Mauritania Islamic Air Force
| Mauritania Islamic Air Force | |
|---|---|
| Force Aérienne Islamique de Mauritanie | |
 Mauritanian Armed Forces emblem | |
| Founded | 1960 |
| Country |  Mauritania |
| Type | Air force |
| Role | Aerial warfare |
| Part of | Mauritanian Armed Forces |
| Engagements | |
| Commanders | |
| Commander-in-Chief | PresidentMohamed Ould Ghazouani |
| Commanding Officer | Brigadier GeneralHamadi Ely Maouloud[1] |
| Insignia | |
| Roundel |  |
| Aircraft flown | |
| Attack | Embraer EMB 314 Super Tucano |
| Helicopter | Harbin Z-9 |
| Transport | Basler BT-67,Pilatus PC-6,Harbin Y-12,Cessna 208 Caravan |
TheMauritania Islamic Air Force(French:Force Aérienne Islamique de MauritanieorFAIM) is theair forceof theArmed Forces of Mauritania.It was established in 1960. Like many of the former French colonies, Mauritania received limited economic and military aid fromFrance.The FAIM started out as a French-operated transport force, and has seen combat against thePolisario Frontin the 1970s.
History
[edit]Beginnings
[edit]The Mauritania Islamic Air Force came into being shortly after the country's independence, in 1960. At that time, it was named the Aviation Group of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania (Groupement Aérien de la République Islamique de Mauritanie). Its first aircraft were oneDouglas C-47and severalMax Holste MH.1521 Broussards,all donated by France and operating from the airfield atNouakchott.All of the newly created air force's personnel was French. Five additional C-47s and three Broussards were bought in the following years. In 1966, the air force was officially re-designated as the Mauritania Islamic Air Force (Force Aérienne Islamique de Mauritanieor FAIM for short). The purchase of sixSOCATA Rallyesallowed for the training of native pilots to begin in 1970.[2]
Thanks to the influx of newly trained native pilots and ground personnel, the FAIM grew significantly in the early 1970s. A 1971 reorganisation saw the creation of a transport squadron (operating C-47s) and a liaison squadron (operating the Broussards and seven second-handReims-Cessna Skymasters.TwoDouglas C-54swere bought in 1974, and twoShort Skyvan 3Msfollowed the next year. In 1976, fourReims-Cessna FTB337Gsand fourBritten-Norman Defenderswere acquired, and formed a surveillance squadron. Both of these types could be armed with gun and rocket pods. Over the years, a total of nine Defenders were bought. Subsequently, negotiations for the purchase ofFMA IA 58 Pucaráswere initiated with Argentina. A contract was almost concluded, but the acquisition process was stopped due to financial considerations. However, fourde Havilland Canada DHC-5 Buffaloswere bought in 1978.[3]As of 1976, the FAIM numbered less than 150 personnel.[4]
War with the Polisario Front
[edit]In 1976, thePolisario Frontstarted to attack Mauritanian territory. Flying activity by the FAIM was intense, and in June, the second-ever foray of the Polisario in Mauritania, in the direction of the capitalNouakchott,was detected by FAIM aircraft while still underway towards its target. The Polisario convoy, comprising about 100 vehicles, thus had to retreat prematurely. Moreover, FAIM BN-2 Defenders repeatedly harassed the convoy while it was driving towards the Algerian border. However, these aircraft were vulnerable to ground fire, and on 29 December a Defender was shot down by a9K32 Strela-2MANPADS,with the whole crew being killed.[5]Another followed on 16 July 1977, with one killed; the two survivors evaded capture from the Polisario.[6]A third Defender was downed by a Strela-2 on 10 January 1978, with its pilot being killed. In early February of the same year, Defenders helped evacuate dozens of wounded soldiers from the army garrison of Tichlé, which had withstood a Polisario attack.[7]
The war against the Polisario Front was a huge strain on the Mauritanian national budget, and it caused more and more discontent in the country, including inside of its armed forces. Two successful military coups took place in 1978 and 1979 respectively. While the war with the Polisario continued, on 27 May 1979 the junta's strongmanAhmed Ould Bouceifdied in the crash of the FAIM DHC-5D that was bringing him to anECOWASsummit inDakar,together with the other 11 occupants. The new Mauritanian government then decided to stop the country's involvement inWestern Sahara,and a peace treaty between Mauritania and the Polisario Front was signed in August.[8]
From the 1980s to today
[edit]The Air Force School was recently created inAtar.It was founded to train pilots, mechanics, other crewmen for the Air Force.[9]
More recent procurements have been from China in the form of theHarbin Y-12 IIturboprop transports were delivered in September 1995, one crashed in April 1996. A second one crashed on July 12, 2012.[10]TheXian Y-7(a licensed variant of theAn-24) was delivered from October 1997, which crashed in May 1998. And a sf 260 was crashed in may 2024[citation needed]
Aircraft
[edit]
| Aircraft | Origin | Type | Variant | In service | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Combat aircraft | ||||||
| EMB 314 Super Tucano | Brazil | COIN/ attack | 4[11] | |||
| Reconnaissance | ||||||
| Cessna 208 | United States | reconnaissance | 2[11] | |||
| Transport | ||||||
| Basler BT-67 | United States | transport / utility | 1[11] | modifiedDC-3withP&W PT6A Turbopropengines | ||
| Cessna 441 | United States | VIP transport | 1[11] | |||
| Pilatus PC-6 | Switzerland | utility | 1[11] | STOLcapable aircraft | ||
| Harbin Y-12 | China | transport | 1[11] | |||
| CASA/IPTN CN-235 | Indonesia | transport | 2[11] | |||
| Helicopters | ||||||
| Harbin Z-9 | China | utility | 2[11] | |||
| AgustaWestland AW109 | Italy | utility | 2[11] | |||
| Trainer Aircraft | ||||||
| EMB-312 | Brazil | trainer | 5[11] | |||
| SIAI-Marchetti SF.260 | Italy | trainer | 1[11] | 1 crashed in 2024.[12] | ||
See also
[edit]References
[edit]Notes
[edit]- ^"L'attaché militaire allemand en visite à la base aérienne d'Atar".Armée Nationale Mauritanienne. 21 September 2022.
- ^Cooper & Grandolini 2018,p. 33
- ^Cooper & Grandolini 2018,pp. 46–47
- ^Cooper, Grandolini & Fontanellaz 2019,p. 31
- ^Cooper, Grandolini & Fontanellaz 2019,pp. 30–31
- ^Cooper, Grandolini & Fontanellaz 2019,p. 33
- ^Cooper, Grandolini & Fontanellaz 2019,pp. 37–38
- ^Cooper, Grandolini & Fontanellaz 2019,pp. 38–39
- ^Super Administrateur."The Directorate of Air".Archived fromthe originalon 2017-12-06.Retrieved2019-04-02.
- ^"CORRECTED-OFFICIAL-Kinross chartered plane crashes in Mauritania, 7 dead".Reuters.Archivedfrom the original on 2015-09-24.Retrieved2019-04-02.
- ^abcdefghijk"World Air Forces 2023".Flightglobal Insight. 2023.Retrieved24 December2022.
- ^"Accident SIAI-Marchetti SF.260EU,".aviation-safety.net.Retrieved2024-05-16.
Bibliography
[edit]- Cooper, Tom; Grandolini, Albert (2018).Showdown in Western Sahara, Volume 1: Air Warfare Over the Last African Colony, 1945-1975.Warwick, UK: Helion & Company Publishing.ISBN978-1-912390-35-9.
- Cooper, Tom; Grandolini, Albert; Fontanellaz, Adrien (2019).Showdown in Western Sahara, Volume 2: Air Warfare Over the Last African Colony, 1975-1991.Warwick, UK: Helion & Company Publishing.ISBN978-1-912866-29-8.
External links
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