| Malagasy Air Force | |
|---|---|
| Tafika Anabakabaka Malagasy Armée de l'air malgache | |
 | |
| Active | 1960–present |
| Country |  Madagascar |
| Type | Air force |
| Size | 14 aircraft |
| Part of | Madagascar Armed Forces |
| Garrison/HQ | Antananarivo |
| Aircraft flown | |
| Transport | Let L-410 TurboletAérospatiale Alouette IIEurocopter AS350Eurocopter EC130 |
TheMalagasy Air Force (French:Armée de l'air malgache) is the air force branch of theMadagascar Armed Forces.
The Malagasy Air Force was founded in 1960 with mainly former French aircraft such asDouglas DC-3s,Max Holste MH.1521 Broussards andDassault MD 312s.[1] As of 1970, the air force had 400 personnel on strength, and operated 10 transport aircraft, 11 liaison aircraft, three trainer aircraft and 10 helicopters.[2] The Malagasy Air Force received fourMiG-17F fighters from North Korea in 1979.
The firstMil Mi-8s were delivered in 1976, and twoAntonov An-26s followed in 1980.[3] SeveralAlouette IIIs were also received in the early 1980s.[1] At an unknown time in the 1980s, the Malagasy Air Force received 10MiG-21bis fighters and two MiG-21UM trainers. MiG-21s are confirmed to have been operational between 1990 and 2001. They rarely flew, and all of them were eventually put into storage.[4]
In 2009 the Malagasy Air Force acquired four ex-BelgianAlouette IIs. For over a decade the only aircraft operational were Alouette IIs,CASA C-212s and some old light aircraft, as the last An-26 had been retired around 2009. In 2019 the Malagasy Air Force acquired aCASA/IPTN CN-235 to help replace some of its ageing equipment[1] that was resold in 2021.
14 airplanes where destroyed inFarafangana during the 2009 Rajoelina coup,[5] including the last operable MiGs.
The Malagasy Air Force operates out of its bases atArivonimamo, near the capitalAntananarivo. There are also airports available inAntalaha,Antsohihy,Diego Suarez, Fianarantsoa, Fort Dauphin,Mahajunga, Nosy-Be,Toamasina andToliara.
| Aircraft | Origin | Type | Variant | In service | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Helicopters | |||||
| Aérospatiale Alouette II | France | Utility | 2[6] | ||
| Eurocopter AS350 | France | Utility | 2[6] | ||
| Eurocopter EC130 | France | Utility | 1[6][7] | ||