Mozambique Air Force
The Mozambique Air Force is a force in name only. Severe flooding during 2000 exposed the Air Force’s deficiencies when it was revealed Mozambique only had two helicopters, and neither was functional at the time. Moreover, as of November 2009, the Air Force had no operational combat aircraft.
The end of the Cold War saw the withdrawal of Soviet bloc maintenance personnel deployed to Mozambique, which essentially ended repairs to Mozambique’s aircraft, as the Mozambicans were rarely trained in maintenance/ repair skills. The lack of an outside threat and no need to protect Mozambique’s airspace from foreign or domestic enemies has led to significant funding shortages in Mozambique’s budget.
The Air Force operates bases in Maputo, Beira, Nampula, Nacala, and Tete. All air bases are considered non-operational, except for Maputo, where two MI-8 “Hip” utility helicopters were witnessed flying in March 2001, as are occasional flights by an An-26 transport aircraft.
The Commander of the Air Force is a Major General. The Air Force consists of 1,000 personnel.
The Air Force has no comprehensible doctrine. While no official announcements have been made, it is assessed that Mozambique sends Air Force personnel out-of-country for training to South Africa, Zimbabwe, Spain, Portugal, Angola, and Argentina. Consequently, few, if any, training areas exist in Mozambique for the Air Force.
Since gaining its independence from Portugal in 1975, Mozambique has failed to maintain its aviation equipment. In 1977, the Soviets re-equipped Mozambique with aircraft and a ground-based radar early warning system covering Maputo and Beira. Operational activity remained low even after this assistance, and the aircraft has fallen into disrepair.
Zimbabwe provided air force support to Mozambique during the 1978–1980 period of inaction. This was followed by a brief spike in operational activity by the Mozambique Air Force from 1981 to 1983, in response to a RENAMO insurgent campaign against Mozambique’s government. Since then, there has been no real air force activity.
Transport aircraft 6: An-26 2: 2: C-212 Aviocar Trainer aircraft 5: Cessna 152 1: Cessna 182 4: Piper PA-32 Utility aircraft 2: Cessna 337/O-2 Combat helicopter 2: Mi-24 Hind Transport helicopter 4: Mi-8 Hip 4: Alouette III
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