MONGOLIA AIR FORCE (MAAF)

MONGOLIA AIR FORCE (MAAF)

MONGOLIA Armed Forces: Land Forces, Air Forces. ACTIVE 9,700 Personnel (Army 8,900; Air 800) RESERVE 137,000

MONGOLIA AIR FORCE (MAAF) • Монгол Улсын Агаарын Цэрэг • Mongol Ulsyn Agaryn Khüchin 

Air Force 800 Active Personnel. Organization: Headquarters in Ulaanbaatar: 1 fighter flight, 1 transport flight, 1 helicopter squadron.Flying hours ε100 hrs/year.

Forces by Role & Equipment by Type

(incl Air Defence Units)

• AIRCRAFT 6 combat capable. Total ε15 Aircrafts

Ordered Combat Aircraft / Helicopters: None reported

Fighter 1 flight with 6 Ftr ac:

1 Flt with 6 Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-29UB Fulcrum B; 

Transport 1 flight with 3 Tpt ac:

1 Flt with 2 Antonov An-24 Coke ; 1 Antonov An-26 Curl;

• HELICOPTERS 2 attack/armed capable. Total ε15 Helicopters

Attack / Transport 1 squadron with 2+ Atk hel:

1 sqn with 2+ Mil Mi-24 Hind;

1 sqn with 10 Mil Mi-8 Hip ; 2 Mil Mi-171; 1 Airbus H145;

• UNMANNED AERIAL SYSTEMS (UAS)
  0 armed capable. Total 0 Unmanned Aerial Vehicles.

• AIR-LAUNCHED WEAPONS (MISSILES & BOMBS)

  MISSILES
  AAM: R-60 (RS-AA-8 Aphid); SRAAM: R-73 (RS-AA-11 Archer)

• AIR DEFENCE

  SAM • Medium-range: 2+ S-125-2M Pechora-2M (RS-SA-26);

  GUNS • TOWED: 150+ 23mm ZU-23-2 ; 37mm M-1939 ; 57mm S-60 ; 14.5mm ZPU-4;

• FACILITIES: Mongolian Air Defense Forces Command Headquarters located at Ulaanbaatar.

  Main Operating Base at Nalaikh Air Base housing MiG-29, transport flight, and helicopter units;
Strategic Radar sites at various locations for border surveillance;

Mongolian People's Air Force Airfields and Airbases Organisation:

Choilbalsan (ZMCD) Airbase: Helicopter regiment: Mi-171

Nalayh (ZMNA) Airbase: Attack Helicopter regiment: Mi-24

Sainshand (ZMSH) Airbase: Fighter regiment: MiG-29

Ulan Bator/Genghis Khan (ZMUB) International Airport and Airbase: Transport regiment: An-2/24/26, Y-12; Helicopter regiment: Mi-8

Note: Mongolia has 14 airports with paved runways (over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 10 1,524 to 2,437 m: 3), and 32 airports with unpaved runways (over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 4 1,524 to 2,437 m: 25 914 to 1,523 m: 1 under 914 m: ), and one heliport

• Capabilities & Role: As of July 2026, the Mongolian Air Force remains a small, specialized branch shaped by its 2015 defense policy, prioritizing peacekeeping support and counter‑terrorist operations. The force continues to rely on Soviet‑era platforms, with second‑hand Russian deliveries sustaining MiG‑29 and Mi‑24 fleets, while diversification efforts have opened defense cooperation talks with Japan and the Czech Republic. A doctrinal milestone was reached in 2025 with the first joint border defense exercise alongside Russia and China, complementing the annual Khaan Quest multinational peacekeeping event. Operationally, the Air Force’s expeditionary role is centered on logistical support for Mongolian contingents in UN missions, notably in South Sudan, while domestically it focuses on territorial sovereignty, border monitoring, and disaster relief. Combat capability is limited to a small detachment of MiG‑29UB trainers providing modest air defense, supported by rotary‑wing assets for mobility in remote regions. Modernization programs, such as the S‑125‑2M Pechora‑2M air defense upgrade and reliance on integrated radar networks, help sustain domain awareness, though offensive reach remains constrained by the absence of advanced precision munitions and a small frontline fleet. Budget realities continue to restrict modernization to utility helicopters and legacy system maintenance.

• Official website: https://gsmaf.gov.mn/ (Ministry of Defence)