Yemen Army, Navy (includes Marines), Yemen Air Force (Al Quwwat al Jawwiya al Jamahiriya al Yemeniya; includes Air Defense Force), Republican Guard. Active 66,700 (Army 60,000 Navy 1,700 Air Force 3,000, Air Defence 2,000) Paramilitary 71,200

REPUBLIC OF YEMENI AIR FORCE (RYAF) • Al Quwwat al Jawwiya al Jamahiriya al Yemeniya • سلاح الجو اليمني

Air Force 3,000 personnel.

Forces by Role & Equipment by Type

Includes Air Defence Force

• AIRCRAFT 156 combat capable. Total 235 Aircraft.

Multi-role Fighter & Air Defence (Interceptor) 2 sqns with 53 Multi-role Ftr ac:

18 Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-29SMT Fulcrum-F;

4 Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-29 Fulcrum-C (Four were obtained from Moldova, none are thought to have entered service)

25 Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-29 Fulcrum-A (Believed to have been upgraded to MiG-29SMT standard)

2 Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-29UBT Fulcrum (Unclear if these were upgraded from existing MiG29UB airframes or new-builds)

4 Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-29UB Fulcrum-B (At least two believed to have been upgraded to MiG-29UBT)

Air Defence (Interceptor) 3 sqns with 55 Ftr ac:

35+ Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21bis Fishbed L/M, MiG-21MF Fishbed-J (Four supplied by Ukraine in 2006, followed by another 17 during 2007);

6+ Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21bis (LASUR) Fishbed-N (At least six ex-Bulgarian machines received af ter overhaul in Ukraine in 2007)

6 Chengdu Aircraft Industry Corp (CAC) F-7M Airguard (Reportedly acquired from China in 2001)

4+ Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21UM Mongol-B*;

2 Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21U Mongol-A*;

Air Defence (Interceptor) 1 sqn with 8 Ftr ac:

6 Northrop F-5E Tiger II;

2 Northrop F-5B Freedom Fighter*;

Fighter Ground Attack 2 sqns with 38+ FGA ac:

15 Sukhoi Su-22M-4 Fitter-K (Most recent acquisitions were six from Ukraine in 2007);

3 Sukhoi Su-22UM-3K Fitter-G;

10 Sukhoi Su-22M Fitter-F (Included in Su-22M-4 total);

5 Sukhoi Su-22M-2 Fitter-H (Included in Su-22M-4 total);

4 Sukhoi Su-20 (Su-17M Fitter-C) / Sukhoi Su-17 FGA/Su-22 (Su-17M-2 Fitter-D)

Light transport & Utility 2 Lt Tpt/Utl ac:

2 Cessna-208N-ISR surveillance version or AC-208B armed version

Transport 1 sqn with 20 Tpt ac:

1 Lockheed C-130H Hercules (Donated by the US in 1979);

1 Lockheed L-100-30 Hercules

3 Ilyushin Il-76TD Candid (Delivered in 1994/95);

1 CASA (Construcciones Aeronáuticas SA) CN-235M-300

5 Antonov An-26 Curl;

2 An-24RV Coke (Includes all An-24 variants);

3 Antonov An-12BP Cub;

4 Ilyushin Il-14 Crate 4

Training 1 trg school with 59 Trg ac:

22 Aero Vodochody L-39C Albatros (Eleven supplied new in 1999 with a further 13 acquired from Ukraine during 2005/6);

14 Yakovlev Yak-11 Moose;

10 Zlin Z-242L;
1 Zlin Z-143L;

12 SB-7L-360 Seeker

* Trainer Aircraft

• HELICOPTER 32 armed capable. Total 66 Helicopters.

  8 sqns with

Anti-Armour Attack 2 sqns 12 Atk hel:

8 Mil (Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant) Mi-35 Super Hind-F;

4 Mil Mi-24 Hind-D

Utility 2 sqn 10+ Utl hel:

2+ Agusta-Bell AB-212

4 Bell Helicopter Bell 206B JetRanger;

2 Kamov Company Ka-28 Helix-A

2 Agusta-Bell AB-204B Iroquois

VIP Transport 1 sqn with 2 VIP Tpt Hel:

2 Bell 214

Support 4 sqns 31+ Spt hel:

2 Mil Mi-14 Haze;

10 Ulan-Ude Aviation Plant (U-UAP) Mi-171Sh Hip-H;

5 Mil Mi-17 Hip-H;

10+ Mil Mi-8 Hip-B (Includes all sub-types);

4 Bell Helicopter UH-1H-II Huey II (Delivered on January 16, 2011 from the US)

Rotary Flying Training 1 Trg hel:

1 Agusta Bell AB-47 (Bell 47);

• MISSILES   

  ASM: 50 Kh-29/AS-14 Kedge (For MiG-29SMT)

  Anti-ship missile/ARM: 60 Kh-31A1/AS-17 (For MiG-29SMT)

  BVRAAM 300: 100 RVV-AE/AA-12 Adder (For MiG-29SMT); 100 R-27/AA-10 Alamo (For MiG-29SMT); 100 R-23R/T/AA-7 Apex (For MiG-23MF)

  SRAAM 1286: 176 R-73/AA-11 Archer (For MiG-29SMT); 72 AIM-9E Sidewinder (United States Aid; for F-5E); 606 R-13R/AA-2C Atoll-C ( For MiG-21MF, MiG-23MF, Su-7B and Su-22); 270 R-13R/AA-2C Atoll-C (For MiG-21MF); 72 R-13S/AA-2 Atoll (For MiG-21F); 90 R-13R/AA-2C Atoll-C ( For Su-22)

AIR DEFENCE UNITS

Air Defence 2,000

Air Force Air Defence Systems
AD •
AD SAM:

SP SA-6 Gainful (400 3M9/SA-6 Gainful SAM); SA-9 Gaskin (300 Strela-1/SA-9 Gaskin SAM); SA-13 Gopher

TOWED 9 SA-2 Guideline SAM systems (216 SA-2 Guideline SAM); SA-3 Goa (100 5V27/SA-3B Goa SAM)

MANPAD SA-7 Grail (460 Strela-2/SA-7 Grail Portable SAM); SA-14 Gremlin

• FACILITIES

  Republic of Yemen Air Force (al-Quwwat al-Jawwiya al-Yamaniya) Main Headquarters: HQ Located at Aden

  Yemen AF Airfields and Airbases Organisation (Current Order of Battle):

  Yemen Air & Air Defence Force Sana’a (Courtesy Air Forces Intelligence)

Aden International Airport (OYAA) - Aden Air Brigade

128. Squadron (Det.): Ka-27/28 Helix-A, Mi-14 Haze, Mi-17 Hip-H, Mi-171Sh Hip-H, Mi-24 Hind, Mi-8 Hip-B

2011 – No distinct military area. Il-76 and two helicopters present.

Al Anad Airfield /Al Anad Air Base - Al Anad Air Brigade

?. Squadron (Det.): MiG-21bis Fishbed, MiG-21MF Fishbed-J, MiG-21UM Mongol-B

? Advanced Training Squadron: L-39C  

? Advanced Training Squadron: L-39C

? Basic Training Squadron: Zlin 242L    

128. Squadron (Det.): Ka-27/28 Helix-A, Mi-14 Haze, Mi-17 Hip-H, Mi-171Sh Hip-H, Mi-24 Hind, Mi-8 Hip-B

2004 – 21x shelters, 38x hardstands. MiG-21s near a large maintenance hangar.

Ataq Airfield / Ataq (OYAT) Air Base - Ataq Air Brigade

2010 - 12x dispersals, no significant infrastructure. Reserve base.

Al Ghaydah Airfield

2009 – Probable military reserve base and civilian airfield.

Al Hudaydah Airfield / Hodeidah (OYHD) Air Base - Al Hudaydah Air Brigade

16. Squadron: MiG-21bis Fishbed, MiG-21MF Fishbed-J, MiG-21UM Mongol-B

128. Squadron (Det.): Ka-27/28 Helix-A, Mi-14 Haze, Mi-17 Hip-H, Mi-171Sh Hip-H, Mi-24 Hind, Mi-8 Hip-B

2011 – 27x shelters constructed post 2004. Helicopter present

2010. 8x abandoned Il-28 Beagle bombers on disused runway – been there since before 2003. 6x MiG-21s noted in 2004.

Riyan Airfield / Riyan (Mukalla) (OYRN) Air Base - Riyan Air Brigade

128. Squadron (Det.): Ka-27/28 Helix-A, Mi-14 Haze, Mi-17 Hip-H, Mi-171Sh Hip-H, Mi-24 Hind, Mi-8 Hip-B

 2011 – 8x dispersals. One helicopter present. Mainly civilian airport. Reserve base.

Sana’a-al-Dailami Airfield / Sanaa/Intl (OYSN) Air Base - Sanaa Air Brigade

6. Squadron (Det.): Su-17M Fitter-C, Su-20 Fitter-C, Su-22M-3KFitter-J, Su-22UM-3K Fitter-G, Su-22M-4

26. Squadron: Su-22M-3KFitter-J, Su-22UM-3K Fitter-G, Su-22M-4

9. Squadron: MiG-29SMT Fulcrum-F, MiG-29UBT Fulcrum, MiG-29A/UB

121. Squadron: F-5E Tiger II, F-5B

xx Squadron: Z143L, Z242L

4. Squadron: An-26 Curl, An-24RV Coke,

115. Squadron: C-130H Hercules, L-100-30, Il-76TD Candid, An-12BP Cub

3. Squadron: Bell 212, AB.212, Bell 206B JetRanger, UH-1H-II Huey II   

124. VIP Squadron: Bell 214    

128. Squadron: Ka-27/28 Helix-A, Mi-14 Haze, Mi-17 Hip-H, Mi-171Sh Hip-H, Mi-24 Hind, Mi-8 Hip-B

2011 – Major base. Large transport ramp, 34x shelters, 19x HAS. Su-22s, MiG-29s, helicopters and transport types present. Large civilian airport.

Taiz Ganed Airfield / Taiz (OYTZ) Air Base - Taiz Air Brigade

26. Squadron (Det.): MiG-21bis, MiG-21MF, MiG-21UM

xx. Squadron:  L-39C Albatros

8. Helicopter Squadron: Mi-17 Hip-H, Mi-8 Hip-B

9. Helicopter Squadron: Mi-35, Mi-24 Hind

2011 – Military ramps active with 8x Su-22s, 4x L-39s and helicopters – possibly Haze. No hangars, dispersals or HAS. Civilian airport.

Seiyun Airfield

2011 – C-130 noted. No hangars, dispersals or shelters. Reserve base/civilian airfield.

Sa’dah Airfield

2011 – Airfield constructed post 2006. No dispersals, hangars or shelters.

Note: Republic of Yemen has 17 airports with paved runways (over 3,047 m: 4 2,438 to 3,047 m: 9 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3 914 to 1,523 m: 1) and 38 airports with unpaved runways (over 3,047 m: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 6 914 to 1,523 m: 14 under 914 m:10)