The Senegalese Air Force () is the air force branch of the Senegalese Armed Forces.
History It was formed on 1 April 1961 with Douglas C-47s, MH.1521 Broussards, plus Sud Alouette II and Agusta-Bell 47G helicopters. Close ties to France have been maintained with France through training and base facilities agreements.
The early 1970s saw further French deliveries, with the first jet aircraft entering service. The Fouga Magister jet trainer/ground attack aircraft as well as an SA 341H Gazelle and SA 330F Puma helicopters were delivered. During the 1981 Gambian coup d'état attempt one of the SA 330Fs was shot down attempting to recapture the Radio Syd transmitter outside Banjul, killing all 18 onboard.
Later expansion saw the delivery of six Fokker F27 transports to replace the C-47s from 1977, when also four SOCATA Rallye light planes were acquired. Four armed Rallye 235A Guerrier version followed in 1984.
Senegal ordered 4 Aero L-39NGs for both light attack / COIN and training duties in April 2018. By March 2022 it was reported that Senegal had cancelled the order.
Organization The Air Force's headquarters are currently located at Ouakam, near the capital of Dakar, on the opposite side of the Léopold Sédar Senghor International Airport. The air force has the role of defending Senegalese airspace, protecting airport areas, supporting other Senegalese forces, medevac and maritime patrol.
Funding remains a constant problem for the Senegalese Air Force and the increasing cost of aviation fuel restricts the number of available flying hours.Force Report: Senegalese Air Force, Air Forces Monthly magazine, November 2008 issue, pp. 48–50.
Air Force Chiefs of Staff General Pape Souleymane Sarr General Birame Diop General Ousmane Kane General Alain JC Pereira Captain Mamadou Mansour Seck Commander Amadou Lam Colonel Mamadou Diop Colonel Sidy Ndiaye Bouya Colonel Raoul Dacosta Colonel Amadou Fall Colonel Tamba Meissa Colonel Mouhamadou Diawara
Aircraft Current inventory
AircraftOriginTypeVariantIn serviceNotes Maritime patrol IPTN CN-235 Indonesia Maritime patrol 1 Transport IPTN CN-235 Indonesia Transport 2EADS CASA C-295SpainTransport1Beechcraft Super King AirUnited StatesTransportKing Air 2002 HelicoptersBell 206 United States Utility 1 Mil Mi-17 Russia Utility 4 Mil Mi-24 Russia AttackMi-35 5Aérospatiale Alouette III FranceLiaison / Utility1Bell 505United States / CanadaUtility3 Trainer aircraft Socata TB 30 FranceBasic trainer 6KAI KT-1 Woongbi South KoreaPrimary trainer4Hughes 269United StatesTrainer helicopter6
References