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Malian Air Force

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Malian Air Force
Armée de l'air du Mali
Malian Armed Forces emblem
Founded1961; 63 years ago (1961)
Country Mali
TypeAir force
RoleAerial warfare
Part ofMalian Armed Forces
Engagements
Commanders
Chief of Air StaffGeneral Souleymane Doucouré
Insignia
Roundel
Aircraft flown
FighterMiG-21, Embraer EMB 314 Super Tucano
HelicopterHarbin Z-9
TransportHarbin Y-12, An-26

The Mali Air Force is the air force of Mali.

History

The Mali Air Force (French: Armée de l'air du Mali) was founded in 1961 with French-supplied military aid. This included MH.1521 Broussard utility monoplane followed by two C-47 transports until replaced by Soviet aid starting in 1962 with four Antonov AN-2 Colt biplane transports and four Mi-4 light helicopters.[1]

In the mid-1960s the Soviets delivered five MiG-17F fighters and a single MiG-15UTI fighter trainer to equip a squadron based at Bamako–Sénou initially with Soviet pilots. Two Ilyushin Il-14 transports and a Mil Mi-8 helicopter were delivered in 1971 followed by two Antonov An-24 transports.

In 1974, 12 MiG-21Bis were obtained from the Soviet Union, with a pair of two-seat MiG-21UMs to follow a couple of years later. These initial Fishbeds served alongside the four remaining MiG-17Fs and saw combat on two occasions during the Agacher Strip War in 1974 against Upper Volta, and again in 1985 with the same country, now renamed Burkina Faso. In 2005, another three MiG-21MFs were delivered from the Czech Republic, reinforcing the surviving jets. By 2010, the Fishbeds were only flown on ceremonial occasions. By January 2012, only one MiG-21MF and one MiG-21UM remained operational until they were grounded for lack of spare parts, ammunition, and pilots a few months later. In January 2013, the Nigerian Air Force sent a technical team to Bamako–Sénou International, with the aim of refurbishing the MiG-21s, but the project was abandoned. Other jets withdrawn from service were six L-29 Delfins, which were used for training.[2]

In June 2015 the Malian government ordered Super Tucano light attack aircraft from the Brazilian company Embraer.[3] Four were paid for and were delivered in 2018.[4] One of these crashed in Sévaré two years later, killing both pilots.[5]

In December 2020, the Malian government ordered 4 Mi-171 helicopters. They were delivered by Russia on 30 September 2021.[6]

Air Force

Current inventory

Aircraft
Unmanned Aerial Combat Vehicles (UCAVs) (3)
Bayraktar TB2 Turkey 3+[7]
Attack Aircraft And Armed Jet Trainers (19)
Su-25 Soviet Union 5[8]
L-39C  Czech Republic 11[9]
A-29B Super Tucanos  Brazil 3[10]
Attack And Armed Transport Helicopters (16)
Mi-35M  Russia 4[11] (Equipped with a FLIR turret).[11]
Mi-24D  Soviet Union 3[11]
Mi-24P  Soviet Union 4[12] (One damaged during an attack on Mopti airbase in April 2022)[12] (Likely operated by Wagner PMC).[11]
Mi-171Sh  Russia 4[11][13]
Mi-8MT  Soviet Union 4[11]
Transport And Utility Helicopters (5)
Mi-8T  Soviet Union 3[8]
H215 Super Pumas  France 2[14] Formerly from Bristow Helicopters.[2]
Trainer/Utility Aircraft (8)
Humbert Tétras 912  France 3[14]
Humbert Tétras 912CSLM  France 5[14]
Transport And Utility Aircraft (6)
C-295W  Spain 2[14]
Basler BT-67A  United States 1[15]
Cessna 208 Caravan  United States 1[15] (Equipped with a FLIR turret).[16]
Y-12E  China 2[14]
VIP Aircraft (1)
Boeing 737-7BC BBJ  United States 1[15]
Reconnaissance UAVs (Limited quantities)
Hawker Q800X  France n/a
Orlan-10  Russia
Radars (1)
P-18 ''Spoon Rest D''  Soviet Union [13]

Retired inventory: Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15, Aero L-29, Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17, Ilyushin Il-14, Antonov An-2 Colt, An-24, Mil Mi-4, MIG 21

References

  1. ^ World Aircraft Information Files. Brightstar Publishing, London. Files 337, Sheet 04.
  2. ^ a b Sands, Glenn (February 2018). "Mali's Air Force". Air Forces Monthly (359): 84–86.
  3. ^ Hoyle, Craig (June 15, 2015). "T"PARIS: Mali to boost defences with Super Tucano"". Flightglobal. Archived from the original on June 21, 2015. Retrieved June 20, 2015.
  4. ^ Secretdefense.org, "Mali : les nouveaux avions de chasse d’IBK seraient inutilisables (Exclusif)", https://www.secret-defense.org/16/07/2018/ibk-mali-avions-scandale//
  5. ^ Aviation Safety Network, April 7, 2020, https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/234839
  6. ^ "Mali receives 4 helicopters, weapons from Russia: Defense Minister". Devdiscourse. ANI — Sputnik. 1 October 2021.
  7. ^ "New ISR Cessna 208 Caravan for Mali". www.keymilitary.com. Retrieved 2023-01-20.
  8. ^ a b Martin, Guy (2018-07-12). "Mali receives Super Tucanos". defenceWeb. Retrieved 2023-01-20.
  9. ^ Martin, Guy (2021-12-06). "Mali officially takes delivery of Mi-171 helicopters". defenceWeb. Retrieved 2023-01-20.
  10. ^ "Log into Facebook". Facebook. Retrieved 2022-10-01. {{cite web}}: Cite uses generic title (help)
  11. ^ a b c d e f Martin, Guy (2021-12-06). "Mali officially takes delivery of Mi-171 helicopters". defenceWeb. Retrieved 2022-10-01.
  12. ^ a b Martin, Guy (2018-07-12). "Mali receives Super Tucanos". defenceWeb. Retrieved 2022-10-01.
  13. ^ a b "Townsend: Russia Added to Instability in Africa With New Air Defenses in Mali". Air & Space Forces Magazine. 2022-07-26. Retrieved 2022-10-01.
  14. ^ a b c d e "French accuse Russian mercenaries of staging burials in Mali". AP NEWS. 2022-04-22. Retrieved 2022-10-01.
  15. ^ a b c Peltier, Elian; Camara, Mady; Triebert, Christiaan (2022-05-31). "'The Killings Didn't Stop.' In Mali, a Massacre With a Russian Footprint". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-10-01.
  16. ^ "New ISR Cessna 208 Caravan for Mali". www.keymilitary.com. Retrieved 2022-10-01.
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