The
Cameroon Air Force is the
air forceAn air force, also known in some countries as an air army or historically an army air corps, is in the broadest sense, the national military that primarily conducts aerial warfare...
of the
AfricaAfrica is the world's second-largest and second most-populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area. With a billion people in 61 territories, it accounts for about 14.8% of the...
n nation of
CameroonThe Republic of Cameroon is a unitary republic of central and western Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west; Chad to the northeast; the Central African Republic to the east; and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Republic of the Congo to the south. Cameroon's coastline lies on the Bight of...
. The Cameroon Air Force, along with the Cameroon Army, the Cameroon Navy (including the Naval Infantry), the National Gendarmerie, and the Presidential Guard make up the
Cameroonian Armed ForcesThe Cameroonian military generally has been an apolitical force dominated by civilian control. Traditional dependence on the French defense capability, although reduced, continues to be the case as French military advisers remain closely involved in preparing the Cameroonian forces for deployment...
.
The Cameroon Air Force has bases are located in
GarouaGaroua is the capital of the North Province of Cameroon, lying on the Benue River. The city has an estimated 490,000 inhabitants and is an important river port.- Overview :...
, Koutaba,
YaoundéYaoundé is the capital city of Cameroon and second largest city in the country after Douala. It lies in the centre of the nation at about 750 metres above sea level.-History:...
,
DoualaDouala is the largest city in Cameroon and the capital of Cameroon's Littoral Province. Home to Cameroon's largest port and its major international airport, Douala Airport, it is the commercial capital of the country. Consequently, it handles most of the country's major exports, such as oil,...
and
BamendaBamenda, also known as Abakwa and Mankon Town, is a city in northwestern Cameroon and capital of the North West Province. The city has an estimated 446,000 inhabitants and is located 366 km north-west of the Cameroonian capital, Yaoundé...
.
- General, General d' Armee Aerienne
- Lieutenant General, General de Corps D'Armee Aerienne
- Major General, General de Division Aerienne
- Brigadier General, General de Brigade Aerienne
- Colonel, Colonel
- Lieutenant Colonel, Lieutenant Colonel
- Major, Commandant
- Captain, Capitaine
- 1st Lieutenant, Lieutenant
- 2nd Lieutenant, Sous-lieutenant
- Master Sergeant, Sergent-chef
- Sergeant, Sergent
- Master Corporal, Caporal-chef
- Corporal, Caporal
Private 1st Class,
Soldat de 1ere Clase
The Cameroon Air Force was established in August 1960.
All Cameroonian military aircraft are under control of the air force.
The
Cameroon Air Force is the
air forceAn air force, also known in some countries as an air army or historically an army air corps, is in the broadest sense, the national military that primarily conducts aerial warfare...
of the
AfricaAfrica is the world's second-largest and second most-populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area. With a billion people in 61 territories, it accounts for about 14.8% of the...
n nation of
CameroonThe Republic of Cameroon is a unitary republic of central and western Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west; Chad to the northeast; the Central African Republic to the east; and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Republic of the Congo to the south. Cameroon's coastline lies on the Bight of...
. The Cameroon Air Force, along with the Cameroon Army, the Cameroon Navy (including the Naval Infantry), the National Gendarmerie, and the Presidential Guard make up the
Cameroonian Armed ForcesThe Cameroonian military generally has been an apolitical force dominated by civilian control. Traditional dependence on the French defense capability, although reduced, continues to be the case as French military advisers remain closely involved in preparing the Cameroonian forces for deployment...
.
Organization
The Cameroon Air Force has bases are located in
GarouaGaroua is the capital of the North Province of Cameroon, lying on the Benue River. The city has an estimated 490,000 inhabitants and is an important river port.- Overview :...
, Koutaba,
YaoundéYaoundé is the capital city of Cameroon and second largest city in the country after Douala. It lies in the centre of the nation at about 750 metres above sea level.-History:...
,
DoualaDouala is the largest city in Cameroon and the capital of Cameroon's Littoral Province. Home to Cameroon's largest port and its major international airport, Douala Airport, it is the commercial capital of the country. Consequently, it handles most of the country's major exports, such as oil,...
and
BamendaBamenda, also known as Abakwa and Mankon Town, is a city in northwestern Cameroon and capital of the North West Province. The city has an estimated 446,000 inhabitants and is located 366 km north-west of the Cameroonian capital, Yaoundé...
.
General officers
- General, General d' Armee Aerienne
- Lieutenant General, General de Corps D'Armee Aerienne
- Major General, General de Division Aerienne
- Brigadier General, General de Brigade Aerienne
Other officers
- Colonel, Colonel
- Lieutenant Colonel, Lieutenant Colonel
- Major, Commandant
- Captain, Capitaine
- 1st Lieutenant, Lieutenant
- 2nd Lieutenant, Sous-lieutenant
Non-commissioned officers
- Master Sergeant, Sergent-chef
- Sergeant, Sergent
- Master Corporal, Caporal-chef
- Corporal, Caporal
Airmen
Private 1st Class,
Soldat de 1ere Clase
History
The Cameroon Air Force was established in August 1960.
Aircraft Inventory
All Cameroonian military aircraft are under control of the air force. There are 34 aircraft in service, including 9 combat jets and 11 helicopters.
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Aircraft
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Origin
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Type
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Versions
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Ordered
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|In service
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Notes
|-----
| Atlas Impala
|
| trainer
light attack
| Mk I
Mk II
| 2
4
| 1
4
| One Mk I crashed in Yaounde airbase killing both the pilot instructor and student
|-----
|
Aérospatiale SA 318 Alouette IIThe Alouette II is a light helicopter originally manufactured by Sud Aviation and later Aérospatiale, both of France. The Alouette II was the first production helicopter to use a gas turbine instead of a conventional heavier piston engine....
|
| utility helicopter
| SA 318C
| 2
| 1
|
|-----
|
Aérospatiale SA 319 Alouette IIIThe Aérospatiale Alouette III is a single-engine, light utility helicopter developed by Sud Aviation and later manufactured by Aérospatiale of France. The Alouette III is the successor to the Alouette II, being larger and having more seating...
|
| utility helicopter
| SA 319B
| 2
| ?
|
|-----
|
Aérospatiale SA 342 GazelleThe Gazelle is a French-designed helicopter, created by the company Sud Aviation, which later became Aérospatiale.-Design and development:The Aérospatiale Gazelle originated in a French Army requirement for a lightweight utility helicopter...
|
| attack/utility helicopter
| SA 342L
| 4
| 3
| One crashed in Bakassi killing both the pilot and a medical personnel
|-----
|
Aérospatiale SA 330 PumaThe Aérospatiale Puma is a four-bladed, twin-engined medium transport/utility helicopter. The Puma was originally manufactured by Sud Aviation of France under the designation SA.330.-Development:...
|
| transport helicopter
| SA 330
| 2
| 2
|
|-----
|
Bell 206L LongRangerThe Bell 206 is a family of two-bladed, single- or twin-engine helicopters, manufactured by Bell Helicopter at its Mirabel, Quebec plant. Originally developed for the United States Army's Light Observation Helicopter program, the 206 failed to be selected. Bell redesigned the airframe and...
|
| utility helicopter
| 206L III
| 4
| 2?
| One crashed in North Cameroon
|-----
|
Dassault-Breguet/Dornier Alpha JetThe Dassault/Dornier Alpha Jet is a light jet attack and advanced trainer aircraft co-manufactured by Dornier of Germany and Dassault-Breguet of France.-Origins:...
|
| trainer/light attack
| NGEA
| 6
| 5?
| One was damaged during training exercises
|-----
|
de Havilland Canada DHC-4 CaribouThe de Havilland Canada DHC-4 Caribou was a Canadian-designed and produced specialized cargo aircraft with short takeoff and landing capability...
|
| tactical transport
| DHC-4
| 1
| 0
| Written off at Douala airbase
|-----
|
de Havilland Canada DHC-5 BuffaloThe de Havilland Canada DHC-5 Buffalo is a short takeoff and landing utility transport, a turboprop version developed from the earlier piston-powered DHC-4 Caribou. The aircraft has extraordinary STOL performance, able to take off in distances much shorter than even light aircraft can...
|
| tactical transport
| DHC-5D
| 4
| 0
| All grounded at Douala airbase due to lack of maintainance
|-----
|
Dornier Do 28The Dornier Do 28 Skyservant is a twin-engine STOL utility aircraft, manufactured by Dornier Flugzeugbau GmbH. It served with the Luftwaffe and Marineflieger and other air forces around the world in the communications and utility role....
|
| liaison
| Do 28D
| 2
| 0
|
|-----
| Dornier Do 128
|
| maritime patrol
| Do 128-6MPA
| 1
| 0
| Written off at Douala airbase
|-----
|
IAI AravaThe Israeli Aircraft Industries Arava is a light STOL utility transport aircraft built in Israel by IAI in the late 1960s.The Arava was IAI's first major aircraft design to enter production. It was intended both for the military and civil market, but the aircraft was only built in relatively small...
|
| utility transport
| Arava 201
| 1
| ?
|-----
|
Boeing 727The Boeing 727 is a mid-size, narrow-body, three-engine, T-tailed commercial jet airliner. The first Boeing 727 flew in 1963 and for over a decade it was the most produced commercial jet airliner in the world. When production ended in 1984, a total of 1,831 aircraft had been produced...
|
| VIP transport
| 727-2R1/Adv
| 1
| 0
| Still flightworthy, but was pulled out of service
|-----
| Gulfstream III
|
| VIP transport
| Gulfstream III
| 1
| 1
|
|-----
|
Aérospatiale SA 332 Super PumaThe Aérospatiale Puma is a four-bladed, twin-engined medium transport/utility helicopter. The Puma was originally manufactured by Sud Aviation of France under the designation SA.330.-Development:...
|
| VIP transport
| SA 332
| 1
| 1
|
|-----
| Lockheed C-130 Hercules
|
| tactical transport
| C-130H
C-130H-30
| 2
1
| 1
1
| TJX-AC was written off in France
|-----
| Piper PA-23 Aztec
|
| utility
| PA-23-250F
| 2
|
|
|-----
| Humbert Tetras
|
| training
| Tetras
| 7
| 7
|
|}
External links