Rwandan Air Force

The Rwandan Air Force (French: Force aérienne rwandaise) is the air branch of the Rwandan Defence Forces.

Rwandan Air Force
Force Aérienne Rwandaise
Rwanda Air Force Roundel
Founded	1962; 63 years ago (1962)
Country	Rwanda
Type	Air force
Role	Aerial warfare
Size	1,000 personnel[1]
Part of	Rwanda Defence Force
Commanders
President of Rwanda	Paul Kagame
Air Force Chief of Staff	Lt Gen Jean-Jacques Mupenzi[2]
Insignia
Roundel
Aircraft flown
Attack helicopter	Mil Mi-24
Utility helicopter	Mil Mi-17
Transport	Cessna 208 Caravan, Diamond DA42 Twin Star

History

After achieving independence in 1962, the Air Force was formed with the aid of Belgium, the initial aircraft consisted of three ex-French Air Force CM.170 Magisters, which operated in a counterinsurgency role along with a Britten-Norman Islander. Other deliveries included SA 342L Gazelles, Nord Noratlas, SOCATA Guerrier, and C-47 Skytrains. During the Rwandan Civil War, most of the aircraft were either shot down, destroyed on the ground or crashed.^[3]

Inventory

A Rwandan Air Force Mil Mi-17

Aircraft	Origin	Type	Variant	In service	Notes
Transport
Cessna 208 Caravan	United States	Utility		2[4]
Diamond DA42	Austria	Utility		2[4]
Helicopters
Mil Mi-17	Soviet Union / Russia	Utility		12[4]
Mil Mi-24	Soviet Union / Russia	Attack	Mi-35	5[4]
Unmanned aerial vehicle
Bayraktar TB2	Turkey	UCAV		N/A	[5]