Egyptian Air Force: Difference between revisions
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==Insignia== |
==Insignia== |
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The Roundel of the EAF consists of three circles, with the outside one being red, the middle one white, and the inner one being black. These are the colors of Pan-Arabism. The fins of aircraft carry the [[ |
The Roundel of the EAF consists of three circles, with the outside one being red, the middle one white, and the inner one being black. These are the colors of Pan-Arabism. The fins of aircraft carry the [[flag of Egypt]]. |
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== Battles & Highlights == |
== Battles & Highlights == |
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Revision as of 20:58, 29 March 2006
The Egyptian Air Force or EAF (Al Quwwat Al Jawwiya Il Misriya in Arabic) (Motto:Higher and higher seeking glory, Arabic:Ila Al-Ola Fi Sabil Al-Majid) is the aviation branch of the Egyptian armed forces. The EAF is headed by an Air Force Air Marshal (Lt. General). Currently the Commander of the Egyptian Air Forces is Air Marshal Magdy Galal Sharawi.
Egypt's aviation history is tied to its aspirations as an independent country and to its leadership role in the Arab world. Now the EAF is the largest Arab air force and the second in the middle east after the Israeli Air Force with total of over 579 Combat Aircraft and 121 Armed Helicopters.
History
Establishment
In late 1928, the Parliament of Egypt proposed the creation of an Egyptian Air Force. The Egyptian ministry of war announced that it needed volunteers for the new arm to become the first four Egyptian military pilots. Over 200 Egyptian officers who volunteered, but in the end only three succeeded in passing strict medical tests and technical examinations.
These three went to RAF number 4 Flying Training School at Abu Suwayer near the Suez Canal, where they were trained on variety of aircraft. After graduation from the flying training school they traveled to England for specialized training.
On November 2, 1930 King Fuad announced the creation of the Egyptian Army Air Force (EAAF) and in September 1931, the British De Havilland aircraft company won a contract to supply Egypt with 10 De Havilland Gipsy Moth trainers.
The first commander of the EAAF was Canadian squadron leader, Victor Herbert Tait. Tait selected staff and weapons and built air-bases. In 1934 the British government provided 10 Avro 626 aircraft, which were the first real Egyptian military planes. A further 17 626s together with Hawker Audaxes for army cooperation and close support and Avro Ansons for VIP work followed shortly afterwards.
In 1937 the Egyptian Army Air Force was separated from the army command and became an independent branch named the Royal Egyptian Air Force (REAF). New bases were built in the Suez canal region and the western desert.
In 1938 the REAF received 2 squadrons of Gloster Gladiator biplane fighters and a squadron of then modern Westland Lysander reconnaissance aircraft, (Egypt was the last nation to use the Lysander in action, during the Egyptian invasion of Palestine/Israel in 1948).
As the Egyptian border was threatened by Italian and German invasion, the Royal Air Force established more bases in Egypt during World War II. The Egyptian Air Force was sometimes treated as a part of the royal Air Force, at other times following a policy of neutrality. As a result of this vacillation, few additional aircraft were supplied by Britain, however the arm did receive its first modern fighters, Hawker Hurricanes and a small number of Curtiss P-40 Tomahawks. In the immediate post war period, cheap war surplus aircraft, including a large number of Supermarine Spitfire Mk9s were acquired. The REAF also bought Macchi MC205V fighters and trainers from Italy.
Egypt found itself attacking Israel with the British withdrawal from Palestine and the founding of Israel in 1947. The Egyptian Air Force contributed to this conflict with C-47 Dakotas and Spitfires, claiming two Israeli aircraft destroyed, although unfortunately many more Egyptian aircraft were lost. Egyptian air force Spitfires also attacked Royal Air Force Spitfires, which the Egyptian government (mistakenly) believed were to be handed over to Israel. The first raid surprised the Royal Air Force, and resulted in the destruction of several RAF aircraft on the ground and the death of an airman. The British were uncertain whether the attacking Spitfires had came from Arab or Israeli forces. When a second raid followed shortly afterwards it met a well prepared response, and the entire Egyptian force was shot down - the last aircraft being baited for some time as the RAF pilots attempted to get a close look at its markings. This was the only occasion Spitfires fought each other.
Relations with Britain were soon restored, although poor relations with Israel ensured arms purchases continued. New Mk22 Spitfires were purchased to replace the earlier models. In the late 1949 Egypt received its first jet fighter, it was the British Gloster Meteor F4 and shortly after De Havilland Vampire FB5s. However the policy of the Nasser government lead to Egypt also acquiring aircraft from the Eastern Block.
The first Soviet aircraft arrived in Egypt in 1955. Initial deliveries included MiG-15 fighters, Ilyushin Il-28 bombers, Il-14 transports, and Yak-11 trainers. Instructors from Czechoslovakia accompanied these aircraft. This period in Egypt's air force history also yielded the first indigenous aircraft production as the country began manufacturing its own Czech-designed Bu 181D primary trainers.
1956 Suez Crisis
After Nasser decided to nationalize the Suez Canal, Egypt got involved in a war with Israel, France, and the United Kingdom. The result was heavy losses on the Egyptian side. The conflict, though devastating militarily, turned out to be a political victory for Egypt and resulted in the total withdrawal of British forces from the country. It also forced the EAF to begin rebuilding its Air Force with non-British help.
Soon after the war, Egypt formed a political union with Syria and Yemen, and the Egyptian Air Force became known as the United Arab Republic Air Force.
By the mid-1960s, British aircraft were replaced completely by Soviet hardware. The Soviet Union became the principal supplier of the EAF and many other Arab states. This allowed the EAF to greatly modernize and return to combat effectiveness. The MiG-21 Fishbed arrived in the early 1960s, bringing with it a Mach 2 capability. The MiG-21 would remain Egypt's primary fighter for the next two decades. In 1967, Egypt had 200 MiG-21s. The air force also began flying the Sukhoi Su-7 fighter/bomber in the mid-1960s.
Six-Day War
Despite the Soviet upgrade of the EAF, when the Six-Day War came around in 1967 the EAF found itself destroyed in mere hours after the initiation of hostilities with Israel. In response, the Soviets again sent a large number of aircraft and trainers to Egypt in order to help revitalize the EAF.
Although, all the Air Defence Resources, the fighters were idle as Egyptian Aircraft weren’t allowed to scramble for take off, the Air Force pilots managed to take off and down several Israeli aircraft, while the Air Bases were bombarded and the runways were being destroyed.
On the 14th of July 1967, using what has been left the (EAF) launched a strike on Israeli targets, located in the east of the Suez Canal, a matter that forced the Israelis to withdraw temporarily from the path line.
Yom Kippur War
In the Yom Kippur War, the EAF initially performed well; carrying out precision strikes and engaging in dogfights with the Israeli Air Force. EAF was the key to the Egyptian army success in that war, that the Israeli air force got direct orders from its headquarters not to engage with Egyptian air force, not to get near the Egyptian Suez canal by 15 miles to avoid the Egyptian fighters. The airforce was under the command of Hosni Mubarak
Upgrade and Development
Beginning from 1982, the EAF began receiving its advanced F-16 fighters under peace victor program and it received in 1986 its Mirage 2000 fighters. Egypt also built under license the Alphajet, Gazelles and EMB-312 Tucano airplanes.
In 1987 the E-2C Hawkeye (AW&CS) entered service and they are upgraded with advanced AN/APS-145 radars. The EAF modernized its F-16 fighters to have the capability of carrying and lunching AIM-7 Sparrow AAM and AGM-84 Harpoon anti-shipping missiles and GBU TV stand off guided bombes.
During the beginning of the 1990s, all Mig-23, Su-7/20, Tu-16 and Il-28 were retired from service.
This, along with the Camp David Accords shifted a change in the composition of the EAF. The EAF began to rely on American, French and even some Chinese planes. The addition of these planes along with the ones already in the EAF give it an interesting composition; consisting of planes made in France, The United States, the Soviet Union and China. The EAF also has some AH-64 Apache helicopters, and recently has added K-8 trainers.
EAF Today
Currently, the backbone of the EAF is over 220 F-16, making Egypt the 4th largest F-16 operator in the world. The Mirage 2000 is the other modern interceptor used by the EAF. It continues to fly MiG-21s, F-7 Skybolts, 35 upgraded F-4E Phantom, Il-28, Dassault Mirage Vs, C-130 Hercules plus a large inventory of older Chinese and Russian fighters among other planes. These are well supported by 6 E-2C Hawkeye AWACS aircraft which are being upgraded to the new and highly advanced Hawkeye 2000 standard.
Today, Egypt remains the largest industrial base in the Arab world. The country's aviation industry has grown as well. Alpha Jet trainers, Gazelle helicopters, and Tucano Turboprop trainers have all been assembled or built in Egypt. Egyptian industry has also built parts for the Mirage 2000 and the F-16 as well as parts for its Soviet aircraft.
Insignia
The Roundel of the EAF consists of three circles, with the outside one being red, the middle one white, and the inner one being black. These are the colors of Pan-Arabism. The fins of aircraft carry the flag of Egypt.
Battles & Highlights
War of Attrition
Another example of how the Egyptian air force applied the lessons it learned from the Israelis during the war of attrition was told by a 32-year-old deputy MiG-21 regiment commander who has been flying since he was 15. "During the war of attrition, the Israeli air force had a favorite ambush tactic", he told Aviation Week and Space Technology. "They would penetrate with two aircraft at medium altitude where they would be quickly picked up by radar, We would scramble four or eight to attack them. But they had another dozen fighters trailing at extremely low altitude below radar coverage. As we climbed to the attack they would zoom up behind and surprise us. My regiment lost MiGs to this ambush tactic three times. But we learned the lesson and practiced the same tactics. In the final fights over Deversoir, we ambushed some Mirages the same way, and my own 'finger four' formation shot down four Mirages with the loss of one MiG."
1973 War with Israel
During the Yom Kippur War, the Egyptian Air Force mounted one major offensive battle and then fought a series of defensive battles to parry the offensive thrusts of the Israeli air force.
This major offensive was launched in the afternoon of October 6, 1973, against a broad spectrum of Israeli defensive positions in Sinai and began the Egyptian assault that crossed the Suez Canal and established a major bridgehead on the eastern bank, which the Egyptian Army still occupies.
These strikes were launched at 2 p.m. October 6 and were made without any air opposition from the Israeli air force. Defensive fire was encountered from Hawk missile batteries and scattered antiaircraft gun positions, and Egyptian losses were very light.
At last light of the same day, a force of 100 Mi-8 armed helicopters loaded with 18-man commando teams was launched deep into Sinai to attack the Israeli-occupied oil fields and to disrupt the flow of Israeli reinforcements for the Canal front. The first two carried commandos who set fire to oil wells and the third set up a position to interdict one of the main roads by which Israeli reserve armor had to travel to reach the Bar-Lev line.
On October 7, the Israeli air force mounted a major attack on the Egyptian air force bases in the Nile delta, using F-4 Phantoms, Skyhawks and Dassault-Breguet Mirages came in from the North at extremely low level over the Mediterranean Sea. The Israelis attacked in seven waves and penetrated to bomb a number of Egyptian air fields and surface-to-air missile (SAM) sites.
The Israelis made a determined penetration, and the air battle swirled through the air defense force missile belt to the airfield target areas. However, in these air battles over the Nile Delta the Egyptian air defense did not destroy a single Egyptian aircraft with missile fire (unlike battles over the suez canal) while extracting a high toll of Phantoms and Skyhawks.
Aircraft
Fighter Aircraft
| Designation | Remarks |
|---|---|
| Dassault Mirage 2000 | |
| Dassault Mirage V D | |
| F-4 PhantomE | |
| F-6 | |
| F-7 Skybolt | partially Egyptian build 12o believed in service with western aam |
| F-16 Fighting FalconA/B/C/D/E | |
| Il-28 | Retired from service |
| L-29 | |
| L-59 | |
| MiG-15 "Fagot" | retired |
| Mig-21 Modernized (note western AAM) | |
| MiG-17 | Retired |
| MiG-19 "Farmer" | Retired/reserve |
| MiG-21 "Fishbed" | A contemporary of the F-4 Phantom II, 1960 |
| MiG-23 | Retired from service |
| Su-7 | Retired from service |
| Tupolev Tu-16 | Retired from service |
Transport/Utilities/Reconnaissance
| Designation | Remarks |
|---|---|
| C-130 Hercules | |
| E-2 Hawkeye | |
| E-2 Hawkeye C | |
| Grumman Gulfstream I | |
| Grumman Gulfstream IV | |
| Teledyne Ryan's M-324 UAV | Custom-designed in response to Egyptian Air Force requirements with a total of 56 Produced and Delivered. |
| Beechcraft B1900C | |
| Hawkeye AEW | |
| Beechcraft ECM | |
| Shabarbar |
Trainers
| Designation | Remarks |
|---|---|
| Alpha Jet | Advanced Trainer / Close Ground Support |
| Al Gomhuria | |
| K-8 Trainer | |
| Tucano |
Helicopter
| Designation | Remarks |
|---|---|
| Aérospatiale Gazelle | |
| AH-1 Cobra | |
| CH-47 Chinook | |
| McDonnell Douglas AH-64 Apaches | |
| McDonnell Douglas AH-64D Apache Longbow | |
| Mil Mi-8 | |
| Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk | |
| Sikorsky UH-3 Sea King | (also known as Sikorsky S-61) |
| SH-2 Seasprite (SH-2GE) |
Future of the Egyptian Air Force
The Egypt Air Force just recently ordered the rebuild of their AH-64A's into the D model. Next to this order CH-47D's are on order. The Egyptian Navy recently received the SH-2G's as replacement/addition to the Sea King and Gazelle helicopters. The trainer fleet is being modernized by the order for 68 Grob-115's, and for the K-8 Karakorum. The Grob's and K-8 are still being delivered. Next to these orders there is still a big wish-list which will be for the next few years as the economical situation in Egypt prevents the government of ordering more aircraft. Most likely the C-130's will be one of the first to be replaced in the short future.
In the late 1990's, then Air Marshal Ahmed Shafik (and the incumbent Civil Aviation minister) had once expressed the ambitions of the Egyptian Air Force for the 21st century. The EAF hopes to obtain the modern technology to deter any aggression, help its allies and to protect Egyptian national security. This technology includes space and air reconnaissance systems; airborne command and control aircraft; advanced stealth fighters, like the F-22; and air refueling and heavy transport aircraft.