United Arab Emirates Air Force - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

The United Arab Emirates Air Force (UAEAF) 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...

of the United Arab Emirates

United Arab Emirates

The United Arab Emirates, abbreviated as the UAE, or shortened to "the Emirates", is a state situated in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman, and Saudi Arabia, and sharing sea borders with Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Iran.The UAE is a...

(UAE). Its predecessor was established in 1968, when the Emirates were still under British

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

rule. Since then, it has undergone a continual reorganization and expansion in terms of both capability and numbers of aircraft. Currently, the UAEAF has around 4,000 personnel and operates approximately 368 fixed

Fixed-wing aircraft

A fixed-wing aircraft is an aircraft capable of flight using wings that generate lift due to the vehicle's forward airspeed. Fixed-wing aircraft are distinct from rotary-wing aircraft in which wings rotate about a fixed mast and ornithopters in which lift is generated by flapping wings.A powered...

and rotary wing aircraft.

History

The UAEAF's history starts in 1968, when the Abu Dhabi Army Air Force was formed under British rule

Evolution of the British Empire

The territorial evolution of the British Empire is considered to have begun with the foundation of the English colonial empire in the late 16th century...

. After becoming the Abu Dhabi Air Force in 1972, major investment assured an expansion in terms of capabilities, quality and quantity of aircraft. Training and instruction was provided by 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...

. Neighbour Emirate of Dubai maintained its own air component, the Dubai Defence Force Air Wing, until 1999, when the two were effectively merged to become what is now the United Arab Emirates Air Force. Although the integration of the two independent forces has been complete, a small degree of autonomy exists at the operational command level, with the Western Air Command being headquartered in Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi , literally Father of Gazelle, is the capital and the second largest city of the United Arab Emirates in terms of population and the largest of the seven member emirates of the United Arab Emirates. Abu Dhabi lies on a T-shaped island jutting into the Persian Gulf from the central western...

and the Central Air Command in Dubai.

Since the 1980s, a combination of regional instability and high oil prices has resulted in an ambitious modernization of the UAEAF, with the goal of attaining a level of capability matching the highest NATO standards.

Personnel and training

The UAEAF consists of about 4,000 personnel.

In the 1970s and 80s, the UAEAF was instructed by Pakistan Air Force pilots on Dassault Mirage III

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...

s, the backbone of the UAEAF at the time. Even today, many of the personnel are ex-Pakistan Air Force officers and technicians. Most of the flying instructors at Al Ain

Al Ain

Al Ain |Spring]]), also known as the Garden City due to its greenery, is the second largest city in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi and the fourth largest city in the United Arab Emirates. With a population of 374,000 , it is located approximately 160 km east of the capital Abu Dhabi and about...

are from Pakistan, training pilots using Grob G 115

Grob G 115

|- Incidents and Accidents :*In February 2009, two RAF Tutors operating air experience flights from RAF St Athan collided in mid-air. All four occupants were killed, a pilot and a female Air Training Corps cadet in each aircraft. The two cadets killed were cousins Nikkita Marie Walters, 13, and...

, Pilatus PC-7

Pilatus PC-7

The Pilatus PC-7 Turbo Trainer is a low-wing tandem-seat training aircraft, manufactured by Pilatus Aircraft of Switzerland. The aircraft is capable of all basic training functions including aerobatics, instrument, tactical and night flying. It has been selected by more than twenty air forces as...

, Aermacchi MB-339

Aermacchi MB-339

The Aermacchi MB-339 is an Italian military trainer and light attack aircraft. It was developed as a replacement for the earlier MB-326.-Design and development:...

, and BAE Hawk

BAE Hawk

The BAE Systems Hawk is a British single-engine, advanced jet trainer aircraft. It first flew in 1974 as the Hawker Siddeley Hawk. The Hawk is used by the Royal Air Force, and other air forces, as either a trainer or a low-cost combat aircraft...

63 aircraft. A few officers of No. 12 Squadron (Hawk 102) at Minhad Air Base, are also from the Pakistan Air Force. Some of these officers are on deputation (active service), but most are on civilian contracts with the Air Force Headquarters in Abu Dhabi. Numerous officers of other nationalities have also trained UAE pilots, among them Moroccans, Canadians, Jordanians, and South Africans.

Women have started training as pilots. The first batch consisted of engineers given approval for flight training. So far, only three women have become actual fighter pilots and one a transport pilot. One woman pilot was grounded due to an ejection from a training flight in a Hawk 63. Instructors at Al Dhafra Air Base

Al Dhafra Air Base

Al Dhafra Air Base is a military installation in the United Arab Emirates. The base is located approximately south of Abu Dhabi and is operated by the United Arab Emirates Air Force.-Facilities:The airport resides at an elevation of above mean sea level...

are now mainly from the US, as the UAEAF has retired its Mirage IIIs in favour of F-16s.

Currently there are five main air bases operational, split between the Western and Central Air Command. The Special Operations Command has its own airbase and operates a wide range of helicopters.

Candidates apply to the Khalifa bin Zayed Air College, which is located at the Al Ain International Airport

Al Ain International Airport

Al Ain International Airport is an airport located in Al Ain, United Arab Emirates. It was opened in March 31, 1994. Fourteen flights and 4,000 passenger pass through the airport each week...

in Al Ain. They first go through a rigorous schedule of academics (Basic Level: Military Sciences), fitness and officer training. Those who are selected as cadets then start the second phase of academics: Flight Sciences (Aeronautical Science). Cadets who pass the assessment period of the second phase are designated aviation cadets and start flight training. The first aircraft cadets get to fly is the Grob G115 TA. Those who qualify then go on to fly the Pilatus PC-7. On this aircraft, they learn the basics of flying, take-off and landing techniques and procedures followed by a bit of aerobatics. Following the Primary Flying Course is the Basic Flight Course, piloting the Hawk 63. Graduates are graded and assigned accordingly to one of three options: the Advanced Strike course at Minhad on the Hawk 102 aircraft, transport aircraft, and helicopters. At Minhad, the new pilots learn Basic Fighters Manoeuvers, drop bombs and learn to fly cross-country to a neighbouring country, commonly Bahrain or Kuwait. Upon completion of the Advanced Strike course, officers are selected either for the F-16 (Block 60) or the Dassault Mirage 2000-9, both at Al Dhafra AB. A few pilots are selected to learn to fly the F-16 with the United States Air Force

United States Air Force

The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...

's 162d Fighter Wing

162d Fighter Wing

The 162d Fighter Wing is a United States Air Force unit located at Tucson International Airport, near Tucson, Arizona.-Mission:The Air National Guard in Tucson is home to F-16 training for the U.S...

in Tucson, Arizona.

Current state

2007 marked the culmination of the largest procurement programmes ever undertaken by the UAE Air Force, with the final deliveries of the 80 F-16E/F Block 60 "Desert Falcons" and approximately 60 upgraded Mirage 2000-9, giving the air force a considerable multirole capability. These two investments represented a total expenditure of around $10 billion, with additional money spent on infrastructure and logistics. A $6.4 billion contract with Lockheed Martin

Lockheed Martin

Lockheed 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....

for the supply and support of the 80 F-16s was signed in March 2000, while a $3.4 billion deal for the purchase of 30 new Mirage 2000-9 and retrofitting of the 33 older UAE Mirage 2000s was signed earlier in 1998. Missiles were also purchased: 160 AGM-88 HARM

AGM-88 HARM

The AGM-88 High-speed Anti-Radiation Missile is a tactical, air-to-surface missile designed to home in on electronic transmissions coming from surface-to-air radar systems. It was originally developed by Texas Instruments as a replacement for the AGM-45 Shrike and AGM-78 Standard ARM system...

s, 1,000 or more AGM-65 Maverick

AGM-65 Maverick

The 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....

s, about 500 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...

s, 270 AIM-9 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...

s and 52 AGM-84 Harpoons.

After a competition between the BAE Hawk, T-50 Golden Eagle

T-50 Golden Eagle

The T-50 Golden Eagle is a family of South Korean supersonic advanced trainers and multirole fighters, developed by Korea Aerospace Industries beginning in the late 1990s. The T-50 is South Korea's first indigenous supersonic aircraft and one of the world's few supersonic trainers...

and Alenia Aermacchi M-346, the UAEAF announced the acquisition of 48 trainer and light attack aircraft, with the first deliveries to take place in 2012. The other training types that are thought to be near replacement are the 30 Pilatus PC-7s and five Aermacchi MB-339s serving with the Air Academy at Al Ain.

The UAEAF has operated 20 IAR 330 Puma

IAR 330

|-See also:-External links:*...

helicopters since the late 1970s. These have been recently upgraded to the IAR-330SM standard by IAR Ghimbav

Industria Aeronautica Româna

Industria Aeronautică Română or Romanian Aeronautic Industry in English, is a Romanian aerospace manufacturer founded in 1925. Based in Ghimbav, near Braşov, Romania, the company employs around 1200 specialists including more than 170 engineers...

in Romania

Romania

Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...

in cooperation with Eurocopter. These aircraft, supplemented by a further ten ex-South African Air Force

South African Air Force

The 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...

reworked SA-330s, are expected to remain in service for at least 15 years. Although no replacement for the Puma fleet is required in the immediate future, the force will be supplemented by 26 Sikorsky

Sikorsky Aircraft

The Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation is an American aircraft manufacturer based in Stratford, Connecticut. Its parent company is United Technologies Corporation.-History:...

UH-60M Battlehawks, with 390 AGM-114N Hellfire II

AGM-114 Hellfire

The 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...

missiles. 30 AH-64A Apache

AH-64 Apache

The Boeing AH-64 Apache is a four-blade, twin-engine attack helicopter with a tailwheel-type landing gear arrangement, and a tandem cockpit for a two-man crew. The Apache was developed as Model 77 by Hughes Helicopters for the United States Army's Advanced Attack Helicopter program to replace the...

helicopters were modernized as well, to the AH-64D Longbow standard, and a dozen Eurocopter Fennec

Eurocopter Fennec

|-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:* * *...

s were recently acquired for special forces

Special forces

Special forces, or special operations forces are terms used to describe elite military tactical teams trained to perform high-risk dangerous missions that conventional units cannot perform...

use.

The most important facility of the UAEAF is the Al Dhafra Air Base

Al Dhafra Air Base

, with almost the entire fighter aircraft

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...

fleet located there. However, in order to prevent all of the air defence and strike assets being located at a single base, a $1 billion, completely new facility has been constructed deep in the Abu Dhabi desert.

Western Air Command - HQ at Abu Dhabi

Fighter Wing - Al Dhafra Air Base
- 1st Shaheen Squadron - F-16E/F Block 60 Desert Falcon
- 2nd Shaheen Squadron - F-16E/F Desert Falcon
- 3rd Shaheen Squadron - F-16E/F Desert Falcon
- 71st Fighter Squadron - Mirage 2000-9EAD/DAD
- 76th Fighter Squadron - Mirage 2000-9EAD/DAD
- 86th Fighter Squadron - Mirage 2000-9EAD/DAD (Al Safran Air Base)

Transport Wing - Al Bateen Air Base
- C-130 Squadron - C-130H Hercules
- CASA Squadron - CN-235M-110
  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...
- Puma Squadron - IAR-330SM Puma
  IAR 330
  |-See also:-External links:*...
- 6th Squadron - AB.412HP/SP, Bell-214B
  Bell 214
  |-See also:-External links:...
- Naval Squadron - AS.332B/M Super Puma
  Eurocopter Super Puma
  The Eurocopter AS332 Super Puma is a four-bladed, twin-engine, medium-size utility helicopter marketed for both civil and military use. Originally designed and built by Aérospatiale, it is an enlarged and re-engined version of the original Aérospatiale Puma...
  
  , AS.565SB Panther

Central Air Command - HQ at Dubai

Al Minhad Air Base
Al Minhad Air Base
Al Minhad Air Base is a military installation in the United Arab Emirates. The base is located approximately south of Dubai and is operated by the United Arab Emirates Air Force.-Facilities:The airport resides at an elevation of above mean sea level...

(helicopter base)
- 102nd CAS Squadron - BAE Hawk Mk.102
- Transport Squadron - C-130H-30, L-100-30 Hercules
Dubai International Airport
Dubai International Airport
Dubai International Airport is an international airport serving Dubai, the largest city of the United Arab Emirates. It is a major aviation hub in the Middle East, and is the main airport of Dubai. It is situated in the Al Garhoud district, southeast of Dubai...

(transport aircraft)

Special Operations Command - HQ at Abu Dhabi

Group 18 - Sas Al Nakheel Air Base
- Special Operations Squadron - CH-47C/D Chinook
  CH-47 Chinook
  The Boeing CH-47 Chinook is an American twin-engine, tandem rotor heavy-lift helicopter. Its top speed of 170 knots is faster than contemporary utility and attack helicopters of the 1960s...
  
  , AS.365N3 Dauphin II
  Eurocopter Dauphin
  The Eurocopter SA 365/AS365 Dauphin 2 is a medium-weight multipurpose twin-engine helicopter manufactured by Eurocopter .-Design and development:...
  
  , AS.550C3 Fennec
  Eurocopter Fennec
  |-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:* * *...
  
  , AgustaWestland AW139
  AgustaWestland AW139
  The AgustaWestland AW139 is a 15-seat medium sized twin-engined helicopter manufactured by AgustaWestland. Originally designed and developed jointly by Agusta and Bell Helicopters and marketed as the Agusta-Bell AB139, it was redesignated the AW139 when Bell withdrew from the project...
  
  , EC 155B1
  Eurocopter EC 155
  The Eurocopter EC155 is a long-range medium-lift passenger transport helicopter developed by Eurocopter from the Dauphin family for civil aviation use. It is a twin-engined aircraft and can carry up to 13 passengers along with 1 or 2 crew, depending on customer configuration...
  
  , AH-64A Apache
  AH-64 Apache
  The Boeing AH-64 Apache is a four-blade, twin-engine attack helicopter with a tailwheel-type landing gear arrangement, and a tandem cockpit for a two-man crew. The Apache was developed as Model 77 by Hughes Helicopters for the United States Army's Advanced Attack Helicopter program to replace the...
  
  , Cessna 208B Grand Caravan II

Army Command - HQ at Abu Dhabi

10th Army Aviation Brigade - Al Dhafra AB - AS.550C3 Fennec
Eurocopter Fennec
|-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:* * *...

and AH-64A Apache

Current inventory

! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Aircraft
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Origin
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Type
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Versions
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|In service
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Notes
|-----
! style="align: center; background: lavender;" colspan="7" | Fighters
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...

|-----
| Lockheed Martin F-16 block 60 Desert Falcon

F-16 Fighting Falcon variants

A large number of F-16 Fighting Falcon variants have been produced by General Dynamics, Lockheed Martin, and various licensed manufacturers. The details of the F-16 variants, along with major modification programs and derivative designs significantly influenced by the F-16, are described...

|
| Multirole fighter
| F-16E
F-16F
Total
| 54
25
79
| An E-model crashed in 2006. One was damaged in the Libyan Civil War in 2011.
|-
| Dassault Mirage 2000
|
| Multirole fighter
| 2000EAD
2000RAD
2000DAD
2000-9
2000-9D
Total
| 22
8
6
20
12
68
| 30 new ones were purchased in 1998; another 33 were modernised to an unknown standard by Dassault.
|-----
! style="align: center; background: lavender;" colspan="7" | Close air support
Close air support
In 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...

|-----
|Alenia Aermacchi M-346 Master
|

Italy

Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...

|Light Attack
|M-346
|0/20
| Order on hold due to disagreement over contract specifications.
|-----
! style="align: center; background: lavender;" colspan="7" | Transports
Military transport aircraft
Military transport aircraft are typically fixed and rotary wing cargo aircraft which are used to deliver troops, weapons and other military equipment by a variety of methods to any area of military operations around the surface of the planet, usually outside of the commercial flight routes in...

|-----
| Lockheed C-130 Hercules
|
| Transport
| C-130H
C-130H-30
| 6
|To be replaced by C-130J-30s.
|-
| 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...

Spain

Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...

Indonesia

Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...

| Transport
| CN-235
| 11
| 4 CN-235MPA models and are operated for the United Arab Emirates Navy

United Arab Emirates Navy

The United Arab Emirates Navy is small force of about 2,500 personnel. It maintains 12 well-equipped coastal patrol boats and eight missile boats....

.
|-
| Cessna 208 Grand Caravan

Cessna 208

The Cessna 208 Caravan is a single turboprop engine, fixed-gear short-haul regional airliner and utility aircraft built in the United States by Cessna. The airplane typically seats nine passengers, with a single person crew, although with a FAR Part 23 waiver, it can seat up to fourteen passengers...

|
| Utility
| 208B
| 7
|-
| Airbus A330 MRTT

Airbus A330 MRTT

The Airbus A330 Multi Role Tanker Transport is an aerial refuelling tanker aircraft based on the civilian Airbus A330-200. The A330 MRTT has been ordered by the Royal Australian Air Force , Royal Air Force , United Arab Emirates Air Force, and Royal Saudi Air Force...

IAR 330

|-See also:-External links:*...

SM PUMA / Aérospatiale SA-330 Puma

Aérospatiale Puma

The Aérospatiale SA 330 Puma is a four-bladed, twin-engined medium transport/utility helicopter. The Puma was originally manufactured by Sud Aviation of France.-Development:...

| /
| Transport helicopter
| IAR 330SM SA.330
| 35
|
|-
| Eurocopter AS 550 Fennec

Eurocopter Fennec

|-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:* * *...

|
| Observation helicopter
| AS 550C3
| 12
|
|-
| Eurocopter AS 332 Super Puma

Eurocopter Super Puma

The Eurocopter AS332 Super Puma is a four-bladed, twin-engine, medium-size utility helicopter marketed for both civil and military use. Originally designed and built by Aérospatiale, it is an enlarged and re-engined version of the original Aérospatiale Puma...

|
| Naval helicopter
| AS 332
| 2
|-
| Bell 214 Huey Plus

Bell 214

|-See also:-External links:...

Bell 412

The Bell 412 is a utility helicopter manufactured by Bell Helicopter. It is a development of the Bell 212 model, the major difference being the composite four-blade main rotor.-Design and development:...

Search and rescue

Search and rescue is the search for and provision of aid to people who are in distress or imminent danger.The general field of search and rescue includes many specialty sub-fields, mostly based upon terrain considerations...

.
|-
| Eurocopter AS 565 Panther
|
| Naval helicopter
| AS 565SB
| 16
|
|-
| Eurocopter AS 365 Dauphin

Eurocopter Dauphin

The Eurocopter SA 365/AS365 Dauphin 2 is a medium-weight multipurpose twin-engine helicopter manufactured by Eurocopter .-Design and development:...

|
| VIP helicopter
| AS 365N3
| 1
|
|-
|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/Attack Helicopter
|UH-60M
|
|26 ordered in 2007; 14 more ordered in 2008.
|-----
! style="align: center; background: lavender;" colspan="7" | Trainers
Trainer (aircraft)
A trainer is a class of aircraft designed specifically to facilitate in-flight training of pilots and aircrews. The use of a dedicated trainer aircraft with additional safety features—such as tandem flight controls, forgiving flight characteristics and a simplified cockpit arrangement—allows...

|-----
| Pilatus PC-7 Turbo Trainer

Pilatus PC-7

|
| Trainer
| PC-7
| 30
| To be replaced by the PC-21.
|-
| Pilatus PC-21

Pilatus PC-21

|-See also:-External links:*http://www.pilatus-aircraft.com*http://www.airforce-technology.com/projects/pc_21**...

|
| Trainer
| PC-21
|
|
|-
| Grob G 115

Grob G 115

BAE Hawk

United Kingdom

Aermacchi MB-339

The Aermacchi MB-339 is an Italian military trainer and light attack aircraft. It was developed as a replacement for the earlier MB-326.-Design and development:...

Italy

| Advanced trainer
| MB-339A
| 5
| To be withdrawn and replaced by the M-346. Used for the Al Fursan

Al Fursan

Al Fursan is the aerobatic demonstration team of United Arab Emirates Air Force. They were formed in 2010....

aerobatic demonstration team
|-
| Alenia Aermacchi M-346 Master
|

Italy

Italy

Viking Air

Viking Air Ltd. is a manufacturer of aircraft, as well as aircraft parts and systems, based in Victoria, British Columbia. The company produces new versions of the DHC-6 Twin Otter, upgraded versions of the DHC-2 Beaver, spare parts for older de Havilland Canada aircraft, and components for Bell...

Canada
|Maritime Patrol
|Guardian 400

De Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter

The DHC-6 Twin Otter is a Canadian 19-passenger STOL utility aircraft developed by de Havilland Canada and currently produced by Viking Air. The aircraft's fixed tricycle undercarriage, STOL abilities and high rate of climb have made it a successful cargo, regional passenger airliner and MEDEVAC...

|
|-
| Saab 340

Saab 340

The Saab 340 is a discontinued Swedish two-engine turboprop aircraft designed and initially produced by a partnership between Saab and Fairchild Aircraft in a 65:35 ratio...

Future equipment

The UAE has asked Eurofighter, Boeing and Dassault for proposals for a next generation fighter. The UAE has said that it requires a more advanced aircraft than the current Rafale in service with the Armée de l’Air

French Air Force

The French Air Force , literally Army of the Air) is the air force of the French Armed Forces. It was formed in 1909 as the Service Aéronautique, a service arm of the French Army, then was made an independent military arm in 1933...

, and may be unwilling to fund the development project to do this.

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