From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Aerial warfare branch of the Gabonese Armed Forces
Gabonese Air Force
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Active
| January 25, 1972 - Present
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Country
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Gabon
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Type
| Air Force
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Role
| Aerial warfare
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Size
| 1,500
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Part of
| Armed Forces of Gabon
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Headquarters
| Libreville
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Anniversaries
| January 25
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Commander in Chief
| President
Ali Bongo Ondimba
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Commander of the Air Force
| General Jean Martin
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Fin flash
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Fighter
| Dassault Mirage F1
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Helicopter
| Alouette III
,
AS332
,
SA342
,
SA330
,
EC135
,
EC120
,
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Transport
| ATR 42
,
C-130
,
CN-235
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Military unit
The
Gabonese Air Force
(
French
:
Armee de l'air Gabonaise
) is the official aerial warfare branch of the
Armed Forces of Gabon
.
History
[
edit
]
In the early 1960s, following the country's independence from the
French Republic
, aerial detachments were inside the country, with the first official aerial installation being the Mouila Training Center which was established in 1966 in the south-west of the country. On January 25, 1972, by presidential decree signed by President
Omar Bongo
, the Gabonese Air Force became an official branch of the armed forces, separate from the army. In January 1980, at the initiative of President Bongo, the Air Force developed and adopted a combat structure, acquiring a fleet of fighters, and creating the Mvengue Air Base in the capital.
[1]
[2]
Order of battle
[
edit
]
- Fighter Squadron 1-02 Leyou at BA02 Franceville with:
- Heavy Transport Squadron at BA01 Libreville with:
- Ministerial Air Liaison Group (
Groupe de Liaison Aerien Ministeriel
or GLAM) at BA01 Libreville with:
Current inventory
[
edit
]
Retired aircraft
[
edit
]
Previous aircraft operated by the Air Force consisted of the
CM.170 Magister
,
C-130H Hercules
,
Embraer EMB 110
,
Fokker F28
,
Aerospatiale N 262
,
Reims C.337
, and the
Alouette II
helicopter.
[6]
[7]
The first fighters flown by the air force were
Dassault Mirage 5
Gs.
[8]
References
[
edit
]
Bibliography
[
edit
]
- Ristor, Luc (January 1990). "Gabon: l'Armee de l'Air" [The Gabonese Air Force].
Le Fana de l'Aviation
(in French) (242): 6?16.
ISSN
0757-4169
.