This article is currently affected by the ongoingSudanese civil war (2023–present). Any given information provided here may become quickly dated or inaccurate due to the developing situation. Be aware that truly accurate information may not be available until the conflict is over.
The Sudanese Air Force was founded immediately after Sudan gained independence from theUnited Kingdom in 1956. The British assisted in the Air Force's establishment, providing equipment and training. Four newHunting Provost T Mk 51s were delivered for jet training in 1961. In 1958, the Sudanese Air Force's transport wing acquired its first aircraft, a singleHunting President. In 1960 the Sudanese Air Force received an additional four re-furbishedRAF Provosts and two more Hunting Presidents. Also in 1960, the transport wing's capability was increased by the addition of twoPembroke C Mk 54s.
The SAF gained its first combat aircraft when 12Jet Provosts with aclose air support capability were delivered in 1962. In the 1960s, the Soviet Union and China began to supply the Sudanese Air Force with aircraft. This included supply ofShenyang F-5 fighters (F-5/FT-5 variants).[4]
The air force flies a mixture of transport planes, fighter jets and helicopters which are mainly sourced from the Soviet Union/Russia and China. However, not all the aircraft are in a fully functioning state and the availability of spare parts has been limited. In 1991, the two main air bases were at the capitalKhartoum andWadi Sayyidna nearOmdurman.[5]
On 4 April 2001, a SudaneseAntonov An-24 aircraft crashed inAdaril (Adar Yeil, Adar Yale), Sudan. The fifteen dead included a general, seven lieutenant generals, three brigadiers, a colonel, a lieutenant colonel and a corporal.[6]
In 2009, Sudan made a successful deal to buy two different batches of 12MiG-29 Russian fighter jets each.[7] There were 23 MiG-29s in active service as of late 2008.[8] However, the rebelJustice and Equality Movement claimed to have shot down one MiG-29 with large-caliber machine-gun fire on 10 May 2008, killing the pilot of the plane, a retired Russian Air Force fighter pilot; the Sudanese government denied the allegation.[9] South Sudan also claimed to have shot down a Sudanese MiG-29 during the2012 border conflict.[3]
In mid-2011, members of the UN Panel of Experts on the Sudan documented the following aircraft in Darfur which potentially indicated violations ofUnited Nations Security Council Resolution 1556:
Letter dated 24 January 2011 from former members of the Panel of Experts on the Sudan established pursuant to Resolution 1591 (2005) and renewed pursuant to Resolution 1945 (2010) addressed to the Chairman of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to Resolution 1591 (2005) concerning the Sudan, page 30
Three Mi-17 transport helicopters (tail numbers 525, 540, 543)
Nine Mi-24 attack helicopters (tail numbers 928, 937, 938, 939, 942, 943, 947, 948 stationed atEl Fasher and Nyala, and an additional Mi-24 which crashed near El Fasher on 18 April 2011.) Satellite imagery also indicates that a total of five other attack helicopters were present at Kutum, N Darfur, in April 2011, and at El Geneima in February 2011, but panel members have not determined whether they were introduced from outside Darfur in addition to those listed above, or moved from within Darfur.
In August 2013, pictures showed Su-24's in Sudanese colors, reporting that the aircraft were among the ex Belarusian Air Force Su-24's retired in 2012.[10] Various reports have said that the air force uses Iranian drones such as theGhods Ababil.[11][12][13][14]
Sudanese Air Force MiG-29K-8s of the Sudanese Air Force take off fromPort Sudan AirportSudan Air Force Sukhoi Su-25Sudanese C-130 Spotted in Wadi SayyidnaSudanese Air Force Il-76TD
26 February 1996: ALockheed C-130H Hercules of the Sudanese Air Force crashed. The aircraft was destroyed and 91 occupants died.[45]
3 June 1999: AAntonov An-32 of the Sudanese Air Force crashed. The aircraft was destroyed and 50 occupants died.[46]
29 November 2000: AMil Mi helicopter of the Sudanese Air Force crashed. The aircraft was destroyed. There were no casualties.[47]
13 July 2001: A helicopter of the Sudanese Air Force crashed. The aircraft was destroyed and 2 people died.[48]
11 September 2002: A airplane of the Sudanese Air Force made an emergency landing on a road. Hit a truck, killing 3 in the truck. Airplane occupants uninjured. The condition of the aircraft after incident unknown.[49]
27 September 2002: A helicopter of the Sudanese Air Force crashed. The aircraft was destroyed and there were no survivors.[50]
24 December 2002: A airplane of the Sudanese Air Force was destroyed and 3 people killed.[51]
25 April 2003: AAntonov An-24 of the Sudanese Air Force was destroyed. Sudan Liberation Army (SLA) rebels attacked the city of El Fasher, claiming to have destroyed three Antonov-type planes. One An-24 (registration '700') was confirmed destroyed.[52]
28 October 2003: A suspectedMil Mi-8 of the Sudanese Air Force crashed. The aircraft was destroyed and 20 people killed.[53]
9 February 2004: 2 helicopters of the Sudanese Air Force were claimed shot down by rebels. No confirmation.[54]
11 February 2004: AMil Mi-24 of the Sudanese Air Force was shot down by rebels. Aircraft destroyed. A second Mi-24 was also reported hit.[55]
17 October 2004: AMil Mi-24 of the Sudanese Air Force crashed. Aircraft damaged, one person injured.[56]
25 July 2005: AMil Mi-17 of the Sudanese Air Force crashed. Aircraft destroyed, 19 persons killed.[57]
15 February 2006: A helicopter of the Sudanese Air Force was shot down by Sudanese Liberation Army rebels. Aircraft destroyed, only 1 surviving occupant.[58]
14 July 2006: AAntonov An-12 of the Sudanese Air Force crashed. Aircraft destroyed.[59]
7 August 2006: AAntonov An-26 of the Sudanese Air Force crashed. Aircraft written off.[60]
27 December 2007: AAntonov plane of the Sudanese Air Force was shot down by Justice and Equality Movement. Aircraft destroyed.[61]
24 February 2008: A suspectedMil Mi-17 of the Sudanese Air Force was destroyed.[62]
28 March 2010: A pair of suspectedMil Mi-17 helicopters of the Sudanese Air Force were destroyed.[63]
4 May 2010: A helicopter of the Sudanese Air Force crashed. The aircraft was destroyed. No casualties.[64]
13 April 2011: AMil Mi-24P Hind-F of the Sudanese Air Force crashed. The aircraft was damaged. 1 killed.[65]
18 April 2011: AMil Mi-17V-5 (Mi-8M) of the Sudanese Air Force crashed. The aircraft was destroyed. 5 killed.[66]
30 December 2011: AMil Mi-24 of the Sudanese Air Force crashed. The aircraft was destroyed. 6 killed.[67]
20 June 2012: ANanchang PT-6A (CJ-6) of the Sudanese Air Force crashed. The aircraft was destroyed. 2 killed.[68]
16 July 2012: AMil Mi-17 (Mi-8T) of the Sudanese Air Force was shot down by the Sudanese Revolutionary Front. The aircraft was destroyed. 7 killed.[69]
7 October 2012: AAntonov An-12BP of the Sudanese Air Force, leased for AZZA Transport, crashed. The aircraft was destroyed. 15 killed.[70]
7 November 2012: AAntonov An-24 of the Sudanese Air Force was shot down (allegedly; event uncertain) by the Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N). The aircraft was (allegedly) destroyed.[71]
11 December 2012: AAntonov plane of the Sudanese Air Force was shot down (allegedly; event uncertain) by the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM). The aircraft was (allegedly) destroyed.[72]
19 December 2012: A (suspected)Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-29SE plane of the Sudanese Air Force crashed. The aircraft was destroyed and 1 person killed.[73]
31 May 2013: AMil Mi helicopter of the Sudanese Air Force crashed (claimed shot down by Sudanese Revolutionary Front (SRF)). The aircraft was destroyed and the whole crew killed.[74]
6 June 2013: AMil Mi-24 helicopter of the Sudanese Air Force crashed. The aircraft was destroyed and 3 persons killed.[75]
28 June 2014: AMil Mi-24P helicopter of the National Congress Party (the at the time official party of Sudan, the only legal political party at the time (Sudan was one-party dictatorship); the accident is listed here because of the close connection between National Congress Party and Sudanese Air Force) alledgedly (event uncertain) crashed. The helicopter was alledgedly (unconfirmed reports) shot down by Sudan's People's Liberation Army-North (SPLA-N). The aircraft was (alledgedly) destroyed.[76]
25 December 2014: AAntonov plane of the Sudanese Air Force alledgedly (event uncertain) was shot down by rebels. Alledgedly the aircraft was destroyed and at least 6 people killed.[77]
30 April 2016: AAntonov An-26 of the Sudanese Air Force crashed. The aircraft was destroyed and 5 people killed.[78]
16 October 2016: AMBB Bo 105CB-2 of the Sudanese Air Force crashed. The aircraft was destroyed and 1 person killed.[79]
20 June 2017: AMil Mi-17 of the Sudanese Air Force crashed. The aircraft was destroyed and 4 people killed.[80]
27 December 2017: ANanchang PT-6 of the Sudanese Air Force crashed. The aircraft was destroyed and 1 person killed.[81]
12 February 2018: AAntonov An-12BK of the Sudanese Air Force had a runway excursion. The aircraft condition after the incident was unknown; the aircraft was later destroyed on 17 April 2023. No person was injured.[82]
3 March 2018: A (suspected)Antonov plane of the (alledgedly) Sudanese Air Force crashed. The aircraft was (alledgedly) destroyed.[83]
17 September 2018: AMil Mi-17 of the Sudanese Air Force crashed. The aircraft was destroyed. No person was killed.[84]
20 September 2018: AHongdu K-8S Karakorum of the Sudanese Air Force crashed. The aircraft was destroyed. 2 persons were killed.[85]
3 October 2018: AAntonov An-32A of the Sudanese Air Force suffered a collision with a Sudan Air Force Antonov An-26. The An-32A aircraft was written off.[86]
3 October 2018: AAntonov An-26 of the Sudanese Air Force suffered a collision with a Sudan Air Force Antonov An-32A. The An-26 aircraft was written off.[87]
9 December 2018: A helicopter of the Sudanese Government (perhaps owned/otherwise linked to Sudanese Air Force) crashed (according to some news sources). The aircraft was destroyed. At least 7 persons died and several were injured.[88]
13 December 2018: AMil Mi-17 of the Sudanese Air Force skidded on the runway and got substantially damaged. Nobody was killed.[89]
2 January 2020: AAntonov An-12A of the Sudanese Air Force crashed. The aircraft was destroyed. 18 people died.[90]
13 January 2021: A (suspected)Mil Mi-24 of the Sudanese Air Force crashed. The aircraft was destroyed. Nobody died.[91]
3 April 2021: A helicopter of the Sudanese Air Force (alledgedly) crashed. The level of damage to the aircraft was unknown. Nobody died.[92]
8 September 2021: AMil Mi-24 of the Sudanese Air Force crashed. The aircraft was destroyed. At least 3 died.[93]
10 March 2022: A airplane of the Sudanese Air Force crashed. The aircraft was destroyed. Nobody died.[94]
15 April 2023: MultipleMiG-29 airplanes of the Sudanese Air Force were destroyed in fighting between Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) and Rapid Support Forces (RSF) at El Obeid Air Base (HSOB).[95]
15 April 2023: MultipleMiG-29M airplanes of the Egyptian Air Force (incident listed here because of the alliance between Egyptian Air Force and Sudanese Air Force) were damaged/destroyed in fighting between Sudan Armed Forces and Rapid Support Forces at Merowe Air Base.[96]
16 April 2023: AIlyushin Il-62M of the Sudan Government (incident listed here because of the close relationship between Sudan Government and Sudanese Air Force) was destroyed in fighting between Sudan Armed Forces and Rapid Support Forces at Khartoum International Airport (KRT).[97]
16 April 2023: AAntonov An-72-100D of the Sudan Police Air Wing (incident listed here because of the close relationship between Sudan Police Air Wing and Sudanese Air Force) was destroyed in fighting between Sudan Armed Forces and Rapid Support Forces at Khartoum International Airport (KRT).[98]
17 April 2023: ALockheed C-130 Hercules (incident listed here because the plane might have belong to Sudanese Air Force) was destroyed in fighting between Sudan Armed Forces and Rapid Support Forces at Khartoum International Airport (KRT/HSSK).[99]
17 April 2023: ADassault Falcon 20F of the Government of Sudan (incident listed here because of the close relationship between the Government of Sudan and Sudanese Air Force) was destroyed in fighting between Sudan Armed Forces and Rapid Support Forces at Khartoum International Airport (KRT/HSSK).[100]
17 April 2023: AAntonov An-12BP of the Sudanese Air Force was destroyed in fighting between Sudan Armed Forces and Rapid Support Forces at Khartoum International Airport (KRT). This aircraft was involved in a runway excursion on 12 February 2018.[101]
17 April 2023: AAntonov An-12BK of the Sudanese Air Force was destroyed in fighting between Sudan Armed Forces and Rapid Support Forces at Khartoum International Airport (KRT).[102]
17 April 2023: AAntonov An-12BK of the Sudanese Air Force was destroyed in fighting between Sudan Armed Forces and Rapid Support Forces at Khartoum International Airport (KRT).[103]
17 April 2023: AAntonov An-12BK of the Sudanese Air Force was destroyed in fighting between Sudan Armed Forces and Rapid Support Forces at Khartoum International Airport (KRT).[104]
17 April 2023: AAntonov An-26B-100 of the Sudanese Air Force was destroyed in fighting between Sudan Armed Forces and Rapid Support Forces at Khartoum International Airport (KRT).[105]
17 April 2023: AAntonov An-32B of the Sudanese Air Force was destroyed in fighting between Sudan Armed Forces and Rapid Support Forces at Khartoum International Airport (KRT).[106]
17 April 2023: AAntonov An-74-200 of the Government of Sudan (incident listed here because of the close relationship between the Government of Sudan and Sudanese Air Force) was destroyed in fighting between Sudan Armed Forces and Rapid Support Forces at Khartoum International Airport (KRT).[107]
17 April 2023: MultipleMil Mi-24 (at least six helicopters, unknown if all were Mi-24) of the Sudanese Air Force were damaged or destroyed in fighting between Sudan Armed Forces and Rapid Support Forces at Jebel Aulia Air Base.[108]
17 April 2023: AMil Mi-24 of the Sudanese Air Force crashed. The aircraft was destroyed.[109]
17 April 2023: AGuizhou FTC-2000 of the Sudanese Air Force was destroyed by Rapid Support Forces at Merowe Air Base.[110]
17 April 2023: 3Sukhoi Su-25 of the Sudanese Air Force were destroyed by Rapid Support Forces at El Obeid Air Base (HSOB).[111]
21 April 2023: AAntonov An-12BP of the Sudanese Air Force was destroyed in fighting between Sudan Armed Forces and Rapid Support Forces at Khartoum International Airport (KRT).[112]
21 April 2023: AAntonov An-26 of the Sudanese Air Force was destroyed in fighting between Sudan Armed Forces and Rapid Support Forces at Khartoum International Airport (KRT).[113]
21 April 2023: AAntonov An-26 of the Sudanese Air Force was destroyed in fighting between Sudan Armed Forces and Rapid Support Forces at Khartoum International Airport (KRT).[114]
21 April 2023: AAntonov An-30 of the Sudanese Air Force was destroyed in fighting between Sudan Armed Forces and Rapid Support Forces at Khartoum International Airport (KRT).[115]
21 April 2023: AAntonov An-32B of the Sudanese Air Force was destroyed in fighting between Sudan Armed Forces and Rapid Support Forces at Khartoum International Airport (KRT).[116]
24 May 2023: AGuizhou FTC-2000 of the Sudanese Air Force (alledgedly) crashed. The aircraft was (alledgedly) destroyed. Nobody died.[117]
2 July 2023: AMiG-29SEh of the Sudanese Air Force was destroyed. Nobody died.[118]
4 July 2023: AGuizhou FTC-2000 of the Sudanese Air Force was shot down by RSF. The aircraft was destroyed. Nobody died.[119]
21 September 2023: AMiG-29 of the Sudanese Air Force was shot down by RSF. The aircraft was destroyed. Nobody died.[120]
18 March 2024: ALockheed C-130H Hercules of the Sudanese Air Force was shot by RSF at or near Wadi Seidna Air Base (HSWS). The aircraft was damaged. Nobody died.[121]
3 October 2024: AIlyushin Il-76 was seen destroyed on satellite images on an airstrip near Al-Qurain, West Kordofan state. It might have been a Sudanese Air Force plane.[122]
21 October 2024: AIlyushin Il-76T, suspected to have belonged to Sudan Government/Sudanese Air Force crashed (RSF claimed they shot it down). The aircraft was destroyed and 5 people died.[123]
23 February 2025: AIlyushin Il-76TD of the Sudanese Air Force crashed (perhaps shot down). The aircraft was destroyed and 7 people died.[124]
25 February 2025: AAntonov An-26 of the Sudanese Air Force crashed. The aircraft was destroyed and 46 people died, at least 10 were injured.[125]
20 March 2025: ASukhoi Su-24M of the Sudanese Air Force was destroyed after being bombed by an RSF drone at Wadi Seidna Air Base (HSWS). The Su-24M aircraft was destroyed.[126]
3 April 2025: AAntonov An-12 of the Sudanese Air Force was (alledgedly) shot down by RSF near El Fasher. The aircraft was destroyed and 8 people died.[127]
10 July 2025: ABaykar Bayraktar Akinci of the Sudanese Air Force was shot down by RSF near El Fasher. The aircraft was destroyed.[128]
13 September 2025: ABaykar Bayraktar Akinci of the Sudanese Air Force was shot down by RSF. The aircraft was destroyed.[129]
7 October 2025: ABaykar Bayraktar Akinci of the Sudanese Air Force was shot down by RSF near Al Fashir. The aircraft was destroyed.[130]
4 November 2025: AIlyushin Il-76 of the Sudanese Air Force crashed (RSF claim they shot down the plane). The aircraft was destroyed and at least 5 people died.[131]
^Cooper, Tom (2018).Hot Skies Over Yemen, Volume 2: Aerial Warfare Over the South Arabian Peninsula, 1994-2017. Warwick, UK: Helion & Company Publishing. p. VI.ISBN978-1-911628-18-7.