Niger Armed Forces - Niger Air Force

Niger Air Force

The Niger National flight (Escadrille Nationale du Niger) was first formed on 1 August 1961 with ex American Airlines C-47s, Broussands and a Flament. The ENN first started with support and transport operations with French and German assistance. Later deliveries included four surplus Noratlas transports, two Dornier Do 128-2 Skyservants and a single Dornier Do 228-201. The Do 228 is operated alongside a civil-registed Boeing 737-2N9C which replaced an ex-French Douglas C-54B, for VIP and government transport. In 1979 two Lockheed C-130H's were delivered for transport duties. One C-130 crashed at Naimey in 1997. An Antonov AN-26 was donated in June 1997 to take its place.

The Niger Air Force (L'armée de l'air) replaced the previous military air wing (Groupement aérien national GAN) 16 December 2003. While long a transport and logistic service for the military and government, it's civilian transport mission was spun off as the Escadrille Nationale du Niger, operator of the Presidential aircraft Mt. Bagzane. The Air Forces have since begun to expand their missions, acquiring light reconnaissance aircraft for both internal security and ground support missions. The Air Force is based at "Air Base 101"(base aérienne 101) which abuts Diori Hamani International Airport in Niamey.

It is structured as follows:

• Command unit, led by Chef d'Etat major de l'Armée de l'Air, le lieutenant-colonel Boulama Issa Zana Boukar Dipchiarima (2011 -- ) (chef d'etat major) answerable to the Joint Chief and the Minister of Defense;
• Operation units (opérations, escadrons);
• Technical units;
• Generalised staff;
• One company of infantry (compagnie de fusiliers).

Resources (2003): just less than 300 persons (41 officers of which 25 are pilots, 95 NCOs, 150 enlisted).