| Congolese Air Force | |
|---|---|
| Force Aérienne Congolaise | |
 Congolese Air Force roundel | |
| Founded | 1961; 64 years ago (1961) |
| Country |  Democratic Republic of the Congo |
| Type | Air force |
| Role | Aerial warfare |
| Size | 2,550 personnel[1] 53 aircraft[2] |
| Part of | Congolese Armed Forces |
| Headquarters | Ndolo Airport[3] |
| Commanders | |
| Commander-in-Chief | PresidentFélix Tshisekedi |
| Chief of Staff | Maj. Gen. Franck Ngama |
| Insignia | |
| Roundel | |
| Fin flash |  |
| Aircraft flown | |
| Attack | Sukhoi Su-25 |
| Fighter | MiG-23 |
| Attack helicopter | Mil Mi-24 |
| Cargo helicopter | Mil Mi-26 |
| Observation helicopter | Alouette III |
| Utility helicopter | Bell UH-1,Mil Mi-2,Mil Mi-8,Aérospatiale SA 330 |
| Transport | Boeing 727,Boeing 737,Douglas DC-8,Antonov An-12,Antonov An-26,Antonov An-72,Ilyushin Il-76 |
TheCongolese Air Force (French:Force Aérienne Congolaise, orFAC) is theair force branch of theArmed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (Congo-Kinshasa). From 1971 to 1997, it was known as theZairian Air Force (Force Aérienne Zaïroise, or FAZA). FAC currently possesses numerous aircraft includingSukhoi Su-25,MiG-23, andMil Mi-24.
Shortly after the Congo became independent in 1960, theprovince of Katanga seceded, and the newly formedState of Katanga began building its own army. The Katangese seized most of the aircraft operated by the Aviation de laForce Publique and created theKatangese Air Force. The Congolese Air Force was created in mid-1961 largely to oppose the new Katangese Air Force. In 1963, Katanga was defeated byUnited Nations forces inOperation Grandslam, and the remaining assets of theKatangese Armed Forces were integrated into the Congolese Air Force.[4]
ACentral Intelligence Agency (CIA)front company, Anstalt WIGMO, provided maintenance support to large parts of the FAC in the 1964–1968 period. The CIA also provided aircraft during the same period and pilots from late 1962 onwards.
In July 1970 theInstitute for Strategic Studies described theForce Aérienne Zaïroise (FAZ) as numbering 650 with 21 combat aircraft. Aircraft strength was listed as tenT-6 Texan and eightT-28 Trojan armed trainers, twoDC-4 and tenDC-3 transports, and six Alouette helicopters. The ISS said that 17MB-326GB ground attack/trainer aircraft were on order, of which about five had been received.[5]
In July 1974 theInternational Institute for Strategic Studies described the FAZ as numbering 800 personnel with 33 aircraft. The Military Balance for 1974–75 listed one fighter wing with 17 MB-326GB, 6AT-6G and 10 T-28 armed trainers, one transport wing with 9C-47, 4C-54, and 3C-130, one training wing with 8 T-6 and 12SF-260MC, and one helicopter squadron with 20Alouette II/III and 7Aérospatiale SA 330 Pumas.[6] It noted that 17Mirage V and 3 C-130H were on order.
The Air Combat Information Group states that by the mid-1980s the FAZ suffered from the same problems as the rest of theZairian Armed Forces, including lack of funding and widespread corruption.[7] According to FAZ helicopter pilotPierre Yambuya's tell-all memoir, he regularly had to perform so-called "special missions", consisting of moving prisoners to places where they were tortured or assassinated. On other occasions, he had to drop packages of up to 600kg. filled with corpses and debris in a river.[8]
In the 1980s the air force was theoretically organised into the1er Groupement Aérien, atKinshasa (N'djili Airport?), with the 19th Logistics Support Wing (C-130s and Dakotas), the 12th Liaison Wing (helicopters,MU-2Js, andCessna 310Rs) and the 13th Training Wing. The2e Groupement Aérien Tactique atKamina Air Base comprised the 21st Fighter-Attack Wing with Mirage 5s and MB.326Ks, and the 22nd Tactical Transport Wing, with 221 Squadron operating the two of three originally deliveredDHC-5 Buffalos.[9]
The extreme corruption of the force meant that Zairian aircraft were more often used for private 'business' of their fliers and their superiors[10] than operations against rebels. From an originally delivered eightDassault Mirage 5Ms,[11] only seven were left by 1988, with five being lost in different accidents. By the mid-1990s the last three were sold.Michela Wrong'sIn the Footsteps of Mr. Kurtz: Living on the Brink of Disaster in the Congo reports a story that the remaining Mirages were sold in France whilst there for maintenance, in order to finance a Zairian Air Force commander's retirement.[12]
The FAZ played little part in theFirst Congo War, with most aircraft inoperable. Some aircraft were imported and used by Serbian mercenaries, but had little operational effect.[7] The FAC has reportedly hiredGeorgian ex-military pilots to train FARDC pilots in counterinsurgency operations, who may also have participated in combat operations.[13]
Two FAC Mi-24 helicopters were shot down inRutshuru,North Kivu, byM23 rebels around January 27, 2017.[13] In 2022, the Air Force supported efforts by the FARDC to counteran offensive by M23 militants in eastern Congo.[14] In January 2023, there were media reports of an FACSu-25 being shot at over North-Eastern Congo, near the Rwanda border.[15]
As of 2007, all military aircraft in theDemocratic Republic of the Congo were operated by the Air Force. Jane's World Air Forces states that the Air Force has an estimated strength of 1,800 personnel and is organised into twoAir Groups. These Groups command fivewings and ninesquadrons, of which not all are operational. 1 Air Group is located at Kinshasa and consists of Liaison Wing, Training Wing and Logistical Wing and has a strength of five squadrons. 2 Tactical Air Group is located atKamina and consists of Pursuit and Attack Wing and Tactical Transport Wing and has a strength of four squadrons. Foreignprivate military companies have reportedly been contracted to provide the DRC's aerial reconnaissance capability using small propeller aircraft fitted with sophisticated equipment. Jane's states thatPeople's Air and Air Defence Force of Angola fighter aircraft would be made available to defend Kinshasa if it came under attack.[16]
Like the other services, the Congolese Air Force is not capable of carrying out its responsibilities. Few of the Air Force's aircraft are currently flyable or capable of being restored to service and it is unclear whether the Air Force is capable of maintaining even unsophisticated aircraft. Moreover, Jane's states that the Air Force's Ecole de Pilotage is 'in near total disarray' though Belgium has offered to restart the Air Force's pilot training program.[17]
According toFlight International 2004 andIISS Military Balance 2007 past aircraft have included theMiG-23 Flogger, theLockheed C-130 Hercules, thede Havilland Canada DHC-5 Buffalo, theNorth American T-28 Trojan, and theEurocopter AS332 Super Puma.[21][22]Jane's World Air Forces 2007 states that the Air Force operates between 9 and 22 Mil Mi-24/35s attack helicopters, and a single Mi-26. The condition of the DRC's aircraft which are not currently in service is generally so poor that they cannot be repaired and returned to flyable status.[23]The DRC's singleMil Mi-26 'Halo' was shown as a photo inAir Forces Monthly (AFM)'s July 2007 issue without obvious rust and appearing to be in good condition which was taken on April 12, 2007, atLubumbashi.[24] It was delivered in 2005. AFM says that a second Mi-26 prepared for the DRC has been stored withSkytech atLiège Airport,Belgium since at least June 2002. As of 2015 the table below displays aircraft presently in flyable condition.
A report on the Facebook page of Scramble magazine in December 2018 shows aHawker Siddeley Andover,Douglas DC-8-55F andBoeing 737 aircraft in use by the DRC-AF at Kinshasa.[25]
| Aircraft | Origin | Type | Variant | In service | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Combat aircraft | ||||||
| Sukhoi Su-25 | Russia | Attack | 6[2] | |||
| Reconnaissance | ||||||
| AHRLAC Mwari | South Africa | Reconnaissance | 6 on order[2] | |||
| Transport | ||||||
| Boeing 727 | United States | VIP transport | 1[2] | |||
| Boeing 737 | United States | Transport | 2[2] | |||
| Antonov An-26 | Soviet Union | Transport | 3[2] | |||
| Antonov An-74 | Soviet Union | Transport | 1[2] | |||
| Ilyushin Il-76 | Soviet Union | 3[2] | ||||
| N-219 | Indonesia | Utility aircraft | 5 on order[2] | |||
| Helicopters | ||||||
| Aérospatiale SA 330 | France | Utility/transport | 10[2] | |||
| Aérospatiale Gazelle | France | Utility | SA342 | 3[2] | ||
| Alouette III | France | Liaison | 2[2] | |||
| Bell UH-1 | United States | Utility | UH-1H | 3[2] | ||
| Bell 206 | United States | Utility | 2[2] | |||
| Mil Mi-2 | Poland | Utility | 2[2] | |||
| Mil Mi-8 | Soviet Union | Utility | Mi-8/17 | 6[2] | ||
| Mil Mi-24 | Soviet Union | Attack | Mi-35 | 8[2] | ||
| Mil Mi-26 | Soviet Union | Heavy lift | 1[2] | |||