Namibia Air Force
The policy, mission statements and concept of operations envisage the development of an Air Force to operate in support of the Army and the Navy. Five separate roles for Air Force are; surveillance, transport of personnel and transport of supplies/equipment; support to the civil authorities or civil community, and training.
The policy for the Air Force is to acquire dedicated air assets to undertake the surveillance and transport tasks. The MOD and NDF will train and employ their own pilots and technicians. Co-operation and co-ordination with other Ministries may extend to making such assets available for non-defence tasking. In addition, consideration will be given to arrangements whereby private and other national air assets could be employed where appropriate or necessary.
An important milestone has been reached in the process of transforming the air component of the NDF. This milestone is the commissioning of the Air Wing into the Air Force. This transformation has not only elevated the Air Force�s status, but has also expanded its role.
The primary mission of the Air Force is to protect Namibia�s airspace; ensure its inviolability by hostile aircraft as well as protect the country�s cultural and national economic assets and installations. The Air Force shall be developed with this primary mission in mind. It should therefore train and be equipped with air assets that will give it unbridled leverage in air superiority. The Air Force shall be developed to the level where it has the air capability to be employed singly or jointly with other arms of services of the NDF during national or internal operational commitments, or in support of regional commitments.
Contemporary air power has a decisive factor in shaping the battlefield and the outcome of combat engagements. It is therefore a critical element in bringing about victory, especially when there is land, naval and air synergy.
Some of the envisaged tasks of the Air Force are: surveillance coverage of the Namibian airspace; transport of personnel; supplies and equipment to various theatres of operations; close air support; casualty evacuation; strategic air bombardments and deep operations. Its peacetime role includes, among others, search and rescue operations; support to civil power and communities in terms of providing air assets and personnel in times of emergencies.
Exercise Blue Okavango which was held in Maun, Botswana by the SADC Air Forces from 12 - 25 July 2015 was concluded on 26 July 2015. The Namibian Air Force was represented by a contingent composed of 0l Z-9, Y-l2 with crews and support personnel. The exercise was conducted as planned and was highly successful.
As the Constituonal Secondary role of the Namibian Defence Force, to assist vicil power and local authorities as well as other nations in need, the Namibia Defence Force have positively assisted Zimbabwe. The Zimbabwean government requested aid from the Namibian Defence Force to evacuate victims of the affected communities of the Tokwe-Mukori Basin of Sasvingo Province.
The Namibian Air Force dispatched three Air Force heoicopters on 11 February 2014 to the Republic of Zimbabwe. The Ai Frce flew to the area and evacuated 600 residents to dry lands. During the operation, the Namibian Air Force crew airlifted 56 tons of goods and belongings. The operation was successfully conducted over nine days with few hindrances.
On 09 February, 2011 Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) handed over a Cheetah Helicopter to the Namibian Air Force at a function held at the Aero India show. As per the contract, HAL also supplied two Chetak helicopters to Namibia by June 2014. The handing over and commissioning ceremony of three Chetak and Cheetah helicopters manufactured and supplied by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), an Indian company with impressive record of accomplishment since its formation in 1964. This occasion is a manifestation of the existing excellent relationship and cooperation between the peoples of the Republic of India and the Republic of Namibia in general as well as the cooperation between HAL and the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Namibia in particular. These are acts of fulfilment for the Ministry of Defence of its responsibility to equip the Namibian Air Force in particular and the Namibian Defence Force in general with adequate capability for national defence and emergency relief roles.
Remarks By Hon. Maj Gen (Rtd) Charles Dnp Namoloh, Mp, Minister Of Defence Of The Republic Of Namibia, at the Handing Over And Commissioning Ceremony of two H425 Z9 helicopters held at Air Force Headquarters, Grootfontein, on 20 April 2012: "It is my great pleasure and honour to officiate at this handing over and commissioning ceremony of the two H425 Z9 helicopters manufactured by Hafei and supplied by Poly Technologies. This occasion symbolises once more the existing excellent relationship and cooperation between the peoples of the People�s Republic of China and the Republic of Namibia in general as well as the cooperation between Poly Technologies and Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Namibia in particular. The importance of this ceremony centres in the fact that representatives of both Poly Technologies and Hafei made sure that they would be present to witness this important occasion. This once more demonstrates that Namibia and China are determined to promote their mutual interests despite the distance that separates the two countries. This is indeed reassuring and I believe this kind of relationship will continue in the future for the benefit of the peoples of our two countries."
Air Force | ||||||||||||||
| 90 | 95 | 00 | 05 | 10 | 15 | 16 | 20 | 25 | 30 | |||||
| Personnel | ,000 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | |||
| Active | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | |||||
| Reserve | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | |||||
| Aircraft | Source | Inventory | ||||||||||||
| Combat | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| F-7NM/FT-7NM | PRC | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 12 | -- | -- | -- | -- | |||
| Trainer | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | ||||
| K-8 | PRC | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 12 | -- | -- | -- | -- | |||
| Transport | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | ||||
| An-26 | RU | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 1 | -- | -- | -- | -- | |||
| Y-8 | PRC | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 4 | -- | -- | -- | -- | |||
| Y-12 | PRC | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 2 | -- | -- | -- | -- | |||
| Cessna OA-25 | USA | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 5 | -- | -- | -- | -- | |||
| Cessna Caravan II | USA | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 1 | -- | -- | -- | -- | |||
| Government Air Transport Services | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | ||||
| Falcon 7X | FR | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 1 | -- | -- | -- | -- | |||
| Learjet 31A | USA | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 1 | -- | -- | -- | -- | |||
| AB-319 | Name | Country | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 2 | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| Combat helicopter | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | ||||
| Mi-24 | Hind | RU | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 2 | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| Helicopter | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | .. | ||||
| Mi-17 | Hip | RU | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 2 | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| SA 315 | Cheetah | IN | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 1 | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| SA 316 | Chetak | IN | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 2 | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| Z-9 | Name | PRC | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 2 | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| AW 139 | EU | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 1 | -- | -- | -- | -- | |||
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