkish Aerospace Industries, Inc. is the center of technology in design, development, manufacturing, integration of aerospace systems, modernization and after sales support in Turkey....
(Turkish Aerospace Industries) modernising them to MLU standard (Block 50), this enabling advanced AGM
Air-to-surface missile
An air-to-surface missile is a missile designed to be launched from military aircraft and strike ground targets on land, at sea, or both...
s and latest PGMs to be carried. It remains unclear what will eventually complement the F-16s as the F-5s dwindle in numbers due to stress and fatigue reasons. The F-5s should be officially out of service by 2010, while the F-16MLU and Mirage F1CJ/EJ will remain the RJAF's standard fighters. While most sources cite that the RJAF is seeking 90 F-16s and RJAF now equip with 64 F-16s. The RJAF's F-16s are currently undergoing a new paint scheme to KA2 standard similar to the 'low visibility' fatigues adopted by the Royal Jordanian Land Force
Royal Jordanian Land Force
The Royal Jordanian Land Force is part of the Jordanian Armed Forces . It draws its origins from units first formed in the British Mandate of Transjordan in the 1920s. It has seen combat against Israel in 1948, 1956, 1967, and 1973...
.
Two light CASA C-295s have been procured and procurement is likely to continue of the type. It is believed that the RJAF may also order smaller numbers of the An-72
Antonov An-72
The Antonov An-72 is a transport aircraft developed by Antonov in the former Soviet Union. It was designed as a STOL transport and intended as a replacement for the Antonov An-26, but variants have found success as commercial freighters.The An-72 gets its nickname, Cheburashka, from the large...
/74 from Antonov
Antonov
Antonov, or Antonov Aeronautical Scientist/Technical Complex , formerly the Antonov Design Bureau, is a Ukrainian aircraft manufacturing and services company with particular expertise in the field of very large aircraft construction. Antonov ASTC is a state-owned commercial company...
for STOL
STOL
STOL is an acronym for short take-off and landing, a term used to describe aircraft with very short runway requirements.-Definitions:There is no one accepted definition of STOL and many different definitions have been used by different authorities and nations at various times and for a myriad of...
operations for army
Army
An army An army An army (from Latin arma "arms, weapons" via Old French armée, "armed" (feminine), in the broadest sense, is the land-based military of a nation or state. It may also include other branches of the military such as the air force via means of aviation corps...
special force
Special Force
Special Force is a first-person shooter military video game, published by Hezbollah, created using the Genesis 3D engine. The game is set in a 3D environment, in which the player takes the role of a Hezbollah combatant fighting the IDF...
s.
The commander of the Royal Jordan Air Force is Major General Hussein Ahmad Shodash.
Aircraft Inventory
Current
| Aircraft | Origin | Type | Versions | In service | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bell AH-1 Cobra | Attack Helicopter | AH-1F AH-1S |
28 | ||
| CASA C-101 Aviojet | Trainer | C-101CC | 10 | might be replaced by 16-20 Aero L-159 Alca Aero L-159 Alca |-See also:-References:* Jackson, Paul. Jane's All The World's Aircraft 2003–2004. Coulsdon, UK:Jane's Information Group, 2003. ISBN 0-7106-2537-5.-External links:* * * * *... |
|
| CASA C-295 | Tactical Transport | CN-295 | 2 | ||
| CASA CN-235 CASA CN-235 The CASA/IPTN CN-235 is a medium-range twin-engined transport plane that was jointly developed by CASA of Spain and IPTN of Indonesia as a regional airliner and military transport. Its primary military roles include maritime patrol, surveillance, and air transport... |
SOCOM | CN-235 | 2 | Modified by ATK into Gunship's carrying weapons (Hellfire II, Hydra 70, M230 link-fed 30mm chain gun ) for special operation. | |
| Dassault Mirage F1 Dassault Mirage F1 The Dassault Mirage F1 is a French air-superiority fighter and attack aircraft designed and built by Dassault Aviation as a successor of the Mirage III family. The Mirage F1 entered service in the French Air Force in the early seventies... |
Trainer Fighter Trainer Fighter |
Mirage F1BJ Mirage F1CJ Mirage F1DJ Mirage F1EJ |
1 12 2 15 |
||
| Eurocopter AS332 | Transport Helicopter | AS 332M | 10 | ||
| Eurocopter AS350 | Light utility helicopter | AS 350 B3 | 3 | From UAEAF | |
| Bell UH-1 Iroquois | Transport Helicopter | UH-1H | 18 | 16 were delivered to Iraqi Air Force, 18 in service. | |
| Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk The UH-60 Black Hawk is a four-bladed, twin-engine, medium-lift utility helicopter manufactured by Sikorsky Aircraft. Sikorsky submitted the S-70 design for the United States Army's Utility Tactical Transport Aircraft System competition in 1972... |
Transport Helicopter | UH-60L UH-60M |
11 1 |
2 UH-60L VIP used to transport the Head Of State and used for back up. | |
| Eurocopter EC 635 | Utility Helicopter | EC-635 | 13 | ||
| Ilyushin Il-76 Ilyushin Il-76 The 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... |
Heavy-Lift Transport | IL-76MF | 2 | Delivered in 2011, each aircraft carry 60 tons, another 1 IL-76MF on order. | |
| Lockheed C-130 Hercules | Tactical Transport | C-130H | 4 | Upgraded by JAC (Jordan Aeronautical-systems) | |
| Antonov An-32 Antonov An-32 The 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... |
SOCOM | AN-32 | 1 | ||
| Lockheed F-16 Fighting Falcon | Fighter Trainer |
F-16A B |
10 4 |
ADF Block 15 RJAF recognized the need to give these aircraft a mid-life update (MLU) in the next 2 or 3 years. (2 F-16A Block 15 ADF aircraft crashed over the years of service) |
|
| Lockheed F-16 Fighting Falcon | Fighter Trainer |
F-16AM BM |
34 14 |
MLU Block 40/50 17 F-16A/B upgraded by TAI TAI Three letter acronym TAI may refer to:* IATA airport code for Ta'izz International Airport* ICAO code for TACA International Airlines* Transports Aériens Intercontinentaux, a now defunct French airline... to MLU standard & An additional 9 F-16AM/BM MLU (6 F-16AM, 3 F-16BM) delivered in July/Aug 2011 from Belgium Belgium Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many... . |
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| MD Helicopters MD 500 MD Helicopters MD 500 The MD Helicopters MD 500 series is an American family of light utility civilian and military helicopters. The MD 500 was developed from the Hughes 500, a civilian version of the US Army's OH-6A Cayuse/Loach... |
Scout Helicopter | MD 500D MD 500E |
6 9 |
MD 500D/E in service with Special Operation. | |
| Northrop F-5E/F Tiger II | Fighter Trainer |
F-5E F-5F |
30 10 |
||
| Kamov Ka-226 Kamov Ka-226 |- See also :- External links :* http://www.aviation.ru/Ka/#226* * http://www.aviastar.org/helicopters_eng/ka-226.php* http://www.aerospace-technology.com/projects/ka226/... |
Light utility | Ka-226 | 6 | it will be assembled in Jordan | |
| Cessna 208 Caravan | Reconnaissance | Cessna 208(Recce) | 5 | ||
| Seabird Seeker Seabird Seeker -External links:* *... |
/ | Reconnaissance | SB7L-360A | 6 | |
| Slingsby T-67 Firefly Slingsby T-67 Firefly The Slingsby T67 Firefly, originally produced as the Fournier RF-6, is a two-seat aerobatic training aircraft, built by Slingsby Aviation in Kirkbymoorside, Yorkshire, England... |
Trainer | T-67M-260 | 14 | 3 lost in accidents | |
| Socata TB Socata TB |-Specifications :-Specifications :-See also:... |
Utility | TB 20 Trinidad | 2 |
The 5 Extra 300 aerobatic aircraft of the Royal Jordanian Falcons
Royal Jordanian Falcons
The Royal Jordanian Falcons are the national aerobatic demonstration team of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.The team was formed on the orders of King Hussein of Jordan on November 7, 1978. The team used two and subsequently three Pitts S-2A Specials before changing to Walter Extra EA300s in 1992...
are operated by RJAF pilots, but owned by Royal Jordanian Airlines.
The police operate 4 Eurcopter EC 120 Colibri
Eurocopter Colibri
The Eurocopter EC120 Colibri is a 5-seat, single-engine, single main rotor, light helicopter. Jointly designed and developed by Eurocopter, China National Aero-Technology Import & Export Corporation , Harbin Aviation Industries Ltd and Singapore Technologies Aerospace Ltd at Eurocopter France's...
and 3 MBB Bo.105S.
Historic
- Combat aircraft
- 18-37 LockheedLockheed MartinLockheed Martin is an American global aerospace, defense, security, and advanced technology company with worldwide interests. It was formed by the merger of Lockheed Corporation with Martin Marietta in March 1995. It is headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, in the Washington Metropolitan Area....
F-104 Starfighter (A\B) - 54 HawkerHawker AircraftHawker Aircraft Limited was a British aircraft manufacturer responsible for some of the most famous products in British aviation history.-History:...
HunterHawker HunterThe Hawker Hunter is a subsonic British jet aircraft developed in the 1950s. The single-seat Hunter entered service as a manoeuvrable fighter aircraft, and later operated in fighter-bomber and reconnaissance roles in numerous conflicts. Two-seat variants remained in use for training and secondary...
FGA-6\9, T-66, FR-10 - 18 De HavillandDe HavillandThe de Havilland Aircraft Company was a British aviation manufacturer founded in 1920 when Airco, of which Geoffrey de Havilland had been chief designer, was sold to BSA by the owner George Holt Thomas. De Havilland then set up a company under his name in September of that year at Stag Lane...
VampireDe Havilland VampireThe de Havilland DH.100 Vampire was a British jet-engine fighter commissioned by the Royal Air Force during the Second World War. Following the Gloster Meteor, it was the second jet fighter to enter service with the RAF. Although it arrived too late to see combat during the war, the Vampire served...
FB-9\52, T-55
- 18-37 Lockheed
- Transport Aircraft
- 1 Antonov An-74 Coaler
- 2 CASA C-212 Aviocar
Spain - 1 Dassault Falcon 20Dassault Falcon 20The Dassault Falcon 20 is a French business jet and was the first of a family of business jets built by Dassault Aviation.-Design and development:...
- 1 Boeing 707Boeing 707The Boeing 707 is a four-engine narrow-body commercial passenger jet airliner developed by Boeing in the early 1950s. Its name is most commonly pronounced as "Seven Oh Seven". The first airline to operate the 707 was Pan American World Airways, inaugurating the type's first commercial flight on...
- 2 Bombardier CL-604Bombardier Challenger 600The Bombardier Challenger 600 series is a family of business jets designed by Bill Lear and produced first by Canadair until that company was bought by Bombardier Aerospace in 1986.-Development:...
Canada - 2 Dassault Falcon 50Dassault Falcon 50|-See also:-References:* Taylor, John W R. . Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1988-89. Coulsdon, Surrey, UK:Jane's Information Group. ISBN 0-7106-0867-5.-External links:* *...
- 2 Gulfstream III
- 3 Gulfstream IVGulfstream IVThe Gulfstream IV and derivatives are a family of twin-jet aircraft, mainly for private or business use. The aircraft was designed and built by Gulfstream Aerospace, a General Dynamics company based in Savannah, Georgia, United States from 1985 until 2003.-Design and development:Gulfstream, in...
- 1 Gulfstream VGulfstream VThe Gulfstream V is a business jet aircraft produced by Gulfstream Aerospace. It is also used by the US military under the designation C-37A. The G500 and G550 are improved versions which are currently in production...
- 1 Lockheed L-1011 TristarLockheed L-1011The Lockheed L-1011 TriStar, commonly referred to as the L-1011 or TriStar, is a medium-to-long range, widebody passenger trijet airliner. It was the third widebody airliner to enter commercial operations, following the Boeing 747 and the McDonnell Douglas DC-10. Between 1968 and 1984, Lockheed...
- 4 Fairchild C-119G Flying Boxcar
- 4 DouglasDouglas Aircraft CompanyThe Douglas Aircraft Company was an American aerospace manufacturer, based in Long Beach, California. It was founded in 1921 by Donald Wills Douglas, Sr. and later merged with McDonnell Aircraft in 1967 to form McDonnell Douglas...
C-47 Dakota - 6 De HavillandDe HavillandThe de Havilland Aircraft Company was a British aviation manufacturer founded in 1920 when Airco, of which Geoffrey de Havilland had been chief designer, was sold to BSA by the owner George Holt Thomas. De Havilland then set up a company under his name in September of that year at Stag Lane...
DH-104 DoveDe Havilland DoveThe de Havilland DH.104 Dove was a British monoplane short-haul airliner from de Havilland, the successor to the biplane de Havilland Dragon Rapide and was one of Britain's most successful post-war civil designs...
- Trainers
- 22 Bulldog Series 125Scottish Aviation Bulldog|-See also:-External links:...
- 12 Piper PA-28 Cherokee
- 6 Piper PA-34 Seneca
- 6 Short Sealand
- 13 CessnaCessnaThe Cessna Aircraft Company is an airplane manufacturing corporation headquartered in Wichita, Kansas, USA. Their main products are general aviation aircraft. Although they are the most well known for their small, piston-powered aircraft, they also produce business jets. The company is a subsidiary...
T-37
- 22 Bulldog Series 125
- Helicopters
- 10 Sikorsky S-76Sikorsky S-76The Sikorsky S-76 is an American medium-size commercial utility helicopter. The S-76 is powered by two turboshaft engines, which drive both the main and tail rotors, each with four blades...
- 18 Bell-205
- 16 AlouetteAérospatiale 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...
-3 - 3 WestlandWestland AircraftWestland Aircraft was a British aircraft manufacturer located in Yeovil in Somerset. Formed as a separate company by separation from Petters Ltd just before the start of the Second World War, Westland had been building aircraft since 1915...
ScoutWestland ScoutThe Westland Scout was a general purpose military light helicopter developed by Westland Helicopters. It was closely related to the Westland Wasp naval helicopter.-Design and development:...
AH-1 - 2 Westland WS-55 Srs-4
- 3 MBB BO-105
- 1 BK-117
- 10 Sikorsky S-76
Armament
- Air-to-Air missile
- 100 AIM-7PAIM-7 SparrowThe AIM-7 Sparrow is an American, medium-range semi-active radar homing air-to-air missile operated by the United States Air Force, United States Navy and United States Marine Corps, as well as various allied air forces and navies. Sparrow and its derivatives were the West's principal beyond visual...
- 850 AIM-9P/M/M-9AIM-9 SidewinderThe AIM-9 Sidewinder is a heat-seeking, short-range, air-to-air missile carried mostly by fighter aircraft and recently, certain gunship helicopters. The missile entered service with United States Air Force in the early 1950s, and variants and upgrades remain in active service with many air forces...
- 50 AIM-120CAIM-120 AMRAAMThe AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile, or AMRAAM , is a modern beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile capable of all-weather day-and-night operations. Designed with the same form-factor as the previous generation of semi-active guided Sparrow missiles, it is a fire-and-forget...
+ 51 LAU-129 launch rails - 130 AIM-120C7AIM-120 AMRAAMThe AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile, or AMRAAM , is a modern beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile capable of all-weather day-and-night operations. Designed with the same form-factor as the previous generation of semi-active guided Sparrow missiles, it is a fire-and-forget...
+ 6 AIM-120CATMAIM-120 AMRAAMThe AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile, or AMRAAM , is a modern beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile capable of all-weather day-and-night operations. Designed with the same form-factor as the previous generation of semi-active guided Sparrow missiles, it is a fire-and-forget... - 225 R550 MagicR550 MagicThe R.550 Magic is a short-range missile designed in 1968 by French company Matra to compete with the American AIM-9 Sidewinder. On 11 January 1972, a Gloster Meteor of the centre for in-flight trials fired the R550 Magic and shot down a Nord CT20 target drone .Mass-produced from 1976, the Magic...
- 75 Super 530Super 530The Matra Super 530 is a French short to medium-range air-to-air missile. The Super 530 series is an improved type of the Matra R530 missile.*Super 530F is carried on the Dassault Mirage F1. It was introduced in 1979....
Note: These figures refer only to quantities of missiles from the transactions and not to the actual quantity of missiles in RJAF.
- Air-to-Surface missile
- AS-30LAS-30LThe AS-30L is a French short-to-medium range air-to-ground missile which employees laser homing guidance. The AS-30L was a development of the earlier 1970s AS-30 missile, which uses MCLOS guidance via a radio command link between the aircraft to the missile. The only difference between the AS-30...
- BGM-71 TOWBGM-71 TOWThe BGM-71 TOW is an anti-tank missile. "BGM" is a weapon classification that stands for "Multiple Environment , Surface-Attack , Missile ". "TOW" is an acronym that stands for "Tube-launched, Optically-tracked, Wire command data link, guided missile"...
(Mounted on Cobra) - AGM-65 MaverickAGM-65 MaverickThe AGM-65 Maverick is an air-to-ground tactical missile designed for close-air support. It is effective against a wide range of tactical targets, including armor, air defenses, ships, ground transportation and fuel storage facilities....
- AGM-114 HellfireAGM-114 HellfireThe AGM-114 Hellfire is an air-to-surface missile developed primarily for anti-armor use. It has multi-mission, multi-target precision-strike capability, and can be launched from multiple air, sea, and ground platforms. The Hellfire missile is the primary 100 lb-class air-to-ground precision...
(being delivered) - Direct Attack Guided RocketDirect Attack Guided RocketThe Direct Attack Guided Rocket is a weapons system under development by Lockheed Martin. The program goal is to provide a low cost 2.75 inch precision guided rocket which is compatible with existing Hellfire II systems and launchers in service...
(DAGR) (being delivered)
- Bombs
- Belouga CBU
- BLU-107 DurandalBLU-107 DurandalNamed for a mythical medieval French sword, the Durandal is a bomb developed by the French company Matra , designed to destroy airport and airfield runways.-Overview:...
anti-runway bombs - Hundreds of Many different bombs (MK-82/83/...)
- Future procurement
- Latest AGMs , PGMs and ARMs
- Target drones
- 82 TTL BTT-3 Banshee with 2 launchers
Royal Jordanian Air Defence
- Royal Jordanian air defense is part of the Royal Jordanian Air Force is equipped with modern Surface-to-Air missiles and Anti-Aircraft guns and Radar stations, as well as modern Electronic Warfare center and electronic countermeasure which is linked to command and control (C2) centers.
As well as all of its members have been trained to deal with any Airborne threat from the skies to defend the kingdom.
- Early Warning Capability
- Jordan have a C4ISR subsystem capable of serving multiple internal services and agencies within Jordan and An Air Defense subsystem capable of early warning of air attack and real-time Command and Control (C2) of national air defense forces.
- Jordan has the ability to detect cruise missiles and modern aircraft and unmanned drones and stealth aircraft at long distances through the secret project linking a group of modern Russian radar bought by Jordan recently with some U.S. radars such as (FPS-117, TPS-77, TPS-43E) with ADSI (Air Defence System Integrator) and all Fire Units to build air defence umbrella (IADS).
- Equipment:
- Gun system AAA
- 45 ZSU-23-4 Shilka
- 139 M163 Vulcan
- 216 M42 DusterM42 DusterThe M42 40 mm Self-Propelled Anti-Aircraft Gun, or "Duster," is an armored light air-defense gun built for the U.S. Army from 1952 until December 1959. Production of this vehicle was performed by the tank division of the General Motors Corporation. It used components from the M41 light tank...
(in storage) \
Sweden
- MANPADS
- 300 SA-14
- 240 SA-18
- 200 SA-24
- 270 FIM-43A Redeye
- Short-Range Tactical SAM System
- 60 SA-8 OSA-AKM (Upgraded)
- 92 SA-13 Gopher (Upgraded by JELS)
- Unknown No. SA-22 Pantsir-S1E
- Medium & Long Range Air Defence
- 22 MIM-23 HawkMIM-23 HawkThe Raytheon MIM-23 Hawk is a U.S. medium range surface-to-air missile. The Hawk was initially designed to destroy aircraft and was later adapted to destroy other missiles in flight. The missile entered service in 1960, and a program of extensive upgrades has kept it from becoming obsolete. It was...
Phase III with MIM-23B/E Missiles (upgraded from 1998 to 2008)
- 22 MIM-23 Hawk
- In the period from 1998 to 2008 was the purchase of the components of 8 Hawk Phase III batteries gradually and upgrade 14 old Hawk batteries to latest phase (Phase III ), Jordan has more than 1200 Hawk missiles (600 MEI-23E missiles).
- 3 MIM-104 PatriotMIM-104 PatriotThe MIM-104 Patriot is a surface-to-air missile system, the primary of its kind used by the United States Army and several allied nations. It is manufactured by the Raytheon Company of the United States. The Patriot System replaced the Nike Hercules system as the U.S. Army's primary High to Medium...
unknown type Batteries (12 launchers)
- 3 MIM-104 Patriot
Markings
The roundel of the RJAF is three circles, with black, white and green circles, going from outside to inside. At the top of the roundel is a red triangle containing the seven-pointed star of the Flag of JordanFlag of Jordan
The flag of Jordan, officially adopted on 16 April 1928, is based on the flag of the Arab Revolt against the Ottoman Empire during World War I. The flag consists of horizontal black, white, and green bands that are connected by a red chevron. The colors stand are the Pan-Arab Colors, representing...
. The tails of aircraft usually carry an image of the flag of Jordan.
External links
- Official Site of the Royal Jordanian Air Force
- Royal Jordanian Airforce courtesy of Scramble.nl
- http://www.f-16.net/f-16_users_article11.html