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List of Albanian Air Force aircraft

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Albanian military aircraft include all airplanes and helicopters which have been operated by the Albanian Air Force since its formal inception in 1947. Since Albania has no domestic aircraft manufacturing capacity, all aircraft have been procured from other countries. Additionally, the country's limited resources have meant that such procurement has been primarily through foreign military aid provided to Albania for strategic reasons. Initially, the Warsaw Pact provided equipment through the 1950s, but after a political rift, China supplanted them as the country's main benefactor. After the end of the Cold War and a significant shift in Albanian international relations, as well as a re-posturing of the Albanian Armed Forces, the air force has sought more modern support helicopters from Western Europe to support its new role in partnership with NATO.

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Cold War era aircraft

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Founding years and the Warsaw Pact

In 1951, the Soviet Union provided the newly created Air Force of the Albanian People's Army with obsolete Yak-9 fighters[1] and Po-2 trainer aircraft.[2] A small batch of newly built Yak-18 trainer aircraft was also delivered.[3]

As a founding member of the Warsaw Pact, Albania received MiG-15 fighter and trainer aircraft in 1955.[4] Additional aircraft were supplied by the Soviets until the Albanian-Soviet split in 1961.[5] In 1963, it was estimated the Albanians operated two squadrons of Soviet-built MiG-15 and MiG-17, and several Soviet transport and trainer aircraft.[6]

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Chinese assistance

After 1970 the Albanian Air Force completely replaced its fleet of Soviet MiG-15s and MiG-17s with Chinese equivalents.[22] According to former Albanian Air Force commander, Edip Ohri [sq], China delivered a total of 100 combat aircraft including 70 F-5 (MiG-17) and 12 F-6 (MiG-19), with another batch of 95 F-6s delivered later.[23] Most of the Albanian fighters were limited to daytime operations, lacking the radars and avionics necessary to operate in night and all-weather operations. The Chinese also supplied the Albanians with an F-7 (MiG-21) squadron. These were the most modern aircraft in the Albanian Air Force.[22]

Additional aircraft supplied included 12 Y-5 (An-2) transports, 36 helicopters, and four special purpose aircraft including a VIP transport Il-14 for Enver Hoxha, although he never crossed the border after the plane was delivered.[23][24] Chinese-supplied Li-2 transports were also used.[25]

After China started reducing the deliveries of spare parts to Albania in 1976 (due the Sino-Albanian split), combat readiness of the Albanian Air Force quickly declined. Once China completely ceased its arms deliveries, the inventory of aircraft shrunk, with older aircraft being unable to be repaired or replaced.[25]

In 2016, Albania put 40 of its remaining Soviet and Chinese aircraft in storage for auction. Due bureaucratic red tape they were still stored for sale in 2019.[26][27]

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Post-communist era aircraft

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In 2005, the Albanian Ministry of Defence decided to retire its fixed-wing aircraft squadrons, due their poor condition and the nation's limited resources. With the country on the verge of joining NATO (reducing the risk of any immediate aerial threats), the Albanian MoD decided to focus on the development of a helicopter force to support the Land Forces.[39]

In 2010, the Albanian Air Force operated Bell 205, Bell 206, AW109 and MBB Bo 105 helicopters.[4] In 2014, Germany delivered two EC145 helicopters Albania had purchased[40] and France completed delivery of a batch of four AS-532AL attack helicopters.[41] In 2022, Albania purchased Bayraktar TB2s drones from Turkey, to be operated from the Kuçovë Aerodrome.[42] In October 2024, Prime Minister Edi Rama announced the Turkey will supply Albania with a "considerable" amount of kamikaze drones, without disclosing the exact number of systems or specific model of drone.[43]

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