Guinea-Bissau Air Force | |
---|---|
Força Aérea da Guiné-Bissau | |
Founded | 1974 |
Country | Guinea-Bissau |
Type | Air force |
Role | Aerial warfare |
Part of | Revolutionary Armed Forces of the People |
Headquarters | Bissau |
Insignia | |
Roundel | |
Aircraft flown | |
Transport | Cessna 208 [1] |
The Guinea-Bissau Air Force ( Portuguese: Força Aérea da Guiné-Bissau) is the air force arm of the military of Guinea-Bissau.
On leaving Bissalanca by 1973–74, the Portuguese Air Force left three North American T-6Gs, [2] nine C-47 Skytrains, two Dornier Do 27s, and two Aérospatiale Alouette IIIs. [3] After achieving independence from Portugal, the air force was formed by officers returning from training in Cuba and the USSR. The FAGB was re-equipped with eight or ten MiG-17Fs and two MiG-15UTIs supplied by East Germany and the Soviet Union. [3]
In 1978 France provided more aircraft aid in the form of a Reims-Cessna FTB.337 for coastal patrol and a surplus Alouette II. [3] A Dassault Falcon 20F was donated by the Angolan government but was soon sold to the USA.[ citation needed] In 1978, the Soviet Union provided a Mil Mi-8T helicopter as aid. In 1986, the Soviets delivered seven MiG-21bis fighters and MiG-21UM trainer aircraft. [3]
The force's title was changed to Força Aérea da Guiné-Bissau (FAGB) after the outbreak of the civil war in 1998. [2] Cooper and Weinert state 'when sighted for the last time in...1991, most of the [MiG] fleet was in 'storage' inside several hangars on the military side of Bissalanca IAP ( Osvaldo Vieira International Airport), and in a deteriorating condition.' [4]
By 2011, Guinea-Bissau had two 'probably' non-operational MiG-17s and a MiG-15UTI, while its MiG-21s and fixed-wing transport aircraft were withdrawn from service, leaving only an Aérospatiale Alouette II and a couple of Alouette IIIs for liaison. [5] [6] [7]
The Air Force has only a Cessna 208B as of 2023. [1]
Former inventory: Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15, Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17, Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21, Aérospatiale Alouette II, Aérospatiale Alouette III, Dassault Falcon 20, Dornier Do 27, North American T-6 Texan, Reims-Cessna FTB.337, Douglas C-47 Skytrain, Antonov An-24, Mil Mi-8. [8] [9]