Military Wiki
Advertisement
Eritrean Air Force
Active 1994–present
Country Eritrea State of Eritrea
Type Air force
Headquarters Asmara, Eritrea
Colors Green, Blue, Yellow and Red
Commanders
Commander Teklai Habteselassie
Insignia
Roundel Eritrean Air Force roundel
Fin Flash Flag of Eritrea
Aircraft flown
Attack MB-339, Mi-24, Su-25
Fighter MiG-29, Su-27, MiG-21
Trainer M-290
Transport An-12, Y-12, Mi-8

The Eritrean Air Force (ERAF) is the official aerial warfare service branch of the Eritrean Defence Forces and is one of the three official uniformed military branches of the State of Eritrea.

History[]

The Eritrean Air Force was established shortly after Eritrean War of Independence in 1994. It was first established by Commander Habtezion Hadgu, who used to be an Ethiopian Air force pilot during the Mengistu regime, and latter defected to the Eritrean People Liberation Front (EPLF) in the late 80s. When the air force was established Commander Hadgu called many officers who served in the Ethiopian Air force, including Col. Abrahan (Chief of Staff), Col. Melake, Col. Mesfin, Col. Dr. Efrem, and some others like Major Shekay who came from Lebanon[citation needed]. His Deputy was a veteran EPLF fighter, a Major General, Aka. Wedi Kahsay until he was sent to Norther zone as a commander of a regiment in the army. The director of air-force intelligence and administration was also a veteran EPLF fighter, Col. Mussie Lebassi a member of the 72nd intelligence unit of the EPLF, which was dissolved in 1994. Commander Habtezion and Col. Mussie were latter suspended form the air force. Eventually, the air force was taken over by Major General Teklay Habteselasie who is also the commander of the Sawa military training camp.

The make-up of the original force was composed of aircraft that were abandoned by the defeated Ethiopian armed forces. The Eritrean Air Force is a smaller branch of the Eritrean Defence Forces. Several MiG-21's which were taken from the Ethiopian Air Force are believed to be no longer in service. The main airbase is Asmara AP, which is combined civil/military. Serials are sometimes worn with 'ERAF'in front of the digits, but not always.

1998–2000 Eritrean-Ethiopian War[]

Expansion of the Eritrean Air Force (ERAF) did not occur until the Eritrean-Ethiopian War in which the two air forces fought for superiority. In a sort of arms race Eritrea responded to Ethiopia's purchase of Su-27's with a purchase of MiG-29's.[1][2] In 2000 the ERAF bought eight Su-25's from Georgia, and six more MiG-29's from Moldova. In 2003 Eritrea also acquired several Su-27's.[3] The Eritrean Air force trained and grew enormously in a short period and was able to challenge the Ethiopian army in the 1998 border conflict. Commander Habtezion along with young Air Force pilots retaliated in short time after the Ethiopian Air force bombed Asmara through their popular pilot General Bezabh Petros, who was in captive during the liberation war and recaptured for the second time in the 1998 war.

Organization[]

The Commander of the Eritrean Air Force is Major General Teklai Habteselassie. The official headquarters of the Eritrean Air Force is located in Asmara, Eritrea.[4]

Colonel Bezabih Petros was an Ethiopian pilot who was captured by the EPLF in 1980s. He was then released at the conclusion of the war of independence. However, he was captured once again after his plane was shot down from the Eritrean skies while conducting a bombing raid in 1999.

Armament[]

Air-to-air missiles[]

Missile Origin Notes
AA-2 Atoll Flag of the Soviet Union Soviet Union
AA-10 Alamo Flag of Russia Russian Federation
AA-11 Archer Flag of Russia Russian Federation
AA-12 Adder Flag of Russia Russian Federation

Aircraft Inventory[]

Aircraft Type Versions In service[5] Notes
Aermacchi M-290 RediGO trainer L-90TP 8
Aermacchi MB-339 attack MB-339C 12
Antonov An-12 transport An-12 2
Xian MA-60 transport MA-60 4
Harbin Y-12 utility transport Y-12 5 4 delivered
IAI Astra VIP transport IAI Astra 1125 1
Mikoyan MiG-29 fighter MiG-29 SM/UBT 18
Mil Mi-8 transport helicopter Mi-8 6
Mi-17 4
Mil Mi-24 attack helicopter Mi-24D/E 17
Mi-35 4
Sukhoi Su-25 attack Su-25 8
Sukhoi Su-27 fighter Su-27SK 14
Su-27UB 2
AgustaBell-412 transport helicopter AB-412 4
Bombardier Challenger 600 VIP CL-601-3A 1
Dornier Do 28 Utility Skyservant 4
Dornier Do 228 Utility 1
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 fighter 6
Lockheed C-130E/H Hercules Transport C-130E/H Hercules 6

References[]

  1. "Eritrean Republic Air Force Overview". Scramble. http://www.scramble.nl/er.htm. Retrieved 2007-03-09. 
  2. Habte-Giorgis, Berhe (19 Mar 1999). "[DEHAI capturing a helicopter"]. http://www.ephrem.org/dehai_archive/1999/m8117.html. Retrieved 19 May 2012. 
  3. "Sukhoi Su-27 'Flanker' – Operator List". http://www.milavia.net/aircraft/su-27/su-27_ops.htm. Retrieved 2007-03-09. 
  4. "Eritrea Aircraft". http://www.worldairforces.com/countries/eritrea/ERIaircraft.htm. Retrieved 2006-06-08. [dead link]
  5. "World Military Aircraft Inventory", Aerospace Source Book 2007, Aviation Week & Space Technology, January 15, 2007.

Further reading[]

  • Cooper, Tom & Weinert, Peter (2010). African MiGs: Volume I: Angola to Ivory Coast. Harpia Publishing LLC. ISBN 978-0-9825539-5-4. 
All or a portion of this article consists of text from Wikipedia, and is therefore Creative Commons Licensed under GFDL.
The original article can be found at Eritrean Air Force and the edit history here.
Advertisement