NEWS
28 // JUNE 2018 #363 http://www.airforcesmonthly.com
Africa
Nigeria trains
Liberian pilots
TWO ARMED Forces of
Liberia (AFL) pilots have
completed training with
the Nigerian Air Force
(NAF) and received their
wings on April 16. They
undertook ab initio flying
training with the NAF’s
401 Flying Training
School in Kaduna before
advanced pilot training at
the International Aviation
College in Ilorin, with
which the NAF has a
partnership agreement.
Flight Lieutenants
Jerreck Jeff Dwanah
and Varney Adolphus
Sieleaf are the first two
post-war certified AFL
pilots. Liberia’s air force
ceased to exist as such
many years ago and was
formally dissolved in- However, Liberia
has been rebuilding its
armed forces for some
years and on their return
to Liberia, the two officers
will help establish the
new Liberia Air Wing.
The New National
Defence Act, published
in 2008, gave details
of the expected roles
of the Liberia Air Wing,
when activated. It will
undertake search and
rescue missions, provide
limited air transport
for the movement of
troops and materiel,
carry out medical
evacuation, undertake
limited marine patrol over
the Liberian exclusive
economic zone, support
government ministries
and agencies in times of
emergency, as well as
assist in evacuation and
logistics movement.
It is not yet clear when
the new air wing is
to be formed or what
type of aircraft Liberia
plans to purchase
but to date there has
been no known aircraft
acquisition. Dave Allport
Somalia
plans to
resurrect
air force
SOMALIA HAS committed
to rebuilding its air force,
which has effectively
been non-existent since
armed opposition groups
overthrew the government
in 1991. Since then, what
was left of the air arm
has remained derelict
at Mogadishu Airport.
Somali National Air Force
(SNAF) commander
General Mohamud Sheikh
Ali is spearheading the
drive to train pilots and
purchase new aircraft.
Primarily, the SNAF
will be tasked with
supporting ground
forces fighting against
Al-Shabaab militants,
along with search and
rescue duties, and
providing transportation.
Currently, contracted
Russian and Ukrainian
Mi-8s are in use, but
costs can be considerably
reduced if Somalia
purchases its own light-
and medium-transport
aircraft and helicopters.
Presidential approval
is expected shortly, and
the air arm is hoping to
purchase its first aircraft,
second-hand, later this
year. Types identified by
Somalia as suitable for
its requirements include
the Islander, DHC-6 Twin
Otter, BAe 146, C212,
CN235 and Skyvan.
Later, it is considering
buying Mi-17s for tactical
airlift, casualty evacuation
and surveillance. Further
in the future, a close air
support aircraft such
as the Super Tucano or
IOMAX Archangel may
be considered. These
plans inevitably depend
on whether funds are
available to implement
them. Dave AllportKENYA AIR Force
Fokker 70 KAF308 was
captured departing
RAF Northolt, west
London, on April 22. The
aircraft had transported
Kenyan President Uhuru
Kenyatta to the UK for
an extended visit during
which he attended the
Commonwealth Heads
of Government Meeting
(CHOGM). The aircraft
previously visited Northolt
in May last year, its first
visit to the UK since 2000.Kenyan Fokker 70 returns to UK
Moroccan ‘Viper’ at African Lion 2018
USAF/Senior Airman Malcolm
Mayfield
ROYAL MOROCCAN
Air Force (RMAF, Al
Quwwat al Jawyiya al
Malakiya Marakishiya)
F-16C Block 52 serial
0 8 - 8 011 was among theaircraft involved in the
US-led African Lion 2018,
described as a multilateral
and stability operations
training exercise.
The Fighting Falcon,carrying an AIM-9X on
the port wing tip station,
refuelled from a KC -135
from the US Air Force’s
191st Air Refueling
Squadron, on April 20.Ian HardingSenegal to buy four L-39NGs
PRESIDENT OF the
Republic of Senegal Macky
Sall has announced the
purchase of four new-
build L-39NGs from Aero
Vodochody. The plan
was made public during
celebrations for Senegal
Independence Day on April
4, which saw participation
by two L-39s from Latvia’s
Baltic Bees display team.
The new aircraft willbe delivered in a light
attack configuration but
will retain full training
capability. The contract
will also provide training,
including pilot conversion,
instructor and combat
training, maintenance
personnel training, plus
spare parts, ground
support equipment and
logistic support services.
Aero launched productionof pre-series L-39NGs
in January. Currently,
four aircraft are being
manufactured. The first and
the fourth will be used for
flight tests, the second for
static tests and the third for
fatigue tests. The maiden
flight of the new pre-
series L-39NG is planned
before the end of the year.
Deliveries are expected
to start in early 2020.Ivory Coast and Senegal plan to buy
CN235s and NC212s
PT DIRGANTARA Indonesia
(PTDI) is to supply three
new aircraft to Senegal and
one to the Ivory Coast. The
manufacturer announced
on April 10 that it had
signed an agreement worth
$75m for all four aircraft.
The Senegalese Air Force
will receive two NC212-
200 Maritime Surveillance
Aircraft and one CN235-220
Maritime Patrol Aircraft, while
the Ivory Coast Air Forceis to acquire one CN235-- The final contract is
due to be signed in July
or August. Deliveries are
scheduled to take place 18
months after the contract
has been concluded.
Previously, PTDI sold two
second-hand CN235-220
transports to the Senegalese
Air Force. These were
delivered in 2010 and 2011,
although one was almost
immediately sold on to
Guinea. A third CN235-
220, in MPA configuration,
was ordered for Senegal
on November 6, 2014. It
left Bandung on delivery
to Senegal on December
2 7, 2016, arriving at Dakar
on January 9 last year.
Additionally, on August 8
a contract was signed to
buy another CN235-220
MPA from PTDI for Senegal.
This has not yet been
delivered. Dave Allport