Djibouti Air Force

The Djiboutian Air Force (DAF) (French: Forces Aériennes Djiboutiennes (FADD)), (Somali: Ciidanka Cirka Jabuuti) is the Air Force of Djibouti. It was established as part of the Djibouti Armed Forces after the country obtained its independence on June 27, 1977. Its peacetime tasks are airspace surveillance, identification flights, and providing support to ground forces, as well as assisting civil operations during national emergencies. The first aircraft included three Nord N.2501 Noratlas transport aircraft, as well as a French Aérospatiale Alouette II helicopter.

Djiboutian Air Force
  • Forces Aériennes Djiboutiennes
  • Ciidanka Cirka Jabuuti
Emblem of the Djiboutian Armed Force
Founded1977 (1977)
Country Djibouti
TypeAir force
Part ofDjibouti Armed Forces
HeadquartersAmbouli International
Engagements
Insignia
Roundel
Fin flash
Aircraft flown
HelicopterMil Mi-8, AS355, AS365, Harbin Z-9, Mil Mi-24
TransportXian MA60, C-23 Sherpa, Cessna 208

The DAF is mandated with protecting Djibouti's airspace, and in assisting ground forces.

History
A Djiboutian Mi-35 on the taxi way

In 1982, the Djibouti Air Force was augmented by two Eurocopter AS355 Écureuil 2 helicopters and a Cessna 206 followed in 1985 by a Cessna 402C Utiliner. In 1985 the Aérospatiale Alouette III was withdrawn from use and put on display at Ambouli Air Base as Djibouti's airport is called. Two years later, the three Nord Noratlas were also put aside and given back to France later.

New equipment came in 1991 by means of a Cessna 208 Caravan followed by all the Russian types in the early nineties. They included four Mi 2, six Mi 8 and two Mi 17 helicopters and a single Antonov An-28 light transport aircraft.

Pilot training, if necessary, is conducted in France and continued on the type of flying at home, although demand for new pilots is low with only approximately 310 men in the Djiboutian Air Force.

As of 2018, the Air Force had a strength of 360 personnel, and operated a small number of transport aircraft and helicopters.[1]

Aircraft
Aircraft Origin Type Variant In service Notes
Transport
Xian MA60 China transport MA60H-500 2[2]
Cessna 208 United States utility transport 1[2]
Short C-23 Sherpa United Kingdom transport 2 former US Army aircraft[3]
Helicopters
Mil Mi-8 Russia utility / transport 2[2]
Mil Mi-24 Russia attack Mi-35 2[2]
Harbin Z-9 China utility 1[2]
Eurocopter AS355 France utility 1[2]
Eurocopter AS365 France utility 4[2]
UAVs
Bayraktar TB2[4][5] Turkey UCAV

References
Citations
  1. IISS (2016), p. 432
  2. "World Air Forces 2023". Flightglobal Insight. 2023. Retrieved 3 December 2022.
  3. "Djibouti to receive ex-US C-23 cargo aircraft". 7 January 2015.
  4. "Djibouti parades Bayraktar UCAVs". Archived from the original on 2022-09-03.
  5. "Djibouti operating Bayraktar UAVs". July 2022.
Works consulted
  • International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) (2012). "The Military Balance 2012". The Military Balance: Annual Estimates of the Nature and Size of the Military Forces of the Principal Powers. London: IISS. ISSN 0459-7222.
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