| Uganda People's Defence Force Air Forces | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Founded | 1964 (Uganda's first air force) 2005 (current air force) |
| Country |  Uganda |
| Type | Air force |
| Role | Aerial warfare |
| Size | 1200 personnel[1] |
| Part of | Uganda People's Defence Force |
| Headquarters | Entebbe |
| Engagements | |
| Commanders | |
| Commander-in-Chief | PresidentYoweri Museveni |
| Chief of Air Staff | ColonelEmmanuel Kwihangana |
| Insignia | |
| Roundel |   .svg) |
| Fin flash |  |
| Flag | |
| Aircraft flown | |
| Attack | Su-30 |
| Fighter | MiG-21,Su-30 |
| Helicopter | Bell 206,Bell UH-1,Mil Mi-17,Bell Model 214ST |
| Attack helicopter | Mil Mi-24 |
| Trainer | L-39 Albatross,SF.260 |
| Transport | Cessna 208 Caravan |
Uganda People's Defence Force Air Force, more commonly known as theUgandan Air Force, is a branch of theUganda People's Defence Force. Its headquarters are located atEntebbe,Uganda. The current air force commander isCharles Lutaaya,[2] whileEmmanuel Kwihangana serves as chief of air staff.[3]
The UPDF - Air Force traces its history to 1964, when the country's first air force was established withIsraeli aid. This military branch was officially called the "UPDF - Air Force" (UPDF - AF).[4] Its first aircraft was of Israeli origin, and its initial pilots trained in Israel. As Uganda's government forged closer links with theEastern Bloc, the UAAF began to acquire more aircraft as well as support in training from theSoviet Union,Czechoslovakia, andLibya. Israeli aid initially continued as well.[5] AfterIdi Amin seized power during the1971 Ugandan coup d'état, theUganda Army, including its air force, were further expanded. At the same time, corruption and infighting increased, while foreign aid began to decline, reducing the UAAF's ability to operate.[6][7]
Much of the UAAF was destroyed inOperation Entebbe in 1976, although it was subsequently rebuilt with mainly Libyan and Soviet support.[8][9][7]
By late 1978, the UAAF was commanded byLieutenant ColonelChristopher Gore[10] and consisted of several dozenMiG-21MFs,MiG-21UMs,MiG-17s,[11] andMiG-15UTIs. Some of the available aircraft were not combat-worthy, however, and were abandoned during the Uganda–Tanzania War without seeing action.[12] The lack of spare parts especially affected the Mig-15s and MiG-17s.[13] The UAAF was split into three fighter squadrons.[13] However, the force was effectively wiped out during the 1978/1979air campaign of the Uganda–Tanzania War. Its pilots and technicians scattered, many fleeing abroad;[14][15] its aircraft were lost or taken by the Tanzanians.[16][17]
AfterIdi Amin’s overthrow and the UAAF's destruction during theUganda-Tanzania War, subsequent Ugandan governments made repeated attempts to organize a new air force. The new national military, generally known asUganda National Liberation Army (UNLA), acquired a few helicopters and organized a small air wing. A further restoration remained impossible due to lack of funding as well as renewed internal conflict, as the country plunged into a civil war known asUgandan Bush War.[18]
The Bush War was won by the rebelNational Resistance Movement (NRM) in 1986, resulting in the organization of yet another national military. The NRM government began rebuilding the air force, but the "Ugandan Peoples' Defence Forces - Air Force" remained extremely small until the 1990s, counting just 100 personnel by 1994.[19]
The modern air force, in its current form, was established in 2005 by the Defence forces Act.[20] It was formed as a statutory institute and service under the umbrella of the Uganda Defence Forces.[21]
In 2011,Emmanuel Tumusiime-Mutebile, the central bank governor, caused large volatility in theUgandan shilling when he told theFinancial Times that President Museveni had ignored technical advice against using Uganda's small foreign exchange reserves to buy newSukhoi Su-30 fighter aircraft.[22]
In June 2022, Uganda took delivery of at least threeMi-28N Havoc attack helicopters from Russia.[23]
The UPDF Air Force's mission is to defend the country's air space, and provide support to the army's operations. Other missions include:[4][24]
The Ugandan Air Force training facility is located atGulu Air Base, where pilot's undergo a five year training program[25] The Gulu airport is controlled by the Air wing of the Uganda People Defence Forces.[26] The Gulu airport is in the Gulu District.
As of 14 November 2019, the President of Uganda has set up a committee to upgrade the Gulu Airport to international standards; the construction will determine the features and installation of aircraft hangars, access routes, vehicles, water treatment systems, ground markings, parking areas, and control towers, according to the President.[27][28]
In late March of 2020, an upgrade of six training aircraft was completed at the Gulu Air Base by Ukrainian owned defense conglomerateUkrOboronProm (UOP), who had provided approximately 14 personnel including pilots, engineers, and designers. These upgrades began in 2018. The upgraded aircraft were eightAero L-39 Albatros; a training and light attack jet. Upgrades included overhauling theirAI-25TL Turbofan engines, bringing them to AI-25TLSh Standards, modernizing radio and navigation equipment, and installing solid-state BUR-4-1 flight data recorders.[29]
During the "pass out" ceremony of the 2020 pilot graduation held at Gulu Airport, the President of Uganda had pledged to begin the construction of 30,000 housing units countrywide to solve the UPDF housing shortage in the country.[27]
In March 2022, the UPDF Air Force signed amemorandum of understanding (MOU) withGovernment of India, for the latter to maintain and service Uganda's Russian-made multiroleSu-30MK2 fighter jets. The work will be carried out byHindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), based inBengaluru,India. HAL is fully owned by the Indian government. The agreement was signed at the Embassy of India to Uganda, in Uganda's capital city,Kampala.[30]
The UPDF - AF commended the Lord's Resistance Army Disarmament and Northern Uganda Recovery Act signed by PresidentBarack Obama, leading to cooperation between the Ugandan People Defence Force, Ugandan Peoples' Defence Forces - Air Force, and Air Forces Africa for establishing good partnerships and military engagement.[31] In 2018 the UPDAF promoted 107 soldiers to commissioned and higher ranks.[32]
| Aircraft | Origin | Type | Variant | In service | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Combat aircraft | ||||||
| Sukhoi Su-30 | Russia | Multirole | 5[38] | |||
| Transport | ||||||
| Cessna 208 Caravan | United States | Utility | 2[38] | |||
| Beechcraft Super King Air | United States | Utility | King Air 350 | 1[38] | ||
| Helicopters | ||||||
| Bell UH-1 Iroquois | United States | Utility | UH-1H | 5[38] | ||
| Bell 206 JetRanger | United States | Utility | 5[38] | |||
| Mil Mi-17 | Russia | Utility | 10[38] | |||
| Mil Mi-24 | Soviet Union | Attack | Mi-35 | 6[38] | ||
| Mil Mi-28 | Russia | Attack | 4[38] | 2 on order[38] | ||
| Trainer aircraft | ||||||
| Aero L-39 Albatros | Czechoslovakia | Jet trainer | L-39ZA | 12[38] | ||
The rank insignia ofcommissioned officers.
| Rank group | General / flag officers | Senior officers | Junior officers | |||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Ugandan Air Force[39] |  | |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | ||||||||||||||
| General | Lieutenant general | Major general | Brigadier | Colonel | Lieutenant colonel | Major | Captain | Lieutenant | Second lieutenant | |||||||||||||||
The rank insignia ofnon-commissioned officers andenlisted personnel.
| Rank group | Senior NCOs | Junior NCOs | Enlisted | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ugandan Air Force[39] | | | | | | | No insignia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Warrant officer class 1 | Warrant officer class 2 | Staff sergeant | Sergeant | Corporal | Lance corporal | Private (or equivalent) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
