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WEEKLY NEWSLETTER
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Sudan
Index
The air force has been largely dependent on foreign
assistance since its inception in 1957, when four primary trainer
aircraft were delivered by Egypt. The British provided most
aircraft and training (some in Sudan and some in Britain) before
1967. After that time, Soviet and Chinese advisers and
technicians assumed a supportive role, and their equipment became
the foundation for the Sudanese air force in the 1970s. These
aircraft included Soviet-built MiG-17 and MiG-21 fighter-bombers
and Chinese-built J-5 (essentially the same as the MiG-17) and J6 (practically identical to the Soviet MiG-19) fighter-bombers.
Seven Northrop F-5Es and two F-5Fs were delivered by the United
States beginning in 1981, but plans to acquire additional F-5s
never materialized because funds were not available. Libya
transferred five Soviet MiG-23s in 1987.
As of 1990, combat aircraft were organized into two fighterground attack squadrons (one with the nine F-5s and the other
with ten J-5s), and one fighter squadron with J-6s. A second
fighter squadron of MiG-21s and MiG-23s was listed, although it
was believed that as of 1991 all of the MiGs were nonoperational
with the exception of one MiG-23. The combat squadrons were armed
with Soviet Atoll and American Sidewinder air-to-air missiles.
Sudan had no bomber force. In 1986 it was reported that Libyan
Tu-22 bombers had been used against rebel positions in the south.
Other bombing attacks were carried out by transport planes (see
table 13, Appendix).
The actual state of readiness of the combat arm of the air
force was uncertain, but it was believed that much of the
equipment was not in serviceable condition owing to a shortage of
parts and inadequate maintenance. Pilot proficiency training was
limited by fuel shortages that kept aircraft grounded. A small
contingent of Chinese technicians assisted with maintenance and
pilot training. A few training aircraft were also supplied by the
Chinese. The air force had been of little value in providing air
cover for ground operations in the south. The SPLA boasted that
its shoulder-fired surface-to-air missiles (SAMs) had brought
down many aircraft, claiming that several jet fighters had been
destroyed, as well as a number of helicopters and transports.
The transport arm of the air force was of central importance
in maintaining supply links with beleaguered southern garrisons.
The single transport squadron received six C-130H Hercules
transports from the United States in 1978 and 1979. Although one
was damaged by an SPLA missile in 1987, the five aircraft still
operational in 1991 provided airlift capability essential to
government garrisons in the south. The air force also had two
Canadian-built DHC-5D Buffalo transports and two Soviet An-12
heavy cargo transports, as well as four smaller Casa C-212
Aviocars from Brazil.
The air force had a number of unarmed helicopters available
for ground support operations against the southern rebels,
although it was estimated that as many as 50 percent were not in
flying condition. The newest helicopter models were Frenchdesigned SA-330 Pumas assembled in Romania and Agusta/Bell 212s
manufactured in Italy.
The two main bases of the air force were at Khartoum
International Airport and Wadi Sayyidna Air Base north of
Omdurman. The air force also had facilities at civilian airports,
including those at Atbarah, Al Fashir, Juba, Malakal, Al Ubayyid,
Port Sudan, and Wad Madani.
Data as of June 1991
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