The Ethiopian Air Force (ETAF) () is the air service branch of the Ethiopian National Defence Force. The ETAF is tasked with protecting the national air space, providing support to ground forces, as well as assisting civil operations during war.
History Early years (1929–1935)
The origins of the Ethiopian Air Force has been traced to (then Ras) Haile Selassie witnessing a show of the British Royal Air Force in November 1922, in Aden. Having never seen an airplane before, he was captivated by this demonstration of their power and abilities, and spontaneously asked if he could go up in one of the biplanes, proclaiming that it was "very fitting that he, as regent of Abyssinia should be the first Abyssinian to take flight in an aeroplane." As a result of this experience, he advocated the development of the Imperial Ethiopian Air Force.Harold Marcus, Haile Sellassie I: The Formative Years (Lawrenceville: Red Sea Press, 1996), p. 50 This small air arm began with the delivery of a Potez 25-A2 to the capital Addis Ababa on 18 August 1929. A Junkers W 33c followed on 5 September. The Ethiopian Air Force was organized by Mishka Babitchef, the first Ethiopian pilot, who was of Russian descent.
On 31 March 1930, three of the biplanes from Ethiopia's air arm played a dramatic role in a battle between Haile Selassie (not yet crowned Emperor) and conservative forces seeking to oust him. During the Battle of Anchem, biplanes were effectively used to give Haile Selassie's forces the upper hand.
A few transport aircraft were also acquired during 1934–35 for ambulance work. The air force was commanded by Colonel John Robinson (African-American, took command May 1935), recruited by Haile Selassie, and who remained until the Italian occupation of Ethiopia when the small air arm ceased to exist.(Insignia Magazine Issue 7, 1998)
2 Beechcraft Staggerwing 1 Breda Ba.15 1 de Havilland DH.60 Moth 1 de Havilland Dragon (Red Cross) 1 Farman 192 c/n? 1 Farman F.190 converted to F192 by engine change, c/n? 1 Fiat AS-1, lost in accident 1930 2 Fokker F.VIIa (Named "Abba Dagnew" and "Abba Kagnew". The latter was used as ambulance) 1 Fokker F.VIIb/3m (used as Hailé Sélassié's personal transport, and for missions by the Red Cross) 1 Heinkel HD.21 (Red Cross) 1 Junkers W33c (acquired in 1929). 6 Potez 25A-2 1 Meindl van Nes A.VII Ethiopia 1. 1 Breda Ba.25. 1 Breda Ba.28. 2 Breguet XIX.
Notable pilots of the Imperial Ethiopian Air Force (1929–1936)
André Maillet (French) Gaston Vedel Baron von Engel (German) Comte Schatzberg Hubert Julian (Trinidadian) Mishka Babitcheff (Russian/Ethiopian) Bahru Kaba (Ethiopian) Asfaw Ali (Ethiopian) Tesfaye (Ethiopian) John Robinson (African-American, took command in May 1935) Thierry Maignal Ludwig Weber, personal pilot of Haile Selassie and creator of Ethiopia 1 Count Carl Gustaf von Rosen (with the Red Cross, he flew the Heinkel HD.21)
Post-World War II After the liberation of Ethiopia, the country started reorganizing the embryonic air force that had existed prior to the Italian invasion, commanded by Colonel John Robinson (African-American). In 1944, a group of World War II African-American veterans set up a flying school at Lideta airport in Addis Ababa. The nation acquired a few aircraft through military aid from the United States and United Kingdom; and the school had some 75 students by 1946.Leif Hellstrom, "Imperial Fireflies", The Historic Aviation Journal, No. 122 (March/April 2006), p. 2 As neither the United States nor the United Kingdom was interested in providing assistance, Ethiopia turned to Sweden to help create a modern air arm (see Ethiopia–Sweden relations). The Swedes agreed to provide assistance and Carl Gustaf von Rosen was appointed as the chief instructor of the newly re-formed Imperial Ethiopian Air Force (IEAF).
The Swedish contingent played a critical role in setting up a solid foundation. It sent Safir trainers and B-17A light bombers from Sweden, and the Ethiopian government acquired C-47 Skytrain transport aircraft from the United States to equip the flight training, bomber, and transport squadrons, respectively. In 1951, the IEAF formed its first fighter/attack squadron by acquiring Fairey Firefly fighters from the United Kingdom.Hellstrom, "Imperial Fireflies", pp. 4f
US assistance and transition to the jet age In 1953, a military agreement was entered between the United States and Ethiopia for a military assistance program (see Ethiopia–United States relations). It aimed to provide Ethiopia with a capable military force for defensive purposes. The Department of Defense sent a team to undertake a comprehensive study of Ethiopian capabilities, requirements, and probable threats facing Ethiopia.
The Ethiopian Air Force benefited immensely from the program. The US Air Force sent a team of officers and NCOs led by a colonel to assess the force and provide recommendations as part of the Military Assistance Advisory Group studying Ethiopian Armed Forces comprehensively. The IEAF was to be reorganized and adopt US-style operating procedures. Emphasis was given to building up training institutions. Numerous Ethiopian personnel was sent to the US for training, including 25 Ethiopian pilots for jet training, and many more were trained locally by US Defense personnel.Mekonnen Beri, Aviation in Ethiopia (Addis Ababa: Nigid Printing Press, 2002), p. 100 In 1957, the first three of several Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star jet trainers were supplied followed by North American F-86 Sabre fighters in 1960. In 1961, T-28 Trojans were acquired for advanced training.Hellstrom, "Imperial Fireflies", p. 9 This influx of equipment and training made the IEAF, in the opinion of historian Bahru Zewde, "the most prestigious show-piece of American aid in Ethiopia. It was also reputedly the most modern and efficient unit of the armed forces."Bahru Zewde, A History of Modern Ethiopia, second edition (London: James Currey, 2001), pp. 186
In 1964, the Somalis began receiving large quantities of weaponry, ground equipment, and MiG-17 fighters from the Soviet Union (see Ethiopia–Russia relations). In response, the US started delivering the supersonic F-5A jet fighters in 1965 to counter this new threat. However, it was careful not to escalate the situation further. The US delivered the F-5As without providing major weapon systems for the aircraft, the ability to use air-to-air missiles. Nevertheless, the delivery of F-5As had serious implications in the Horn of Africa because no neighboring country had anything similar to this new jet fighter. The Somalis were furious and described the F-5A transfer as a grave threat to the security of the Somali people and the rest of the Horn. In 1976, the US agreed to supply more advanced F-5Es along with AIM-9B Sidewinder missiles after the Soviets delivered Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 fighters to Somalia. The F-5E aircraft destined for Ethiopia was never delivered and was stored at Williams AFB, Arizona during the Ogaden War 1977–1978.
Although the United States trained the air force during Emperor Haile Selassie's reign and supplied new F-5 jets in April 1966, the Ethiopians restructured their air force that same year based on an Israeli Defense Force military program provided by Tel Aviv.
In 1977, Nos 1 and 2 Squadrons of the Ethiopian Air Force converted from the F-86 to the MiG-21, and No. 33 Operational Conversion Unit from the T-33A to the MiG-21UM and MiG-21MF; a year later, No. 3 Squadron converted from the F-86 to the Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23BN "Flogger." In 1980, No. 5 Squadron converted from F-86s to the MiG-21bis. Years later, all four squadrons, and 33 OCU, were reported to be based at Debre Zeit.
Ethiopian-Somali War
After its independence in 1960, Somalia started making claims to all of its precolonial territories that were occupied by France, British and disputed lands with Ethiopia. However, the majority of the land claimed was in Ethiopia which made it Somalia's main target. After failing to get support within the Organization of African Unity, Somalia declared war on Ethiopia in 1964."Africa: Why Ethiopia is on war footing" (BBC) The Somali forces launched their attack at Togochale, a border town east of Jijiga, but the Derg at the time had killed most of the nation's most-able generals and its army was hampered down with civil wars across Ethiopia and the province of Eritrea, and therefore was no match to the air forces of Somalia well-equipped by the Soviet Union.
The brief conflict provided the IEAF with valuable experience. Lessons learned included the need for heavy bombers, an air defense complex, a secure and reliable communication system, and better coordination with ground forces. As a result, Canberra bombers and air defense radars were acquired from Great Britain and the US respectively.Mekonnen Beri, Aviation in Ethiopia, pp. 136–137 In 1974, popular unrest against Emperor Haile Selassie led to a military coup. The military then formed a committee from within, known as the Derg, dominated by junior officers and NCOs. Shortly after, it executed 60 top civilian and distinguished military officials and imprisoned many others.Bahru Zewde, A History, pp. 237f In addition, the Derg forced out many career military officers it was suspicious of and killed others. The army was in shambles and the country was engulfed in political turmoil. It was during this moment the Somalis believed it was their best chance to launch the a massive invasion in 1977.
Already alarmed at the increasing noise the Somalis were making, the Derg government had managed to convince the Ford administration to provide Ethiopia with F-5Es in 1975. The first batch of six pilots were sent to Williams Air Force Base in Arizona for conversion and tactical fighter training in August 1976. However, further training of pilots and delivery of aircraft was stopped after President Carter cut off all arms supplies in protest of the Derg's human rights violations.
Using the eight F-5Es as interceptors, F-5As for close air support, and Canberra for heavy bombing, the ETAF overwhelmed the Somali Air Force. Throughout the war, it also conducted strikes against several targets deep inside Somalia, including the repeated bombings of the Somali Air Force's northern main operating base at Hargeisa and long range attack on the Berbera.
The ETAF lost three F-5Es to ground fire and one C-47 transport plane to a MIG-17 while one Canberra was flown by a defecting pilot to Somalia. Another Canberra was lost due to a mechanical problem deep inside Ethiopia after it suffered hits from a ground attack. Two F-5E pilots as well as the C-47 crew were captured by the Somalis while one F-5E pilot was rescued by helicopter. One of the F-5E pilots captured was Legesse Tefera (died 5 October 2016), credited with six (or 7) Somali MiG kills, making him the most successful F-5 pilot ever. His F-5E was shot down while overflying an area thought to be in control by Ethiopian forces. He was captured by the local Somali population and was turned over to then Somali army commander of the region, Colonel Abdullahi Yusuf, and held prisoner for over 10 years."Interview with Legesse Teferra". 1988 Colonel Abdullahi Yusuf later became President of Somalia. The other captured F-5E pilot, Afework Kidanu, died while in captivity in Somalia.
Shift to the Eastern bloc