Sudanese Air Force

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Sudanese Air Force
  • القوّات الجوّيّة السودانيّة
  • Al-Quwwat al-Jawwiya As-Sudaniya

Sudanese Air Force flag and roundel
Founded1956 (1956)
Country Sudan
TypeAir force
RoleAerial warfare
Size16,000 ~ 18,000 personnel
Part ofSudanese Armed Forces
Equipment268 aircraft[1]
Engagements
Commanders
Commander of the Air ForceLieutenant General Ali Ajabna Jamouda Mohamed[2]
Insignia
Ensign
Fin flash
Roundel
Aircraft flown
AttackNanchang Q-5, Su-24, Su-25, K-8 Karakorum
BomberSu-24, Il-76
FighterShenyang J-6, Chengdu J-7, MiG-21, MiG-23, MiG-29
HelicopterBell 205, Bell 212, Mil Mi-8, Mil Mi-17
Attack helicopterMil Mi-24, Mil Mi-35, Bo-105
Trainer helicopterSafat 02, Mi-8, Mi-2
Utility helicopterBo-105, Mi-8, Mi-17
InterceptorMiG-29, J-7
PatrolAn-26, Mi-17, Safat 02
TrainerFTC-2000, Hongdu JL-8
TransportAn-12, An-26, An-30, An-32, C-130, DHC-5, Il-76

The Sudanese Air Force (Arabic: القوّات الجوّيّة السودانيّة, romanized: Al-Quwwat al-Jawwiya As-Sudaniya) is the aerial warfare branch of the Sudanese Armed Forces.[3] It was established in 1956 following Sudan's independence earlier that year, and first saw action in the First Sudanese Civil War.

History

The Sudanese Air Force was founded immediately after Sudan gained independence from the United Kingdom in 1956. The British assisted in the Air Force's establishment, providing equipment and training. Four new Hunting Provost T Mk 51s were delivered for jet training in 1961. In 1958, the Sudanese Air Force's transport wing acquired its first aircraft, a single Hunting President. In 1960 the Sudanese Air Force received an additional four re-furbished RAF Provosts and two more Hunting Presidents. Also in 1960, the transport wing's capability was increased by the addition of two Pembroke C Mk 54s.

The SAF gained its first combat aircraft when 12 Jet Provosts with a close air support capability were delivered in 1962. In the 1960s, the Soviet Union and China began to supply the Sudanese Air Force with aircraft. This included a supply of Shenyang F-5 fighters (F-5/FT-5 variants).[4]

Air bases

Equipment

Aircraft

The air force flies a mixture of transport planes, fighter jets and helicopters which are mainly sourced from the Soviet Union/Russia and China. However, not all the aircraft are in a fully functioning state and the availability of spare parts has been limited. In 1991, the two main air bases were at the capital Khartoum and Wadi Sayyidna near Omdurman.[5]

On 4 April 2001, a Sudanese Antonov An-24 aircraft crashed in Adaril (Adar Yeil, Adar Yale), Sudan. The fifteen dead included a general, seven lieutenant generals, three brigadiers, a colonel, a lieutenant colonel and a corporal.[6]

In 2009, Sudan made a successful deal to buy two different batches of 12 MiG-29 Russian fighter jets each.[7] There were 23 MiG-29s in active service as of late 2008.[8] However, the rebel Justice and Equality Movement claimed to have shot down one MiG-29 with large-caliber machine-gun fire on 10 May 2008, killing the pilot of the plane, a retired Russian Air Force fighter pilot; the Sudanese government denied the allegation.[9] South Sudan also claimed to have shot down a Sudanese MiG-29 during the 2012 border conflict.[3]

In mid-2011, members of the UN Panel of Experts on the Sudan documented the following aircraft in Darfur which potentially indicated violations of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1556:

  • Letter dated 24 January 2011 from former members of the Panel of Experts on the Sudan established pursuant to Resolution 1591 (2005) and renewed pursuant to Resolution 1945 (2010) addressed to the Chairman of the Security Council Committee established pursuant to Resolution 1591 (2005) concerning the Sudan, page 30
    • Five Sukhoi Su-25 ground attack aircraft (tail numbers 201, 204, 205, 207, 212)
    • Three Mi-17 transport helicopters (tail numbers 525, 540, 543)
    • Nine Mi-24 attack helicopters (tail numbers 928, 937, 938, 939, 942, 943, 947, 948 stationed at El Fasher and Nyala, and an additional Mi-24 which crashed near El Fasher on 18 April 2011.) Satellite imagery also indicates that a total of five other attack helicopters were present at Kutum, N Darfur, in April 2011, and at El Geneima in February 2011, but panel members have not determined whether they were introduced from outside Darfur in addition to those listed above, or moved from within Darfur.

In August 2013, pictures showed Su-24's in Sudanese colors, reporting that the aircraft were among the ex Belarusian Air Force Su-24's retired in 2012.[10] Various reports have said that the air force uses Iranian drones such as the Ghods Ababil.[11][12][13][14]

Current inventory

It is difficult to establish the current aircraft inventory of the Sudanese Air Force because of the ongoing civil war and because reliable public open sources detailing the Air Force's inventory are hard to find (if they exist at all). This lack of good sources was a problem even before the current civil war (secrecy concerning Air Force matters has been in place in Sudan for a long time) and the civil war has naturally only made it harder to establish a full and true picture of the state of the Air Force (equipment-wise and otherwise). The table below listing manned aircraft of the Sudanese air force is almost totally based on the World Air Forces 2026 publication by FlightGlobal.[1] There are differing estimates of the state of the Air Force to that of World Air Forces 2026; for example, Sudan War Monitor internet publication, which follows the current civil war, published on 12 January 2026 a writing that says the following of the Sudanese Air Force: "... loss of nearly all the Air Force’s equipment since 2023", "Sudan’s Air Force lost many of its MiG-29 fighter jets on the first day of the war ...", "In the following months, the RSF shot down many of the Air Force’s remaining jets ...", " ... Antonov and Ilyushin cargo planes ... lasted somewhat longer, but sustained losses in 2024-2025, ending a two-year bombing campaign ...", "Since last year, Sudan’s Air Force has lost a substantial proportion of its newly acquired Turkish drone fleet", "... the Ilyushin bombers until they were all shot down".[15] So the state and inventory of the Sudanese Air Force can be described as unknown and uncertain, and will probably remain so at least until the current civil war ends.

Sudanese Air Force MiG-29
K-8s of the Sudanese Air Force take off from Port Sudan Airport
Sudan Air Force Sukhoi Su-25
Sudanese C-130 Spotted in Wadi Sayyidna
Safat-03 of the Sudanese air force
Sudanese Air Force Il-76TD
Aircraft Origin Type Variant In service Notes
Combat aircraft
MiG-29 Soviet Union Multirole fighter jet MiG-29SE 11[1] In addition, 1 MiG-29UB is used for conversion training and listed under "Trainer aircraft" in this table (so total Mig-29 inventory is 11).[1]
MiG-23 Soviet Union Fighter MiG-23MS 4[1] 3 fighters one trainer
MiG-21 Soviet Union Fighter MiG-21M 4[1] (up to 31 could be reintroduced into service)[16][15] 4 listed by World Air Forces 2026.[1] 15–31 to be operational again after new engines were bought from Pakistan in August 2025.[16]
Sukhoi Su-25 Soviet Union Attack Su-25K 12[1] In addition, 3 Su-25UB are used for conversion training and listed under "Trainer aircraft" in this table (so total Su-25 inventory is 12)[1]
Sukhoi Su-24 Soviet Union Attack Su-24M 7[1] Delivered from Belarus in 2013[17]
Nanchang Q-5 China Attack A-5C 20[1]
Chengdu J-7 China Fighter F-7M 12[1]
Shenyang J-6 China Fighter F-6C 8[1]
Transport
Antonov An-12 Soviet Union Transport An-12BK 5[1]
Antonov An-26 Soviet Union Transport An-26B 1[18] One crashed in 2025.
Antonov An-30 Soviet Union Transport An-30/32 4[1]
C-130 Hercules United States Transport C-130H 1[1] A C-130H was destroyed after taxiing on the runway of Wadi Seidna Air Base by a kamikaze drone operated by the Rapid Support Forces in March 2024 during the 2023 Sudanese civil war[19]
DHC-5 Buffalo Canada Transport DHC-5D 1[1]
Ilyushin Il-76 Soviet Union Transport Il-76TD 3 Used for bombing militia positions and transport.[20] On 9 December 2025 an IL-76 crashed.[21] RSF shot down one IL-76 on 4 November 2025.
Helicopters
Mil Mi-24 Russia Attack Mi-35 35[1]
Mil Mi-8 Soviet Union Utility/Attack Mi-8/17/171 24[1]
Bo 105 Germany Attack Bo 105 20[22]
IAR 330 Romania Utility IAR 330L 16[23]
Mil Mi-2 Soviet Union Utility Mi-2 6[24]
Bell 205 United States Utility Bell 205 2[1]
Bell 212 United States Utility Bell 212 3[1]
Trainer aircraft
Guizhou JL-9 China Jet trainer FTC-2000 6[1]
Hongdu JL-8 / K-8 Karakorum China / Pakistan Jet trainer / Light attack K-8E / K-8S 23~33[1] 10 K-8 Karakorum from Pakistan ordered in August 2025,[16][15] these maybe (or maybe not) included in the 23
MiG-29 Soviet Union Multirole fighter jet MiG-29UB 1[1] In addition, 10 MiG-29SE are used as combat aircraft and listed under "Combat aircraft" in this table (so total Mig-29 inventory is 11)[1]
Sukhoi Su-25 Soviet Union Attack Su-25UB 3[1] In addition, 9 Su-25K are used as combat aircraft and listed under "Combat aircraft" in this table (so total Su-25 inventory is 12)[1]
Safat 01 Sudan Trainer Safat-1 11[25] locally manufactured, design inspired by the Piper PA-18
Safat 02 Sudan Trainer Safat-2 20[26] locally assembled AK1-3
Safat 03 Sudan Trainer Safat-3 6~12[27] Sudanese locally manufactured Variant of the Utva-75
CJ-6 China Trainer PT-6 17~20 Used mainly by the High Level Aviation Academy of Sudan
Super Mushshak Pakistan Trainer MFI-395 unknown From Pakistan ordered in August 2025[16][15]
Presidential aircraft
Ilyushin Il-62 Soviet Union Presidential Il-62M 1 Destroyed in the ongoing civil war[28]
Antonov An-74 Soviet Union Presidential transport An-74/72 3 One An-72 and one An-74 were destroyed in the ongoing civil war[29][30]
Dassault Falcon 50 France Presidential 50 2
Dassault Falcon 20F France Presidential 20F 1
Airbus A320-200 France Presidential 200 1 Leased from Etihad
Aircraft Origin Type Variant In service Notes
UAV
Mohajer-6 Iran UCAV [31]
DJI Mavic Sudan / Ukraine Loitering munition [32] Manufactured locally
Shahpar-2 Pakistan UCAV [16]
Safaroog Sudan Loitering munition [33] Manufactured locally
YIHA-III Pakistan reconnaissance/loitering muntion [16]
MR-10K Pakistan reconnaissance [16]
Ababel-5 Sudan kamikaze [16] Manufactured locally
HESA Ababil Iran UCAV [34] Manufactured locally
Zagil-3M Sudan UCAV [35] Manufactured locally
Kamin-25 Sudan Loitering munition [35] Manufactured locally (launched from Zagil-3M)
CASC Rainbow China UCAV [36]
CAIG Wing Loong II China UCAV [36]
Bayraktar TB2 Turkey UCAV [37]
Baykar Bayraktar Akıncı Turkey [15]
FH-97

(Feihong)

 China UCAV [38] Captured from UAE-supplied RSF

Retired

Previous notable aircraft operated were the BAC Jet Provost T55, Douglas C-47,[39] Northrop F-5E/F Tiger II, BAC 167 Strikemaster Mk.90, Shaanxi Y-8, Antonov An-2, Fokker F27 Friendship, Pilatus PC-6 Porter, Shenyang J-2, MBB Bo 105CB-2, and Mil Mi-4.[40][41]

Missiles

Missile Origin Type Variant In service Notes
AAM
R-77 Russia air-to-air BVR missile R-77 N/A[42]
R-73 (missile) Russia Short-range air-to-air missile R-73 (missile) N/A[42]
R-27 (missile) Russia air-to-air BVR missile R-27 (missile) N/A[42]
K-13 (missile) Russia Short-range air-to-air missile K-13 (missile) N/A[42]
PL-8 (missile) China Short-range air-to-air missile PL-8 (missile) 40[42]

Air defense

Weapon Origin Type Variant In service Notes
HQ-9 China SAM system HQ-9 Unknown[16]
HQ-6 China SAM system HQ-6 Unknown[16]
WS-1 China MLRS WS-1B Unknown[43]
WS-2 China MLRS WS-2 Unknown[44]
PHL-03 China MLRS PHL-03 Unknown[45]
HİSAR-A Turkey SAM system HİSAR-A Unknown[46]
ZPU Soviet Union Anti-aircraft gun ZPU +3200[42] ZPU/1/2/4/23
AZP S-60 Soviet Union Autocannon S-60 +100 Both S-60 and Type 59 versions
KS-19 Soviet Union Anti-aircraft gun KS-19 +40 Status unknown
M163 VADS United States Self-propelled anti-aircraft gun M163 +8[42]
9K32 Strela-2 Soviet Union Man portable surface-to-air missile launcher SA-7 +400[42]
FN-6 China Man portable surface-to-air missile launcher FN-6 +200[42]
FIM-43 Redeye United States Manportable surface-to-air missile FIM-43 +125
QW-2 China Man portable surface-to-air missile launcher QW-2 +200 Sudan operates QW-1/2
Akash India SAM system Mk 1 N/A [47][48]
SA-2 Guideline Soviet Union Strategic SAM system SA-2 +90 Launchers[42] Sudan has operated the S-75 and the Chinese HQ-2 since 1970.
9K33 OSA Soviet Union SAM system SA-8 Unknown
HQ-64 China SAM system HQ-6 Unknown
HQ-16 China Surface-to-air missile HQ-16 Unknown[49]

Accidents and incidents

  • 26 February 1996: A Lockheed C-130H Hercules of the Sudanese Air Force crashed. The aircraft was destroyed and 91 occupants died.[50]
  • 12 February 1998: An Antonov An-32B of the Sudanese Air Force crashed. The aircraft was destroyed and 26 people died. Among the victims were several government officials and First Vice President al-Zubair Muhammad Saleh.[51]
  • 3 June 1999: An Antonov An-32 of the Sudanese Air Force crashed. The aircraft was destroyed and 50 occupants died.[52]
  • 4 April 2001: An Antonov An-26 of the Sudanese Air Force crashed, killing Sudan's deputy defense minister and 13 high-ranking military officers. The aircraft was destroyed.[53]
  • 25 July 2005: A Mil Mi-17 of the Sudanese Air Force crashed. Aircraft destroyed, 19 persons killed.[54]
  • 11 February 2006: An Antonov An-26 of the Sudanese Air Force crashed into a building. The aircraft was destroyed and 20 people died.[55]
  • 7 October 2012: An Antonov An-12BP of the Sudanese Air Force, leased for AZZA Transport, crashed. The aircraft was destroyed, 15 people were killed.[56]
  • 2 January 2020: An Antonov An-12A of the Sudanese Air Force crashed. The aircraft was destroyed, 18 people died.[57]
  • 25 February 2025: An Antonov An-26 of the Sudanese Air Force crashed. The aircraft was destroyed and 46 people died, at least 10 were injured.[58]

References

  1. Hoyle, Craig (2025). World Air Forces 2026 (Report). FlightGlobal. Retrieved 13 January 2026.
  2. "Al-Burhan Forms New Chief of Staff for the Sudanese Army". 18 August 2025.
  3. "South Sudan says it shot down Sudanese fighter jet as tensions escalate". CNN. 4 April 2012. Archived from the original on 13 April 2012.
  4. "Sudan Air Force". Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 23 February 2015.
  5. Library of Congress Sudan Country Study Archived 10 January 2009 at the Wayback Machine, 1991, accessed March 2009
  6. "Sudan-military-leaders-killed-in-plane-crash Archived 19 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine", BreakingNews, 4 April 2001, Retrieved 12 April 2010
  7. "Russia delivers MiG-29 fighter-jets to Sudan". Archived from the original on 7 January 2009. Retrieved 1 January 2009.
  8. "Directory: World Air Forces", Flight International, 11–17 November 2008.
  9. "Russia says fighter pilot shot down in Sudan was an ex-military officer". 31 May 2008. Archived from the original on 13 May 2015. Retrieved 23 February 2015.
  10. "Sudan gets second hand Belarusian Su-24 Fencer attack planes. And here are some photos". 19 August 2013. Archived from the original on 19 August 2013. Retrieved 21 August 2013.
  11. War Is Boring (5 May 2014). "Sudan's Drones Are Dropping Like Flies". Medium. Archived from the original on 14 July 2015. Retrieved 13 July 2015.
  12. "Sudan Armed Forces Implicated in Video Captured by Their Own Drone". satsentinel.org. Archived from the original on 1 July 2015. Retrieved 13 July 2015.
  13. "Warplanes: Iranian UAVs in Africa". strategypage.com. Archived from the original on 14 July 2015. Retrieved 13 July 2015.
  14. "Africa Confidential – The world's leading fortnightly bulletin on A". africa-confidential.com. Archived from the original on 12 September 2015. Retrieved 13 July 2015.
  15. "Sudan Military Strikes Arms Deal With Pakistan as Its Air War Falters - Prized Bayraktar Akinci Drone Lost Over Nyala". Sudan War Monitor. 12 January 2026. Retrieved 14 January 2026.
  16. "Pakistan Inks USD$1.5 Billion Arms Deal with Sudan, Strengthening a New Military Axis in Africa". 19 August 2025.
  17. Cooper, Tom (2018). Hot Skies Over Yemen, Volume 2: Aerial Warfare Over the South Arabian Peninsula, 1994-2017. Warwick, UK: Helion & Company Publishing. p. VI. ISBN 978-1-911628-18-7.
  18. Hoyle, Craig (2024). "World Air Forces 2025". Flight Global. Retrieved 30 January 2025.
  19. "Kamikaze Drone Destroys C-130 Hercules In Sudan; Sudanese Air Force Loses Lone Transport Aircraft". The Eurasian Times. 21 March 2024.
  20. "Sudanese Army Uses IL-76 Transport Aircraft for Bombing Rebel Positions". Militarnyi. Retrieved 24 September 2025.
  21. "Accident Ilyushin Il-76, Tuesday 9 December 2025". Aviation Safety Network (ASN). 9 December 2025. Retrieved 17 December 2025.
  22. https://www.oryxspioenkop.com/2016/06/back-from-retirement-sudans-bo-105s.html
  23. https://www.helicopter-database.de/pl_iar330.php
  24. https://defenceweb.co.za/security/african-militaries/sudanese-armed-forces/
  25. https://sudantribune.com/article/31464
  26. https://aviationweek.com/shownews/dubai-airshow/sudans-long-term-aerospace-plans-revealed
  27. https://achtungskyhawk.com/tag/utva/
  28. "Other Ilyushin Il-62M ST-PRA, Sunday 16 April 2023". Aviation Safety Network (ASN). 16 April 2023. Retrieved 10 November 2025.
  29. "Other Antonov An-74-200 ST-PRD, Monday 17 April 2023". Aviation Safety Network (ASN). 17 April 2023. Retrieved 10 November 2025.
  30. "Other Antonov An-72-100D ST-PRM, Sunday 16 April 2023". Aviation Safety Network (ASN). 16 April 2023. Retrieved 10 November 2025.
  31. "Guerre au Soudan : Des preuves de l'utilisation de drones iraniens et émiratis". BBC News Afrique (in French). 13 June 2024. Retrieved 13 February 2025.
  32. "Sudan forces adopts kamikaze drones for combat". Military Africa. 15 September 2023. Retrieved 13 February 2025.
  33. Abdul, Kazim (29 July 2025). "Sudan's Safaroog drone debuts at IDEF 2025". Military Africa. Retrieved 24 September 2025.
  34. "Sudan civil war: are Iranian drones helping the army gain ground?". Reuters. Archived from the original on 11 December 2024. Retrieved 13 February 2025.
  35. Abdul, Kazim (9 March 2023). "Sudan's MIC unveils Kamin-25 UAV-launched loitering munition". Military Africa. Retrieved 13 February 2025.
  36. "Sudan's small but deadly drone fleet could turn the tide of war". Military Africa. 20 April 2023. Retrieved 13 February 2025.
  37. "Sudanese army deploys Turkish Bayraktar drones in Khartoum". Sudan Tribune. 30 November 2024. Retrieved 13 February 2025.
  38. "(Special Report) Controversy surrounding the CH-95 drones in Sudan". Military Africa. 5 December 2024. Retrieved 13 February 2025.
  39. "World Air Forces 1969 pg. 253". flightglobal.com. Retrieved 16 April 2015.
  40. "World Air Forces 2004 pg. 87". flightglobal.com. Retrieved 16 April 2015.
  41. "Shenyang J-6 / F-6 Farmer Fighter Aircraft – Airforce Technology". Retrieved 23 February 2015.
  42. "Trade Registers". Stockholm International Peace Research. 15 March 2019. Retrieved 13 February 2021.
  43. https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=384322307183532&set=pcb.384322483850181 https://www.armyrecognition.com/archives/archives-land-defense/land-defense-2024/sudanese-rebels-capture-chinese-ws-1b-and-north-korean-bm-11-rocket-launchers-from-the-sudanese-armed-forces
  44. https://www.oryxspioenkop.com/2023/01/another-shot-at-power-thailands-dti-1.html#:~:text=Its%20first%20success%20came%20in,the%20more%20capable%20WS%2D2.
  45. https://weaponsystems.net/system/92-PHL03
  46. rsf bombed one in kordofan
  47. "Aatmanirbharta on the rise: Defence exports reach an all-time high of approx. Rs 16,000 crore in Financial Year 2022-23; Over 10-times increase since 2016-17; India exporting to over 85 countries". pib.gov.in. Retrieved 13 April 2023.
  48. "ظهر في المعرض العسكري للجيش السوداني صاروخ الدفاع الجوي الهندي AKASH والذي بات يعمل في الخدمة في قوات الدفاع الجوي السودانية". Twitter. Retrieved 25 June 2023.
  49. "HQ-16 For Sudan". Chinese Magazine. 30 March 2020. Retrieved 13 February 2021.
  50. "Accident Lockheed C-130H Hercules, Monday 26 February 1996". Aviation Safety Network (ASN). 26 February 1996. Retrieved 5 November 2025.
  51. "Runway excursion Accident Antonov An-32B 7744, Thursday 12 February 1998". Aviation Safety Network (ASN). 12 February 1998. Retrieved 18 December 2025.
  52. "Accident Antonov An-32, Thursday 3 June 1999". Aviation Safety Network (ASN). 3 June 1999. Retrieved 5 November 2025.
  53. "Accident Antonov An-26, Wednesday 4 April 2001". Aviation Safety Network (ASN). 4 April 2001. Retrieved 17 December 2025.
  54. "Accident Mil Mi-17, Monday 25 July 2005". Aviation Safety Network (ASN). 25 July 2005. Retrieved 5 November 2025.
  55. "Runway excursion Accident Antonov An-26 7799, Saturday 11 February 2006". Aviation Safety Network (ASN). 11 February 2006. Retrieved 17 December 2025.
  56. "Accident Antonov An-12BP ST-ARV, Sunday 7 October 2012". Aviation Safety Network (ASN). 7 October 2012. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
  57. "Accident Antonov An-12A -, Thursday 2 January 2020". Aviation Safety Network (ASN). 2 January 2020. Retrieved 9 November 2025.
  58. "Accident Antonov An-26, Tuesday 25 February 2025". Aviation Safety Network (ASN). 25 February 2025. Retrieved 10 November 2025.

Bibliography

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