As of 2026, Somalia has officially returned to international military aviation listings for the first time since 2008, following a period of re-establishment supported by international partners such as Turkiye and the United States.
SOMALI ARMY AIR DEFENCE • Ciidamada Cirka Soomaaliyeed
Personnel: ε13,900 (Total Somali National Army). Status: Re-establishing / Operational. Strategy: Internal stabilization, counter-insurgency (COIN), and enhancing the tactical mobility of high-readiness units like the US-mentored Danab Brigade.
Forces by Role & Equipment by Type
• AIR DEFENCE SYSTEMS (GROUND-BASED)
Anti-Aircraft Artillery (Guns):
- 23mm ZU-23-2.
- (Note: These systems are utilized by federal forces and regional wings for point defense and direct fire support).
• Multiple Rocket Launchers (Surface Support):
• Army Manoeuvre & Integrated Support (AFV)
Armoured Personnel Carriers (APC/PPV):
- AT-105 Saxon; Bastion APC; Fiat 6614.
- Kirpi (20 units); Casspir; MAV-5; Mamba Mk5; RG-31 Nyala.
Armoured Utility Vehicles (AUV):
Strategic Note: By 2026, the re-emergence of an active air arm is a cornerstone of the Somali Federal Government's transition plan to assume full security responsibility from the African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS). While the Somali National Army (SNA) remains relatively limited in organizational capacity, it benefits significantly from Turkiye’s major military training facility in Mogadishu and ongoing US mentoring. Currently, Somalia lacks a domestic defense-industrial base and remains reliant on external equipment and logistical support to maintain its small fleet of high-readiness rotary-wing assets. Regional paramilitary wings in Puntland and Somaliland continue to maintain legacy assets, though their serviceability is frequently reported as poor or inoperable.
4/5 Generation Fighters 
