List of air forces
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This is a list of air forces, sorted alphabetically by country, followed by a list of former countries' air forces. It includes naval air arms, army aviation corps, and coast guards. Country names in italics indicate countries that are not generally recognized internationally.
| Contents: | Top - 0–9 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z |
|---|
[edit] A
| Country | Established | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Service Indigenous nameCurrentFormer |
||||
 Abkhazia |
 |
Abkhazian Air Force | 1992 | |
 Afghanistan |
 |
Afghan National Army - Air Corps Afghan Melli-e Ourdou |
2002[1] | |
|
Air and Air Defense Force of the Islamic State of Afghanistan (Mujahideen)[2] |
|
1996-2001 | ||
|
Army Air Force of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (Taliban)[3] |
|
1996-2001 | ||
|
Air and Air Defense Force of the Islamic State of Afghanistan[4] |
|
1992-1996 | ||
|
Afghan Republican Air Force |
 |
1983-1992 | ||
|
Afghan Army Air Force[5] |
|
1980-1983 | ||
|
Afghan Republican Air Force |
|
1973-1979 | ||
|
1948-1973 | |||
|
Afghan Air Force |
|
1937-1947 | ||
|
Afghan Military Air Arm |
|
1924[6]-1929 | ||
 Albania |
 |
Albanian Air Force Forcave Ajrore |
1947 | |
 Algeria |
 |
Algerian Air Force Al Quwwat aljawwija aljaza'eriiya |
1962 | |
 Angola |
 |
People's Air and Air Defence Force of Angola Força Aérea Popular de Angola/Defesa Aérea y Antiaérea |
||
|
Angolan People's Air Force & Anti-Aircraft Defence |
|
1976-? | ||
 Argentina |
 |
Argentine Air Force Fuerza Aérea Argentina |
1945 | |
|
Servicio Aéronautico del Ejército |
|
1912-? | ||
|
Argentine Naval Aviation Comando de Aviación Naval Argentina |
1919 | ||
|
Argentine Army Aviation Comando de Aviación del Ejército Argentino |
1957 | ||
|
Coast Guard Air Division Servicio de Aviación de la Prefectura Naval Argentina |
1970s | ||
 Armenia |
 |
Armenian Air Force | 1994 | |
 Australia |
 |
Royal Australian Air Force | 1921 | |
|
Australian Air Corps |
|
1921 | ||
|
1914-1921 | |||
|
Royal Australian Navy Fleet Air Arm | 1947 | ||
|
Australian Army Aviation Corps | 1968 | ||
 Austria |
 |
Austrian Air Force Östereichische Luftstreitkräfte |
1955 | |
|
Luftwaffen Kommando Österreich |
 |
1938-1945 | ||
|
Heimwehr Flieger Korps |
|
1927-1938 | ||
|
Austro-Hungarian Air Corps |
 |
1912-1919 | ||
|
KuK. Militär-Aeronautische Anstalt |
|
1893-1912 | ||
 Azerbaijan |
 |
Azerbaijan Air Force | 1991 | |
[edit] B
| Country | Established | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Service Indigenous nameCurrentFormer |
||||
 Bahamas |
|
Royal Bahamas Defence Force Air Wing | 1981 | |
 Bahrain |
 |
Royal Bahraini Air Force | 2002 | |
|
Bahrain Ameri Air Force |
|
1987-2002 | ||
|
Bahrain Defence Force Air Wing |
|
1977-1987 | ||
 Bangladesh |
 |
Bangladeshi Air Force বাংলাদেশ বিমান বাহিনী Bangladesh Biman Bahini |
1971 | |
 Barbados |
|
Barbados Defence Force | 1981[7] | |
 Belarus |
 |
Belarus Air Force | post 1995 | |
 |
1991-1995 | |||
 Belgium |
 |
Belgian Air Force[8] Belgische Luchtmacht, Force Aérienne Belge |
1946 | |
|
Militair Vliegwezen, Aviation Militaire |
|
1915-1940 | ||
|
Compagnie des Ouvries et Aérostiers |
|
1910-1915 | ||
 Belize |
|
Belize Defence Force Air Wing | 1983 | |
 Benin |
 |
Benin Air Force Force Aérienne Populaire de Benin |
1975 | |
|
Dahomey Air Force |
|
1961-1975 | ||
 Bhutan |
|
Bhutan Air Force | ||
 Bolivia |
 |
Bolivian Air Force Fuerza Aérea Boliviana |
1923 | |
 Botswana |
 |
Botswana Defence Force Air Wing | 1977 | |
 Brazil |
 |
Brazilian Air Force Força Aérea Brasileira |
1918 | |
 |
Brazilian Naval Aviation Força Aeronaval |
1965 | ||
 |
Brazilian Army Aviation Aviação do Exército Brasileiro |
1931 | ||
|
(Roundel used during WWII) |
|
1941-1945 | ||
 Brunei |
 |
Royal Brunei Air Force Angkatan Tentera Udara Diraja Brunei |
1991 | |
|
Royal Brunei Armed Forces Air Wing |
|
1984-1991 | ||
|
Royal Brunei Malay Regiment Air Wing |
|
1965-1984 | ||
 Bulgaria |
 |
Bulgarian Air Force Български Военно въздушни Сили Bulgarski Voenno Vzdushni Sili (BVVS) |
1992 | |
|
Bulgarian Air Defense and Air Force |
 |
1961-1992 | ||
|
Bulgarian Air Defense and Air Force |
|
1952-1961 | ||
|
Bulgarian People's Air Force |
|
1948-1952 | ||
|
Bulgarian Air Force |
 |
1946-1948 | ||
|
|
 |
1945-1946 | ||
|
Royal Bulgarian Air Force |
 |
1941-1944 | ||
|
|
 |
1938[9]-1941 | ||
|
(1st Roundel) |
|
1937-1938 | ||
|
Air Army |
|
1934[10]-1937 | ||
|
Air Regiment |
|
1932-1934 | ||
|
Aeronautical Regiment |
|
1930-1932 | ||
|
Gendarmerie Air Squadron |
|
1921-1922 | ||
|
Army Aviation Corps |
|
1913-1920 | ||
|
Aeroplane Platoon |
|
1912-1913 | ||
|
Aeronautical Platoon[11] |
|
1906-1912 | ||
|
Bulgarian Naval Aviation Aviatzia Na Bulgarski Voennomorski Flot (AnBVMF) |
1990 | ||
|
Independent ASW Squadron of the Navy |
|
1959-1990 | ||
|
Bulgarian Naval Aviation |
|
1917-?? | ||
 Burkina Faso |
 |
Burkina Faso Air Force Force Aérienne de Burkina Faso |
1964 | |
 Burundi |
 |
Burundi Army Aviation Force Armée du Burundi |
1966 | |
[edit] C
| Country | Established | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Service Indigenous nameCurrentFormer |
||||
 Cambodia |
 |
Royal Cambodian Air Force Toap Akas Khemarak Phoumin Force Aérienne Royale Cambodge |
1993 | |
|
Kampuchean People's Air Force |
|
1984-1991[12] | ||
|
Air Force of the Kampuchean Liberation Army |
|
1977-1979[13] | ||
|
Khmer Air Force |
|
1970-1975 | ||
|
Royal Khmer Air Force |
|
1954-1970 | ||
 Cameroon |
 |
Cameroon Air Force Armée de l'Air du Cameroun |
1960 | |
 Canada |
 |
Canadian Forces Air Command (AIRCOM) | 1968 | |
 |
until 1968 | |||
 Cape Verde |
|
Cape Verde Air Force Forza Aérea Caboverdaine |
1982 | |
|
Cape Verde Coast Guard Guarda Costeira de Cabo Verde |
1992[14] | ||
 Central African Republic |
 |
Central African Republic Air Force Force Aérienne Centrafricaine |
1961 | |
 Chad |
 |
Chad Air Force Force Aérienne Tchadienne |
1973 | |
 Chile |
 |
Chilean Air Force Fuerza Aérea de Chile (FACh)[15] |
1930 | |
|
Chilean Military Aviation Service |
|
1910-1930 | ||
|
Chilean Naval Aviation Servicio de Aviación de la Armada de Chile (popularly, Aviación Naval) |
1953 | ||
|
Chilean Naval Aviation Service |
|
1919-1930[16] | ||
|
Chilean Army Aviation Comando de Aviación del Ejército de Chile (popularly, Aviación del Ejército) |
1970[17] | ||
 China (PRC) |
 |
People's Liberation Army Air Force 中国人民解放军空军 Zhong Guo Ren Min Jie Fang Jun Kong Jun |
1949 | |
|
Nanyuan Flying Group[18] |
|
1949 | ||
|
Red Army of China Air Force |
|
c. 1930[19] | ||
|
People's Liberation Army Naval Air Force 中国人民解放军海军航空兵 Zhong Guo Ren Min Jie Fang Jun Hai Jun Hang Kong Bing |
1953 | ||
 Taiwan (ROC) |
 |
Republic of China Air Force 中華民國空軍 Chung Hua Min Kuo Kung Chuan |
1938 | |
|
Nationalist Chinese Air Force (Central Government)[20] |
|
1925-1938 | ||
|
Chinese Aviation Ministry |
|
1920-1925? | ||
|
Chinese Aviation Service |
|
1916?-1919? | ||
|
Chinese Army Air Arm |
|
1914-1916? | ||
|
Airplane Corps of the Chinese Army |
|
1913-1914 | ||
|
Republic of China Army Aviation and Special Forces Command | 1999 | ||
|
Army Paratroops and Special Forces Command |
|
1979-1999 | ||
|
Army Aviation Command[21] |
|
1976-1979 | ||
|
Republic of China Navy Aviation Command | 1995 | ||
|
Naval Anti-Submarine Group |
|
1991-1995 | ||
|
Fleet Helicopter Squadron |
|
1977-1991 | ||
|
Chinese Naval Air Service |
|
1927-1938 | ||
 Colombia |
 |
Colombian Air Force Fuerza Aérea Colombiana |
1922 | |
|
Colombian Naval Aviation Aviación Naval |
|||
|
Colombian Army Aviation Aviación del Ejército |
|||
 Republic of the Congo[22] |
 |
Congolese Air Force L'Armée de l'Air du Congo |
1961 | |
 Dem. Rep. of the Congo[23] |
|
Congolese (DRC) Air Force Force Aérienne du Congo |
||
|
Zaire Air Force |
 |
1971-1997 | ||
 Costa Rica |
 |
Air Force of Costa Rica Servicio de Vigilancia Aérea |
||
 Côte d'Ivoire |
 |
Côte d'Ivoire Air Force Force Aérienne de la Côte d'Ivoire |
||
 Croatia |
 |
Croatian Air Force and Defense Hrvatsko Ratno Zrakoplovstvo i Protuzracna Obrana |
1991 | |
|
Croatian Inderpendent state Air Force and Defense[24] |
 |
1941-1945 | ||
 Cuba |
 |
Cuban Revolutionary Air Force[25] Fuerza Aérea Revolucionaria |
1959 | |
|
Cuban Rebel Air Force[26] |
|
1958 | ||
|
Cuban Army Air Force |
|
1952-1958 | ||
|
Cuban Army Aviation Corps |
|
1934-1952 | ||
|
Cuban Army Air Corps |
|
1915-1934 | ||
|
Cuban Army Aviation Corps |
|
1913-1915 | ||
|
Cuban Naval Aviation[27] Aviación Naval |
1934-1952 | ||
 Czech Republic |
 |
Czech Air Force Vzdušné síly armády České republiky |
1993 | |
[edit] D
| Country | Established | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Service Indigenous nameCurrentFormer |
||||
 Denmark |
 |
Royal Danish Air Force Flyvevåbnet |
1950 | |
|
Royal Danish Army Air Corps[28] |
|
1912-1950 | ||
|
Royal Danish Naval Aviation[29] |
|
1911-1950 | ||
 Djibouti |
 |
Djibouti Air Force Force Aérienne du Djibouti |
1977 | |
 Dominican Republic |
 |
Dominican Air Force Fuerza Aérea Dominicana (FAD) |
1962 | |
|
Dominican Military Aviation |
|
1957-1962 | ||
|
Dominican Air Force |
|
1955-1957 | ||
|
Dominican Military Aviation |
|
1952-1955 | ||
|
Dominican Air Force |
|
1950-1952 | ||
|
Dominican Military Aviation Corps (DMAC) |
|
1948-1950 | ||
|
Air Cavalry Squadron Escuadrón de Caballería Aérea (EdCA) |
2002 | ||
|
Air Transport Cavalry Brigade |
|
2001-2002 | ||
|
Aviation Company of the National Army |
|
1942-1948[30] | ||
|
Dominican Army Aviation Company |
|
1939-1942 | ||
|
Aviation Detachment of the National Army |
|
1936-1939 | ||
|
National Air Transport Company, Aviation Arm |
|
1934-1935 | ||
|
Aviation Company |
|
1933-1934 | ||
|
Aviation Arm of the National Army |
|
1932-1933 | ||
|
Dominican Republic Naval Aviation Corps Cuerpo de Aviación Naval Dominicana |
2003 | ||
|
Coastguard Search and Rescue Squadron |
|
1951-1952[31] | ||
[edit] E
| Country | Established | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Service Indigenous nameCurrentFormer |
||||
 Ecuador |
 |
Ecuadorian Air Force Fuerza Aérea Ecuatoriana |
1920 | |
|
Ecuadorian Naval Aviation Aviación Naval Ecuatoriana |
|||
|
Ecuadorian Army Aviation Aviación del Ejército Ecuatoriano |
|||
 Egypt |
 |
Egyptian Air Force Al Quwwat Al Jawwiya Il Misriya |
||
|
United Arab Republic Air Force |
 |
1958-1961 | ||
|
Egyptian Air Force |
 |
1952-1958 | ||
|
Royal Egyptian Air Force |
|
1937-1952 | ||
|
Egyptian Army Air Force |
|
1931-1937 | ||
 El Salvador |
 |
El Salvador Air Force Fueza Aerea Salvadorena |
||
 Eritrea |
 |
Eritrean Air Force | ||
 Estonia |
 |
Estonian Air Force Eesti Õhuvägi |
||
 Ethiopia |
 |
Ethiopian Air Force Ye Ithopya Ayer Hayl |
||
|
Imperial Ethiopian Air Force |
|
1946-? | ||
[edit] F
| Country | Established | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Service Indigenous nameCurrentFormer |
||||
 Fiji |
|
none | ||
|
1987-1998 | |||
 Finland |
 |
Finnish Air Force Suomen Ilmavoimat |
1918 | |
|
|
 |
1918-1945 | ||
|
Finnish Army Aviation Suomen Maavoimat - Helikopterilentue |
1997 | ||
|
Finnish Frontier Guard Rajavartiolaitos |
1919 | ||
|
Finnish Coast Guard |
|
1919-1944 | ||
 France |
 |
French Air Force Armée de l'Air |
1933 | |
|
Normandie-Niémen squadron |
 |
1942-1945 | ||
|
RAF squadrons 326-329 and 340-347 |
 |
1940-1945 | ||
|
French Army Aviation |
|
1910-1933 | ||
 |
French Naval Air Arm Aviation Navale |
1925 | ||
|
French Army Light Aviation Aviation Légère de l'Armée de Terre |
1954 | ||
[edit] G
| Country | Established | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Service Indigenous nameCurrentFormer |
||||
 Gabon |
 |
Gabon Air Force Armée de l'Air Gabonaise |
1961 | |
 Gambia |
|
Gambian Air Wing | ||
 Georgia |
 |
Georgian Air Force | 1990 | |
 Germany |
 |
German Air Force Luftwaffe |
1955 | |
|
East German Air Force |
 |
1956-1990 | ||
|
German Air Force |
|
1935-1945 | ||
|
1912-1919 | |||
|
Die Marinefliegerabteilung des deutschen Kaiserreiches |
|
1911-1919 | ||
|
Imperial German Army Air Service |
|
1910-1919 | ||
|
1909-1917 | |||
|
German Naval Aviation Marineflieger |
1955 | ||
|
German Army Aviators Corps Heeresfliegertruppe |
1955 | ||
 Ghana |
 |
Ghana Air Force | 1959 | |
 Greece |
 |
Greek Air Force Πολεμική Αεροπορία Polemiki Aeroporia |
1930 | |
|
Greek Army Aviation Αεροπορία Στρατού Aeroporia Stratou |
1956 | ||
|
Greek Naval Aviation Πολεμική Ναυτικο Polemiko Navtiko |
1976 | ||
|
Greek Coast Guard Λιμενικό Σώμα Limeniko Soma |
|||
 Guatemala |
 |
Guatemalan Air Force Fuerza Aérea Guatemalteca |
||
 Guinea |
 |
Guinea Air Force Force Aérienne de Guinée |
1959 | |
 Guinea-Bissau |
 |
Guinea-Bissau Air Force Força Aérea da Guiné-Bissau |
1978 | |
 Guyana |
 |
Guyana Defence Force | 1968 | |
[edit] H
| Country | Established | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Service Indigenous nameCurrentFormer |
||||
 Haiti |
|
Haiti Air Corps Corps d'Aviation d'Garde d'Haiti |
1942 | |
 Honduras |
|
Honduran Air Force Fuerza Aérea Hondureña |
||
 Hungary |
 |
Hungarian Air Force Magyar Légierő |
1939 | |
[edit] I
| Country | Established | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Service Indigenous nameCurrentFormer |
||||
 Iceland |
|
Iceland Air Defense System Íslenska Loftvarnarkerfið |
1987 | |
 |
Icelandic Coast Guard Aeronautical Division Landhelgisgæsla Íslands |
1955 | ||
 India |
 |
Indian Air Force भारतीय वायु सेना Bharatiya Vayu Sena |
1950 | |
|
1945-50 | |||
|
Indian Air Force |
|
1932-?1945 | ||
|
Army Aviation Corps | 1986 | ||
|
Naval Air Arm | 1953 | ||
|
Indian Coast Guard Air Wing Bharatiya Tatarakshak Dal |
1978 | ||
 Indonesia |
 |
Indonesian Air Force Tentara Nasional Indonesia Angkatan Udara (TNI-AU) |
1974 | |
|
Republic of Indonesia Air Force |
|
1946-1974 | ||
|
Indonesian Naval Aviation Dinas Penerbangan TNI Angkatan Laut (TNI-AL) |
1974 | ||
|
Indonesian Naval Aviation Service |
|
1956-1974 | ||
|
Indonesian Army Aviation Dinas Penerbangan TNI Angkatan Darat (TNI-AD) |
1974 | ||
|
Indonesian Army Aviation Service |
|
1959-1974 | ||
 Iran |
 |
Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force نیروی هوایی ارتش جمهوری اسلامی ایران |
1979 | |
|
Imperial Iranian Air Force |
|
1925-1979 | ||
 Iraq |
 |
Iraqi Air Force Al Quwwat al-Jawwiya al-Iraqiya |
1958 | |
|
Royal Iraqi Air Force |
|
1931-?1958 | ||
 Republic of Ireland |
 |
Irish Air Corps Aer-Chór na h-Éireann |
1922 | |
 Israel |
 |
Israeli Air Force חיל האוויר Heyl Ha'Avir |
1948 | |
|
Haganah Sherut Avir |
|
1947-1948 | ||
 Italy |
 |
Italian Air Force[32] Aeronautica Militare |
1946 | |
|
Italian Co-Belligerent Air Force |
|
1943-1946 | ||
|
Aviazione Nazionale Repubblicana [33] |
 |
1943-1944 | ||
 |
1923-1943 | |||
|
Royal Naval Aviation |
|
1912-1923 | ||
|
Military Aeronautical Corps |
|
1911-1923 | ||
|
Balloon Corps |
|
1884-?1911 | ||
|
Italian Naval Aviation Aviazione Navale |
1956 | ||
|
Italian Army Aviation Cavalleria dell'Aria |
1951 | ||
|
Air Service of the Italian Paramilitary Police Force Nucleo Elicotteri Carabinieri |
1965 | ||
| For Ivory Coast, see Côte d'Ivoire above. | ||||
[edit] J
| Country | Established | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Service Indigenous nameCurrentFormer |
||||
 Jamaica |
 |
Jamaican Defence Force | 1963 | |
|
Jamaica Air Squadron |
|
1963 | ||
 Japan |
 |
Japan Air Self-Defense Force[35] 航空自衛隊 Nihon Koku-Jieitai |
1954 | |
|
Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force Kaijo Jieitai |
|||
|
Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service[36] |
 |
1910-1945 | ||
|
Japan Ground Self-Defense Force Rikujo Jieitai |
|||
|
Imperial Japanese Army Air Service |
|
1910-1945 | ||
 Jordan |
 |
Royal Jordanian Air Force Al Quwwat al-Jawwiya Almalakiya al-Urduniya |
1955 | |
|
Arab Legion Air Force |
|
1946-? | ||
[edit] K
| Country | Established | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Service Indigenous nameCurrentFormer |
||||
 Kazakhstan |
|
Kazakhstan Air Defense Force Sil Vozdushnoy Oborony Respubliki Kazakhstan |
1992 | |
 Kenya |
 |
Kenya Air Force | 1964 | |
 North Korea |
 |
Korean People's Army Air Force | 1955 | |
 South Korea |
 |
Republic of Korea Air Force 대한민국 공군 (大韓民國空軍) Daehan Minguk Gonggun |
1949 | |
 Kuwait |
 |
Kuwait Air Force Al-Quwwat al-Jawwiya al-Kuwaitiya |
1988 | |
|
Kuwait Air Force and Air Defense |
|
1961 | ||
 Kyrgyzstan |
|
Kyrgyzstan Air Force | 1991 | |
[edit] L
| Country | Established | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Service Indigenous nameCurrentFormer |
||||
 Laos |
|
Laotian Air Force | ||
 Latvia |
 |
Latvian Air Force Latvijas Gaisaspeki |
1991 | |
|
|
 |
1926-1940 | ||
 Lebanon |
 |
Lebanese Air Force Al Quwwat al-Jawwiya al-Lubnamia |
||
 Lesotho |
|
Lesotho Defence Force | ||
 Liberia |
|
Liberian Army Air Wing | ||
 Libya |
 |
Libyan Air Force Al Quwwatal Jawwiya al Jamahiriya al Arabia al Libyya |
1978 | |
|
Libyan Arab Republic Air Force |
 |
1969-?1978 | ||
|
Royal Libyan Air Force |
 |
1951-?1969 | ||
 Lithuania |
 |
Lithuanian Air Force Karinės Oro Pajėgos |
1992 | |
 Luxembourg |
 |
NATO Airborne Early Warning Force | ||
[edit] M
| Country | Established | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Service Indigenous nameCurrentFormer |
||||
 Republic of Macedonia |
 |
Macedonian Air Force and Air Defense Force Военно Воздухопловство и Противвоздушна Одбрана Voeno Vozduhoplovstvo i Protivvozdushna Odbrana |
1992 | |
 Madagascar |
 |
Malagasy Air Force Armée de l'Air Malgache |
||
 Malawi |
|
Malawi Army Air Wing | ||
 Malaysia |
 |
Royal Malaysian Air Force Tentera Udara Diraja Malaysia |
1963 | |
|
Royal Malayan Air Force |
|
1958-1963 | ||
 Mali |
|
Mali Air Force Force Aérienne de la République du Mali |
||
 Malta |
 |
Armed Forces of Malta No.2 Regiment – Air Squadron | 1992 | |
 Mauritania |
 |
Mauritanian Air Force Force Aérienne de la Islamique de Mauritanie |
||
 Mauritius |
|
Mauritius Coast Guard | ||
 Mexico |
 |
Mexican Air Force Fuerza Aérea Mexicana |
1913 | |
|
Mexican Naval Aviation Fuerza Aeronaval |
|||
 Moldova |
|
Moldovan Air Force | ||
 Mongolia |
|
Mongolian Air Defense Forces Command Agaaryn Dovtolgoonoos Khamgaalakh Tsergiyn Komandlal |
||
 Montenegro |
 |
Montenegrin Air Force Vazdušne snage Crne Gore |
2006 | |
 Morocco |
 |
Royal Moroccan Air Force Alkowat al malakiya al jawiya (Force Aérienne Royale Marocaine) |
1961 | |
|
Sherifan Royal Aviation |
|
1956-1961 | ||
 Mozambique |
|
Mozambique Air Force Força Aérea de Moçambique |
||
 Myanmar |
 |
Myanmar Air Force Tatmdaw Lei |
1947 | |
[edit] N
| Country | Established | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Service Indigenous nameCurrentFormer |
||||
 Namibia |
|
Namibian Air Force | ||
 Nepal |
|
Royal Nepal Army Air Wing | ||
 Netherlands |
 |
Royal Netherlands Air Force[37] Koninklijke Luchtmacht |
1953 | |
|
|
 |
1939-1940 | ||
|
Luchtvaartafdeeling |
|
1913-1940 | ||
|
Netherlands Naval Aviation Marineluchtvaartdienst |
1917 | ||
 New Zealand |
 |
Royal New Zealand Air Force[38][39] | 1934 | |
|
New Zealand Squadrons of the RAF Nos. 75, 485, 486, 487, 488, 489, 490 |
|
1939-1945 | ||
|
New Zealand Territorial Air Force |
|
1930-1957 | ||
|
1923-1934 | |||
|
New Zealand Army Flying Corps |
|
1913-?1923 | ||
 Nicaragua |
|
Nicaraguan Air Force Fuerza Aérea de Nicaragua |
||
 Niger |
 |
Niger Air Force Force Aérienne du Niger |
||
 Nigeria |
 |
Nigerian Air Force | ||
 Norway |
 |
Royal Norwegian Air Force Kongelige Norske Luftforsvaret |
1944 | |
|
Royal Air Force squadrons 331 and 332 |
|
1942-1945 | ||
|
Army Air Service Hærens Flyvevesen |
1915-1944 | ||
|
Naval Air Service Marinens Flyvevesen |
1916-1944 | ||
[edit] O
| Country | Established | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Service Indigenous nameCurrentFormer |
||||
 Oman |
|
Royal Air Force of Oman (RAFO) Al Quwwat al-Jawwiya al-Sultanya al-Omanya |
1990 | |
|
Sultan of Oman's Air Force (SOAF) |
|
1959-1990 | ||
 OECS[40] |
|
Regional Security System | 1999 | |
[edit] P
| Country | Established | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Service Indigenous nameCurrentFormer |
||||
 Pakistan |
 |
Pakistani Air Force پاکستانی فضائيہ |
1956 | |
|
Royal Pakistani Air Force |
|
1947-1956 | ||
|
Army Aviation Wing | 1958 | ||
|
Pakistan Navy Air Arm | 1973 | ||
 Panama |
 |
Panamanian Air Force Servicio Aéreo Nacional |
1983 | |
 Papua New Guinea |
|
Papua New Guinea Defence Force | 1974 | |
 Paraguay |
|
Paraguay Air Force Aeronautica Militar Paraguaya |
1989 | |
 Peru |
 |
Peruvian Air Force Fuerza Aérea del Perú |
1950 | |
|
Peruvian Aeronautical Corps |
|
1936-1950 | ||
|
Peruvian Aviation Corps |
|
1929-1936 | ||
|
Peruvian Naval Aviation Fuerza Aviación Naval |
1980 | ||
|
Aeronaval Service |
|
1963-1980 | ||
|
Peruvian Army Aviation Aviación del Ejército |
1977 | ||
|
Army Light Aviation Group |
|
1973-1977 | ||
 Philippines |
 |
Philippine Air Force Hukbong Himpapawid ng Pilipinas |
1947 | |
 Poland |
 |
Polish Air Force Siły Powietrzne Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej |
1993 | |
|
|
 |
1947-1993 | ||
|
Soviet Air Force's Ludowe Lotnictwo Polskie |
|
1943-1946 | ||
|
RAF squadrons 300-309, 315-318 and 663 |
|
1940-1947 | ||
|
Forces Aerienes Polonaises |
|
1940 | ||
|
Wojska Lotnicze |
|
1918-1939 | ||
|
Polish Army Aviation Lotnictwo Wojsk Lądowych |
1994 | ||
|
Polish Naval Aviation Lotnictwo Marynarki Wojennej |
1947 | ||
 Portugal |
 |
Portuguese Air Force Força Aérea Portuguesa |
1952 | |
|
Army Air Service |
|
1924-?1952 | ||
|
Military Aeronautical Service |
|
1914-?1924 | ||
|
Balloon Corps |
|
1911-?1914 | ||
|
Navy Helicopter Squadron Esquadrilha de Helicópteros da Marinha |
1993 | ||
|
Portuguese Naval Aviation |
|
1957-?1993 | ||
|
Formerly Aeronaval Forces |
|
1952-1957 | ||
|
Naval Aeronautical Service |
|
1918-?1952 | ||
|
Naval Aviation Service |
|
1917-1918 | ||
[edit] Q
| Country | Established | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Service Indigenous nameCurrentFormer |
||||
 Qatar |
 |
Qatar Emiri Air Force | 1968 | |
[edit] R
| Country | Established | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Service Indigenous nameCurrentFormer |
||||
 Romania |
 |
Romanian Air Force Fortele Aeriene Române |
1989 | |
|
Aeronautica Regalâ Românã |
|
|||
 Russia |
|
Russian Air Force Военно-воздушные cилы России Voyenno-Vozdushnye Sily Rossii |
1991 | |
|
Soviet Air Force |
|
1918-1991 | ||
|
Imperial Russian Air Force |
 |
1910-1917 | ||
|
Russian Naval Aviation Авиация Военно-Морского Флота Aviatsiya Voyenno-Morskogo Flota |
|||
 Rwanda |
 |
Rwandan Air Force Force Aérienne Rwandaise |
||
[edit] S
| Country | Established | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Service Indigenous nameCurrentFormer |
||||
 Saudi Arabia |
 |
Royal Saudi Air Force Al Quwwat al Jawwiya as Sa'udiya |
1950 | |
 Senegal |
 |
Senegalese Air Force Armée de l'Air du Sénégal |
1960 | |
 Serbia |
 |
Serbian Air Force Srpsko Vazduhoplovstvo i PVO |
2006[41] | |
|
Serbian Military Air Service |
|
1913-18[42] | ||
|
Serbian Aviation Service Aircraft Command |
|
1912-13 | ||
 Seychelles |
|
Coast Guard Air Wing (Seychelles) | 1980 | |
 Sierra Leone |
 |
Sierra Leone Defence Force | 1973 | |
 Singapore |
 |
Republic of Singapore Air Force Tentera Udara Singapura |
1971 | |
 Slovakia |
 |
Slovak Air Force Velitelstvo Vzdušnych Sil |
1993 | |
|
Slovenske Vzdusne Zbrane |
|
1939-1944 | ||
 Slovenia |
 |
Slovenian Air Force Vojaško letalstvo in zracna obramba Slovenske vojske |
||
 Somalia |
 |
Somali Air Corps Cuerpo Aeronautica della Somalia |
1991 | |
 South Africa |
 |
South African Air Force Suid-Afrikaanse Lugmag |
1920 | |
|
South African Aviation Corps |
|
1915-?1920 | ||
 Spain |
 |
Spanish Air Force Ejército del Aire |
1939 | |
|
Fuerzas Aérea Republicanas |
|
1936-?1939 | ||
|
Aeronáutica Militar |
|
|||
|
Aeronáutica Militar Española |
|
1911-?1936 | ||
|
Servicio Militar de Aerostacion |
|
1896-?1911 | ||
|
Spanish Army Aviation Fuerzas Aeromóviles del Ejército de Tierra |
1973 | ||
|
Spanish Naval Aviation Arma Aérea de la Armada |
1954 | ||
|
Aeronáutica Naval |
|
1917-1936 | ||
 Sri Lanka |
 |
Sri Lanka Air Force | 1971 | |
|
Royal Ceylon Air Force |
|
1951-?1971 | ||
 Sudan |
 |
Sudanese Air Force Al Quwwat al-Jawwiya As-Sudaniya |
1956 | |
 Suriname |
 |
Suriname Air Force Surinaamse Luchtmacht |
1982 | |
 Swaziland |
|
Swazi Air Force | 1979 | |
 Sweden |
 |
Swedish Air Force Svenska Flygvapnet |
1926 | |
|
Aircraft Coy of the Signal Corps |
|
1912-1926 | ||
|
Naval Air Service |
|
1911-1926 | ||
|
Defence Helicopter Wing[43] Försvarsmaktens Helikopterflottilj |
1998-2003 | ||
|
Swedish Army Aviation |
|
1954-1998 | ||
|
Swedish Naval Aviation |
|
1958-1998 | ||
 Switzerland |
 |
Swiss Air Force Schweizer Luftwaffe Forces Aériennes Suisses Forze Aeree Svizzere |
1946 | |
|
Independent service under the Swiss Federal Military Department |
 |
1936-1946 | ||
|
Swiss Army Aviation |
|
1914-1936 | ||
 Syria |
|
Syrian Air Force Al Quwwat al-Jawwiya al Arabiya as-Souriya |
1961 | |
|
|
 |
1948-1958 | ||
[edit] T
| Country | Established | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Service Indigenous nameCurrentFormer |
||||
| For Taiwan, see Republic of China above. | ||||
 Tajikistan |
|
Tajik Air Force | ||
 Tanzania |
 |
Tanzanian Air Force Jeshi la Anga la Wananchi wa Tanzania |
||
 Thailand |
 |
Royal Thai Air Force Kongtap Agard Thai |
||
 Togo |
 |
Togolese Air Force Force Aérienne Togolaise |
||
 Trinidad and Tobago |
|
Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force Air Guard | 1966 | |
 Tunisia |
 |
Tunisian Air Force Al Quwwat al-Jawwiya al-Jamahiriyah at'Tunisia |
||
 Turkey |
 |
Turkish Air Force Türk Hava Kuvvetleri |
1944 | |
|
Turkish Ministry of Defense, |
|
1928-1944 | ||
|
Turkish Air Force Inspectorate |
|
1922-1928 | ||
|
Turkish Air Force General Directorate |
|
1921-1922 | ||
|
Turkish Army Air Service |
|
1920-1921 | ||
|
Ottoman Air Force Inspectorate |
|
1918-1920 | ||
|
Ottoman Aviation Affairs Inspectorate |
|
1915-1918 | ||
|
Ottoman Aviation Organization Inspectorate |
|
1914-1915 | ||
|
Ottoman Aviation Commission |
|
1911-1914 | ||
|
Turkish Land Force Aviation Türk Kara Kuvvetleri Havacılığı |
1948 | ||
|
Turkish Naval Aviation Türk Donanma Havacılığı |
1971 | ||
|
Ottoman Naval Aviation Academy and Service |
|
1914-1919 | ||
|
Turkish Coast Guard Aviation Türk Sahil Güvenlik Havacılığı |
1993 | ||
 Turkmenistan |
|
Turkmenistan Air Force | ||
[edit] U
| Country | Established | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Service Indigenous nameCurrentFormer |
||||
 Uganda |
 |
Ugandan Air Force | ||
 Ukraine |
 |
Ukrainian Air Force Військово-Повітряні Сили України Viys'kovo-Povitriani Syly Ukrayiny |
||
|
Ukrainian Naval Aviation Авіація Військово-Морських Сил Aviatsiya Viys'kovo-Mors'kykh Syl |
|||
 United Arab Emirates |
 |
United Arab Emirates Air Force[44] | ||
 United Kingdom |
|
Royal Air Force | 1918 | |
|
1914-1918 | |||
|
1912-1918 | |||
|
Fleet Air Arm[45] | 1937 | ||
|
Army Air Corps[45] | 1942 | ||
 United States |
 |
United States Air Force | 1947 | |
|
|
 |
1947-1990? | ||
 |
1943-1947 | |||
|
|
 |
1942-1943 | ||
|
|
 |
1941-1942 | ||
|
1926-1941 | |||
 |
1917-1926 | |||
|
1907 | |||
|
Army Aviation | 1947 | ||
|
U.S. Naval Aviation | 1911 | ||
|
|
|
1947-1990? | ||
|
|
|
1943-1947 | ||
|
|
|
1942-1943 | ||
|
|
|
1926-1942 | ||
|
Marine Corps Aviation | |||
|
Air National Guard | 1947 | ||
 Uruguay |
|
Uruguayan Air Force Fuerza Aérea Uruguaya |
||
 Uzbekistan |
|
Uzbek Air Force | ||
[edit] V
| Country | Established | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Service Indigenous nameCurrentFormer |
||||
 Venezuela |
|
Venezuelan Air Force Fuerza Aérea Venezolana |
1949 | |
|
Venezuelan Army Aviation Servicio Aéreo del Ejército Venezolana |
1970 | ||
|
Venezuelan Naval Aviation Aviación de la Marina Venezolana |
1922 | ||
|
National Guard of Venezuela Comando de Apoyo Aéreo de Guardia Nacional |
1999 | ||
 Vietnam |
 |
Vietnamese Air Force Khong Quan Nhan Dan Viet Nam |
||
|
Cochin China Air Force |
|
1941-1945 | ||
[edit] Y
| Country | Established | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Service Indigenous nameCurrentFormer |
||||
 Yemen |
 |
Yemen Air Force | ||
[edit] Z
| Country | Established | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Service Indigenous nameCurrentFormer |
||||
 Zambia |
 |
Zambian Air Force and Air Defence Command | 1968 | |
|
Zambia Air Wing |
|
1964-1968 | ||
 Zimbabwe |
 |
Air Force of Zimbabwe | 1980 | |
|
1970-1979 | |||
|
1954-1970 | |||
|
1939-1954 | |||
|
1935-1939 | |||
[edit] Former countries
| Country | Established | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Service Indigenous nameCurrentFormer |
||||
 Biafra |
|
Biafran Air Force |
1967-1970 | |
 Czechoslovakia |
|
Czechoslovak Air Force[46] Češkoslovenske Vojenske Letectvo |
1945-1993 | |
|
Czechoslovak Army Air Force |
|
1918-1939 | ||
 East Germany |
|
East German Air Force Luftstreitkräfte und Luftverteidigung der Deutschen Demokratischen Republik |
1956-1990 | |
 North Yemen |
 |
Yemen Arab Republic Air Force | 1967-1990 | |
 South Vietnam |
 |
Vietnam Air Force Khong Quan Viet Nam |
1954-1975 | |
 South Yemen |
 |
South Yemen Air Force | 1967-1990 | |
 Soviet Union |
|
Soviet Air Force Военно-воздушные силы |
1930-1991 | |
|
Workers' and Peasants' Red Air Fleet |
|
1918-1930 | ||
 United Arab Republic |
|
United Arab Republic Air Force | 1958-1961 | |
|
Egyptian Air Force |
|
1952-1958 | ||
|
Syrian Air Force |
|
1948-1958 | ||
 Yugoslavia/ Yugoslavia / FR Yugoslavia (FRY) |
 |
Air Force of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia / Serbia and Montenegro JRV/RV SCG |
1991-2006[47] | |
|
SFR Yugoslav Air Force[48] |
 |
1945-1991 | ||
|
Yugoslav Royal Air Force |
 |
1930-1941 | ||
|
Yugoslav Army Aviation Department |
|
1918-1929 | ||
|
Navy Aviation of FRY/ Serbia and Montenegro Mornarička Aviacija SRJ/SCG |
1991-2006[49] | ||
|
Navy Aviation of SFR Yugoslav |
|
1950-1991 | ||
 Zaire (now Democratic Republic of Congo) |
|
Zaire Air Force | 1971-1997 | |
[edit] Notes
- ^ Operations resumed in 2002, but the new name may not have been applied until the after the 2003 defense reforms were promulgated.
- ^ As they continued the fight against the Taliban, the Mujahideen leaders individually retained the trappings of elements of the Islamic State of Afghanistan. Most of the country's military aircraft not captured by the Taliban were retained by factions remaining aligned with former President Burhanuddin Rabbani. These groups would later form the 'United Islamic Front', which is more commonly known as the 'Northern Alliance'.
- ^ Little is known about the Taliban regime's air force establishment.
- ^ The pro-Soviet regime collapsed in late April 1992 and was succeeded by the UN-sponsored government, the "Islamic State of Afghanistan", led by Burhanuddin Rabbani until overthrown by the Taliban in September 1996.
- ^ Soviet Union-installed regime.
- ^ Official establishment occurred in 1924, but the AMAA received its first aircraft in 1921 (aside from some captured in 1919).
- ^ Date first aircraft obtained; the Barbados Defence Force itself was established in 1979.
- ^ Preceded by RAF Squadrons 349 and 350 (1942-1946).
- ^ The indicated roundel was introduced in 1938.
- ^ Clandestine air squadrons were actually formed as early as 1927.
- ^ Operated balloons
- ^ The KPAF's name was changed to "Cambodian People's Air Force" in 1989, following the restoration of the nation's former name of Cambodia. In 1992, the PKAF was briefly resurrected as the "State of Cambodia Air Force", but it never actually became operational under that title.
- ^ The Vietnamese invasion of 1979 resulted in the forcible disbandment of the AFKLA; formation of a successor force did not begin until 1984.
- ^ The Cape Verde Coast Guard received its first aircraft in November 1992; its actual date of formation is unknown at this time.
- ^ The Fuerza Aérea de Chile was briefly named Fuerza Aérea Nacional in 1930.
- ^ The year 1919, when its first aircraft were received, is the traditional establishment date of Chile's Aviación Naval (the name by which it is still popularly referred); however, it was not officially established and recognized as a branch within the Navy until 1923.
- ^ When Chile's unified national air force was dissolved in 1953, the Army did not regain an air arm of its own. Disappointment with this outcome led to the founding of the Club Aéreo del Personal del Ejército (Army Personnel Aero Club) in 1959. Although never formally established as an air arm, it nevertheless served as an important and foundational predecessor to the modern CAEC.
- ^ The NFG was formed in the summer of 1949 for the air defense of Beijing, but was replaced by the PLAAF in November of that year.
- ^ On 28 February 1930, the Red Army captured a Nationalist Chinese O2U-4 Corsair reconnaissance aircraft that had been forced to land due to having run out of fuel; given a red star and named after Lenin, it was later used against the Nationalist government. This may have been the first aircraft in the Red Army. Small numbers of captured aircraft were also used against the Japanese during World War II, but the first regular Communist Chinese air force would be organized as the Nanyuan Flying Group in 1949.
- ^ Information on the organization of Chinese military aviation prior to 1925, when the Kuomintang began establishing its Aviation Bureaus around China, is very spotty as many records have been lost during the conflicts raging from 1931-1949 and the subsequent Cultural Revolution; in fact, during most of these earlier years, China fielded multiple air forces, most being the personal air arms of various warlords — some allied with the national government and some not. During WWII (which began for the Chinese with the Japanese invasion of Manchuria in 1931), the Japanese established a number of puppet governments, several of which were permitted to field small air forces.
- ^ Although a formal aviation arm was not stood up until 1979, the ROC Army created an Aviation Section for each of its two corps and an Aviation Platoon for its General Headquarters in 1956.
- ^ Also known as Congo-Brazzaville.
- ^ Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), also known as Congo-Kinshasa.
- ^ Kroatische Luftwaffen LegionPreceded by the German-controlled Kroatische Luftwaffen Legion (KG-5/JG-4, 1941-1945) during World War II.
- ^ Full formal name is the Cuban Air Defense and Revolutionary Air Force (Defensa Anti-Aérea y Fuerza Aérea Revolucionaria).
- ^ Established by Fidel Castro in 1958, but operations with a captured Aviación Naval aircraft began the previous year.
- ^ Split off from the Cuban air force in 1934, but remerged in 1952 reorganization.
- ^ Army aviation was resurrected from 1971-2003 as Hærens Flyvetjeneste (HFT) — Royal Danish Army Flying Service. Now placed under the Air Force as Squadron 724.
- ^ Naval aviation was resurrected from 1962-2003 as Søværnets Flyvetjeneste (SVF) — Royal Danish Navy Flying Service. Now placed under the Air Force as Squadron 728.
- ^ In early 1948, Army aviation became an independent and separate service as the Dominican Military Aviation Corps (DMAC) El Cuerpo de Aviación Militar Dominicana (CAMD/AMD). The Army regained an air arm of its own in 2001.
- ^ At the beginning of 1951, the Navy was authorized to establish its own aviation arm, but it was absorbed into the Air Force the following year. The Navy regained an air arm of its own in 2003.
- ^ Also uses a low-visibility roundel:
- ^ Flank roundel:
- ^ Conglomerate of the Aviazione della Règia Marina and Corpo Aeronautico Militare. Flank insignia (click to enlarge):
- ^ Patterned on the US Air Force.
- ^ Also used the Imperial Japanese Navy's ensign:
- ^ Preceded by RAAF squadrons 18, 119 and 120 (1942-1946) and RAF squadrons 320, 321 and 322 (1940-1945).
- ^ Includes Royal New Zealand Navy aircraft as No. 6 Squadron and formerly No. 6 Squadron.
- ^ Also included RAF squadrons 75 and 485-490 during World War II.
- ^ Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States
- ^ The Serbian-Montenegrin union of Yugoslavia was dissolved in 2006 and the former nation's military assets were divided between them.
- ^ After World War I, Serbia was united with other Balkan states into the Kingdom of Yugoslavia.
- ^ Merged with Swedish Air Force 2003
- ^ Includes the Dubai Defence Force Air Wing (formed 1971); Abu Dhabi Army Air Wing (formed 1968); and Abu Dhabi Air Force (formed 1972).[citation needed]
- ^ a b Formerly part of the Royal Air Force.
- ^ Preceded and supported by RAF squadrons 310-313 (1940-1946) and the Soviet Air Force's 1st Czech Fighter Regiment[citation needed].
- ^ Montenegro voted to secede from the FRY in 2006 and the union with Serbia was dissolved, with FRY military assets being divided between the (now) two nations.
- ^ Preceded by the Partizanska Eskadrila NOVJ and RAF squadrons 351 and 352 (the RAF Balkan Air Force, 1942-1945)
- ^ Montenegro voted to secede from the FRY in 2006 and the union with Serbia was dissolved, with FRY military assets being divided between the (now) two nations.
[edit] External links
- (French) (English) Cocardes du monde entier - Roundels of the World
- http://www.xairforces.com
Timeline of aviation
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Notable military accidents and incidents · Notable airline accidents and incidents · Famous aviation-related deaths
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