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Malagasy Air Force

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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

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

History

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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

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

Fleet

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Current fleet

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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

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Notes

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  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

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  • 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.