Myanmar Air Force 1 Myanmar Air Force Myanmar Air Force / Burmese Air Force Tatmadaw Lei The Myanmar Air Force flag, featuring the Air Force roundel. It is one of the few roundels in the world not based on the national flag; rather it features the Golden Triangle, as a reference to Myanmar's geographical location. Founded 16 January 1947 Country Myanmar (Burma) Branch Air Force Role Air Defence, Counter Insurgency Size 23,000 Part of Myanmar Armed Forces Nickname Tatmadaw Lei Commanders Minister of Defence Major General Hla Min Commander-in-Chief of Myanmar Armed Forces General Min Aung Hlaing Commander-in-Chief (Air) Lieutenant General Myat Hein Insignia Roundel Aircraft flown Attack A-5M Bomber A-5M Fighter F-7M Airguard Helicopter Mil Mi-35 Interceptor Mikoyan MiG-29 Reconnaissance Soko G-4 Super Galeb Trainer PC-7 Transport Y-8D The Myanmar Air Force (Burmese: တပ်မတော် (လေ), pronounced [taʔmədɔ̀ lè]) is the aerial branch of Myanmar' armed forces, the Tatmadaw. It is mainly used in counter-insurgency campaigns, and, on a smaller, scale, in relief missions, especially after the deadly Cyclone Nargis of May 2008. Myanmar Air Force 2 History Post Independence era (1948-1990) The Myanmar Air Force was formed on 16 January 1947, while Myanmar (also known as Burma) was still under British rule. By 1948, the new air force fleet included 40 Airspeed Oxfords, 16 de Havilland Tiger Moths, 4 Austers and 3 Supermarine Spitfires transferred from Royal Air Force with a few hundred personnel. The primary mission of Myanmar Air Force since its inception has been to provide transport, logistical, and close air support to Myanmar Army in counter-insurgency operations. in its entire history, the air force has never been in air to air battle.[1] The Mingaladon Air Base HQ, the main air base in the country, was formed on 16 June 1950. No.1 Squadron, Equipment Holding Unit and Air High Myanmar Air Force Badge Command - Burma Air Force, and the Flying Training School, were placed under the jurisdiction of the base. A few months later, on 18 December 1950, No. 2 Squadron was formed with nine Dakotas as a transport squadron. In 1953, the Advanced Flying Unit with De Havilland Vampire Mark T55s was formed under the Mingaladon Air Base and by the end of 1953, The Burmese Air Force had 3 main airbases, at Mingaladon, Hmawbi and Meiktila, in central Myanmar.[1] In 1953, Myanmar Air Force bought 30 Supermarine Spitfire from Israel and 20 Supermarine Seafire from United Kingdom and 40 Hunting Provost T-53 and 8 De Havilland Vampire Mark T55 from United Kingdom in 1954. In 1953, the Advanced Flying Unit with De Havilland Vampire Mark T55s was formed under the Mingaladon Air Base and by the end of 1953, The Myanmar Air Force had 3 main airbases, at Mingaladon, Hmawbi and Meiktila, in central Myanmar.[1] In late 1955, the Burmese Air Force formed a Maintenance Air Base in Mingaladon, No. 501 Squadron Group (Hmawbi Airbase) and No. 502 Squadron Group (Mingaladon Air Base). In 1956, Myanmar Air Force bought 10 Cessna 180 air crafts from United States. The same year, for the first time, introduced 6 Kawasaki Bell 47G to its helicopter fleet. The following year, Myanmar Air Force procured 21 Hawker Sea Fury aircraft from United Kingdom, six Beachcraft from United States and nine de Havilland Canada DHC-3 Otter from Canada. In 1958, it procured 7 additional Kawasaki Bell 47G and 12 Vertol H-21 Shawnee from United States.[1] Five years later, No. 503 Squadron Group was formed with No. 51 Squadron (de Havilland Canada DHC-3 Otters and Cessna 180s) and No. 53 Squadron (Bell 47Gs, Kaman HH-43 Huskies and Alouettes) in Meiktila.[1] In 1962, a new radar station in Mingaladon and a mobile radar station in Lwemwe (near Tachileik) were put into operation. By December 1964, the Air Force had 323 officers and 5677 other ranks and it acquired Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star Jet trainers and a new radar station, which could operate within a 120-mile radius, was opened in Namsang. In 1966, the radar arm of the air force underwent a complete overhaul and upgrade, with new radar stations being operated. The Namsang Radar station was upgraded to cover about a 200-mile radius and renamed to No.71 Squadron. In the same year Myanmar Air Force formed the No. 1 Airborne Battalion with 26 officers and 750 other ranks.[2] On 1 January 1967, the Myanmar Air Force reorganized its command structure. No. 501 Squadron Group in Hmawbi became No. 501 Air Base HQ; No. 502 Squadron Group in Mingalardon became No. 502 Air Base HQ; and No. 503 Squadron Group in Meiktila became No. 502 Air Base HQ in Meiktila. It also maintained airfield detachments in Lashio and Kengtung to cope with the insurgency of Burmese Communicaty Party in the northeast border region of the country.[1] In 1975 took delivery of 18 Bell 205A and 7 Bell 206B from the United States under International Narcotic Control Program (INCP). In March, 1975, Myanmar Air Force bought 20 SIAI-Marchetti SF.260 trainers from Italy.[1] Myanmar Air Force 3 Between 1976 to 1987, Myanmar Air Force bought 7 Pilatus PC-6 Turbo porter STOL aircraft (2 in 1976, 2 in 1977 and 3 in 1978), 16 Pilatus PC-7 (8 in 1979 and 9 in 1980) and 10 Pilatus PC-9 (in 1987) turboprop trainers from Switzerland. These aircraft were deployed in Lashio for close air support for counter insurgency operations.[1] Modernization programme (1990 - present) In the early 1990s, the Myanmar Air Force upgraded its facilities and introduced two new Air Base headquarters and existing Air Base headquarters were renamed. It also significantly upgraded its radar and electronic warfare facilities. Myanmar Air Force bought more than 100 aircraft from China, which included F7 IIK interceptors, FT-7 Trainers, A-5C Ground Attack Aircraft, FT-6M trainers, K-8 trainers and Y-8 transport aircraft. In December 1990, Myanmar Air Force took the first delivery of 10 F7 IIK interceptors and two FT-7 Trainers followed by another batch of 12 F7 IIK interceptors in May, 1993. Further deliveries of F7 IIK interceptors were made in 1995, 1998 and 1999. By 2000, Myanmar Air Force has received 62 F7 IIK interceptors from China.[1] Israel was contracted to refurbish and upgrade all operational F-7s and FT-7s: these were to get the Elta EL/M-2032 air-to-air radar, Rafael Python Mk. III and even Litening laser-designator pods. The same equipment was then installed on the two-seater FT-7 fighter trainers as well. In a related deal, Israel delivered to Myanmar at least one consignment of laser-guided bombs, but no deliveries of any other Air Force personnel in October 2010 weapons are known. Since the Elbit contract was won in 1997, the air force has acquired at least one more squadron of F-7 and FT-7 aircraft from China, but these were not upgraded. Between 1992 and 2000, Myanmar Air Force took delivery of 36 A-5C Ground Attack Aircraft from China. In addition, Myanmar Air Force also bought 20 Soko G-4 Super Galeb armed jet trainers from Yugoslavia in 1991. Myanmar Air Force procured a range of helicopters from Russia and Poland between 1991 and 1997. It bought 20 PZL-Swidnik Mil Mi-2 and 13 PZL W-3 Sokol helicopters from Poland and 13 Mil Mi-17 from Russia. These helicopters were put into counter insurgency operations against ethnic rebels in Irrawaddy delta. 4 Mil Mi-2, 4 PZL W-3 Sokol and 2 Bell 205 helicopters were grouped as an air detachment stationed in Bogalay for "Operation Monediang" in October 1991. During this operation, Mil Mi-2 were fitted with a wide range of weapons to provide ground attack and air cover for heliborne Air Assault operations. 4 Mil Mi-2 of the air detachment made a total of 80 sorties over 17 targets with nearly 82 flying hours. 4 PZL W-3 Sokol helicopters, unarmed and used for troop transport carrying 20 airborne commandos, each flew 443 missions with 197 flying hours. Bell 205 carried out search and rescue, and they flew 263 missions with over 114 flying hours.[1] In 2001, Myanmar Air Force bought 12 Mig-29 Fighter Aircraft (10 MiG-29Bs and two MiG-29UB two seats trainers)[1] from Russia. This was followed by additional order of 20 Mig-29 (10 MiG-29B, 6 MiG-29SE and 4 MiG-29UB )as part of $570 Million defense package in December, 2009. Myanmar Air Force also ordered 10 Mil Mi-35 Hind E gunship helicopters as part of $71 Million defence package signed in December,2009[3] followed by additional order of 50 in December, 2010.[4] Despite these modernization measures, the capability of Myanmar Air Force remained questionable, due to its absent during Battle of Border Post 9631 with Thais and the rescue missions of the cyclone Nargis. Myanmar Air Force 4 Commander in Chiefs and Chief of Air Staffs since 1948 Commander-in-Chief and Chief of Air Staff in chronological order • 1. Wing Commander Saw Shi Sho • 2. Major Tommy Clift • 3. Lieutenant Colonel Thura Selwyn James Khin • 4. Brigadier General Thura Tommy Clift • 5. Brigadier General Thaung Dan • 6. Major General Thura Saw Phyu • 7. Major General Ko Gyi • 8. Lieutenant General Tin Tun • 9. Lieutenant General Thein Win • 10. Lieutenant General Tin Ngwe • 11.Major General Kyaw Than • 12.Major General Myint Swe • 13.Lieutenant General Myat Hein Organisations Personnel: 23,000 all ranks (including 1 Airborne Battalion with twenty six officers and 750 other personnel of other ranks).[1] • Air Force headquarters, Ministry of Defense (Naypyitaw) • Aircraft Production and Repair Base Headquarters (Mingaladon) • Air Force - Ground Training Base (Meiktila) • Air Force - Fly Training Base (Shante) Myanmar Air Force 5 Air Bases • Pathein Air Base HQ • Hmawbi Air Base HQ (former 501 Air Base) • Mingaladon Air Base HQ (former 502 Air Base) • Magway Air Base HQ (established in 2000) • Myitkyina Air Base HQ (former 503 Air Base) • Myike Air Base HQ • Namsang Air Base HQ • Taungoo Air Base HQ • Meikhtila (Shante) Air Base HQ - for trainning and operation, another airbase at Meikthila is helicopter training base.