Air Force
After achieving independence from France in 1960 the Benin Airforce was transport equipped with seven French-supplied Douglas C-47s, four MH.1521 Broussards and two Agusta-Bell 47Gs. Two F-27s were entered service in 1978 for transport duties before being transferred to Air Benin. Also during the same era two AN-26s were acquired. In late 1985 two Dornier Do-28s entered service to replace the C-47s. A single DHC-6 Twin Otter was acquired in 1989.
The Benin Air Force maintains a small transport and utility fleet of 14 aircraft, including seven helicopters.
| Aircraft | Origin | Type | Versions | In service | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Helicopters | ||||||
| Agusta A109 | Italy | scout/attack helicopter | A109HO | 2 | 5 delivered | |
| Eurocopter AS 350 Ecureuil | France | utility helicopter | AS 350B | 1 | 2 AS-350B+1 AS-355M delivered | |
| Transports | ||||||
| Boeing 727 | United States | VIP-transport | 727-256 Adv. | 1 | Acquired from Iberia and modified in 2007/08. | |
| British Aerospace HS.748 | United Kingdom | transport | HS.748 | 1 | 2 delivered | |
| de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter | Canada | transport | DHC-6-300 | 1 | ||
| Dornier Do 28 | Germany | utility | Do.28D-2 | 2 | ||
| Douglas DC-3 | United States | transport | C-47B | 2 | 8 delivered | |
| Aero Commander | United States | transport | 500B | 1 | ||
| Surveillance | ||||||
| LH-10 Ellipse | France | Surveillance | Grand Duc | 2 | In service 2011 | |
Beninese Air Force also has two An-26s, and one Boeing 707, but these are currently grounded.
Read more about this topic: Benin Armed Forces
Famous quotes containing the words air and/or force:
“All things are flowing, even those that seem immovable. The adamant is always passing into smoke. The plants imbibe the materials which they want from the air and the ground. They burn, that is, exhale and decompose their own bodies into the air and earth again. The animal burns, or undergoes the like perpetual consumption. The earth burns, the mountains burn and decompose, slower, but incessantly.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)
“As nature requires whirlwinds and cyclones to release its excessive force in a violent revolt against its own existence, so the spirit requires a demonic human being from time to time whose excessive strength rebels against the community of thought and the monotony of morality ... only by looking at those beyond its limits does humanity come to know its own utmost limits.”
—Stefan Zweig (18811942)