Malagasy Air Force

The Malagasy Air Force is the aerial warfare branch of the Madagascar People's Armed Forces.

Malagasy Air Force
Active1960- Present
CountryMadagascar
Part ofMilitary of Madagascar
Garrison/HQAntananarivo

History

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. In the wake of the establishment of a communist government, the Malagasy Air Force acquired MiG-17 fighters from North Korea in 1979. Several Alouette IIIs, Mil Mi-8s and Antonov An-26s were also received throughout the early 1980s. In 2009 the Malagasy Air Force acquired four ex-Belgian Alouette IIs. For over a decade the only aircraft operational were a pair of Alouette IIs, some MiG-17s and a CASA C-212. In 2020 the Malagasy Air Force acquired a CASA/IPTN CN-235 to help replace some of its ageing equipment.[1]

Organisation

The Malagasy Air Force operates out of bases at Antalah, Antsohihy, Arivoniamamo, Diego Suarez, Fianarantsoa, Fort Dauphin, Majunga, Nosy-Be, Tamatave, and Tulear. The Air Forces fighter squadron rely on a pair of decaying MiG-17s for air defence but these may not be airworthy because of lack of parts. The new CASA/IPTN CN-235 provides transport in accomplice the helicopter fleet. Basic training is provided by a small fleet of Cessna 206s from South Africa. A Boeing 737 provides VIP transport.

Fleet

Current Fleet
A MiG-17 parked at Ivato Airport
Aircraft Origin Type Variant In service Notes
Transport
CASA/IPTN CN-235 Spain/Indonesia Heavy Transport 1[2]
CASA C-212 Spain General Transport 1[2]
Boeing 737 United States VIP 1[2]
Trainer
Cessna 206 United States General Trainer 5[2] Delivered Via South Africa
Helicopters
Aérospatiale Alouette II France Multi-purpose helicopter 2[3]
Eurocopter AS350 Écureuil France Multi-purpose helicopter 3[3]
MBB/Kawasaki BK 117 Germany/Japan Multi-purpose helicopter 1[4]

Former Inventory

Mikoyan MiG-17 - 4 delivered in 1975 from North Korea.[5] Entered service in 1979.[1], Mikoyan MiG-21 - 2 MiG-21MF and 2 MiG-21UM delivered in 1996 from Russia,[5] replacing the MiG-17s in service.[1], Antonov-An-26, Max Holste MH-1521 Broussard, Douglas DC-3, Dassault MD-312, Aérospatiale Alouette III, Douglas C-53, Britten-Norman Defender, Cessna 337, Bell 47, Mil Mi-8, Yakovlev Yak-40

References
  1. "African Aerospace - Aircraft boost for Madagascar". www.africanaerospace.aero. Retrieved 2021-03-25.
  2. "Madagascar Air Force / Armée de l'Air Malgache". www.globalsecurity.org. Retrieved 2021-03-25.
  3. "World Air Forces 2022". Flightglobal. 2022. Retrieved 29 December 2021.
  4. Martin, Guy (September 2019). "Madagascar's military receives more aircraft". Air International. Vol. 97, no. 3. p. 9. ISSN 0306-5634.
  5. "Trade Registers". Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. Retrieved 2021-03-25.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
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