The Malagasy Air Force (French: Armée de l'air malgache) is the aerial warfare branch of the Madagascar People's Armed Forces.

Malagasy Air Force
Tafika Anabakabaka Malagasy
Armée de l'air malgache
Active1960–present
Country Madagascar
TypeAir force
Size14 aircraft
Part ofMadagascar People's Armed Forces
Garrison/HQAntananarivo

History

edit

The Malagasy Air Force was founded in 1960 with mainly former French aircraft such as Douglas DC-3s, Max Holste MH.1521 Broussards and Dassault MD 312s.[1] As of 1970, the air force had 400 personnel on strength, and operated 10 transport aircraft, 11 liaison aircraft, three trainer aircraft and 10 helicopters.[2] The Malagasy Air Force received four MiG-17F fighters from North Korea in 1979. The first Mil Mi-8s were delivered in 1976, and two Antonov An-26s followed in 1980.[3] Several Alouette IIIs were also received in the early 1980s.[1] At an unknown time in the 1980s, the Malagasy Air Force received 10 MiG-21bis fighters and two MiG-21UM trainers. MiG-21s are confirmed to have been operational between 1990 and 2001. They flew little, and all of them were eventually put into storage.[4]

In 2009 the Malagasy Air Force acquired four ex-Belgian Alouette IIs. For over a decade the only aircraft operational were Alouette IIs, CASA C-212s and some old light aircraft, as the last An-26 had been retired around 2009. In 2019 the Malagasy Air Force acquired a CASA/IPTN CN-235 to help replace some of its ageing equipment.[1]

Organisation

edit

The Malagasy Air Force operates out of bases at Antalah, Antsohihy, Arivoniamamo, Diego Suarez, Fianarantsoa, Fort Dauphin, Majunga, Nosy-Be, Tamatave, and Tulear.

Fleet

edit

Current fleet

edit
 
A MiG-17 parked at Ivato Airport
Aircraft Origin Type Variant In service Notes
Helicopters
Aérospatiale Alouette II France utility 2[5]
Eurocopter AS350 France utility 2[5]
Eurocopter EC130 France utility 1[5]

References

edit

Notes

edit
  1. ^ a b c "African Aerospace - Aircraft boost for Madagascar". www.africanaerospace.aero. Retrieved 2021-03-25.
  2. ^ Cooper et al. 2011, p. 33
  3. ^ Cooper et al. 2011, p. 34
  4. ^ Cooper et al. 2011, p. 36
  5. ^ a b c Hoyle, Craig (2023). "World Air Forces 2024". FlightGlobal. Retrieved 27 December 2023.

Bibliography

edit
  • Cooper, Tom; Weinert, Peter; Hinz, Fabian; Lepko, Mark (2011). African MiGs, Volume 2: Madagascar to Zimbabwe. Houston: Harpia Publishing. ISBN 978-0-9825539-8-5.