Algerian Air Force |
Algerian Air Force القوات الجوية الجزائرية Armée de l'air algérienne | |
---|---|
![]() Badge of the Algerian Air Force | |
Active | |
Country | ![]() |
Type | |
Role | |
Size | 14,000 personnel |
Insignia | |
Roundel | ![]() |
Aircraft flown | |
The Algerian Air Force (AAF) (
Algerian military aviation was created to support the fight of the People National Army against the French occupying forces. It came as part of the decisions of the Soummam congress held on August 20, 1956, which recommended a long-term plan to form a modern army.
A structure was created to train the future pilots. Many pilots were sent to friendly countries such as
During this period, the French colonial army started the lines of Challe and Morrice used to isolate the ALN fighters inside the country and to stop supplies coming from Tunisia and Morocco. Then came the idea to train transport and helicopter pilots to ensure supplying the national liberation army, and to prepare the first core of the military aviation.
Training was one of the major preoccupations of the ALN/FLN leaders. Military aviation had a core of pilots and ASDFDASF technicians after independence, who laid the foundations of the present Air Force. The air force branch was born and the first air force units were set up, i.e. a flight of helicopters that was acquired during the revolution, and a flight of combat aircraft.
The Algerians authorities sent trainees to friendly countries such Egypt, Syria, Iraq, China, and the USSR, while waiting for the creation of Algerian Air Force schools.
In 1966, the Air Base of Tafraoui in the 2nd Military Region was built as an air officers' school (EOA) where the first officer students were received to train as pilots and technicians in aeronautics.
During this first decade, immediately after independence, the Algerian Air Force acquired planes from the USSR, mainly
During the
In 1976, Algerian Air Force planes returned from Egypt to their home bases in Algeria. Shortly after dozens of
The High Command dissociated the Air Defense of the territory from the Department of the Air Force, which was built in 1986 as an air force command.
The organization has the following structure:
During this period few changes occurred in the combat aircraft inventory of the Algerian Air Force. Ten
The Air Force purchased a large number of
In 2008, the MiG-29 SMT contract was cancelled and the planes delivered were returned to Russia and exchanged for 16 Su-30MKA multirole fighters. While the current front-line fleet primarily consists of Russian-origin aircraft such as the