Sudan Air Force

Sudan Air Force • Al Quwwat al-Jawwiya as-Sudaniya

The Sudanese military is currently engaged in a significant internal conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which began in April 2023. This unrest has notably depleted the military aircraft fleet, which stood at 170 active units by early 2026—a decrease of 21 airframes over the preceding 12 months.

SUDAN AIR FORCE • Al Quwwat al-Jawwiya as-Sudaniya

Personnel: ε1,500 (Status is currently unstable due to ongoing internal strife). Status: Active / Operational (Engaged in Conflict). Strategy: Internal security, counter-insurgency support, and territorial control amidst geostrategic transformation.

Forces by Role & Equipment by Type

• AIRCRAFT 73 combat capable airframes.

Fighter / Interception:

• 10 Mikoyan MiG-29 (Fulcrum).
• 3 Mikoyan MiG-23 (Flogger).
• 12 Chengdu F-7 (Airguard).
• 4 Mikoyan MiG-21 (Fishbed).
  • (Note: These interceptors provide the primary air superiority capability for the SAF).

Fighter / Ground Attack:

• 7 Sukhoi Su-24 (Fencer).
• 9 Sukhoi Su-25 (Frogfoot).
• 20 Nanchang A-5 (Fantan).
• 8 Shenyang F-6 (Farmer).
  • (Note: The Su-24 and Su-25 fleets are central to the SAF's offensive ground-attack operations).

Tactical & Strategic Transport:

• 1 Lockheed Martin C-130H Hercules.
• 5 Antonov An-12 (Cub).
• 2 Antonov An-26 (Curl).
• 4 Antonov An-30/32 (Clank/Cline).
• 1 de Havilland Canada DHC-5 Buffalo.
• 1 Ilyushin Il-76 (Candid).
  • (Note: Airlift capacity has been vital for logistical sustainment and the evacuation of strategic personnel during the civil war).

Training (Fixed-wing):

• 6 Guizhou FTC-2000 (Mountain Eagle).
• 23 Hongdu K-8 (Karakorum).
• 1 Mikoyan MiG-29 (Training config).
• 3 Sukhoi Su-25 (Training config).
  • (Note: Many training platforms in the Sudanese inventory maintain secondary light strike/combat capabilities).

• HELICOPTER 64 active airframes.

Attack (Helicopter):

• 35 Mil Mi-24 / Mi-35 (Hind).
  • (Note: The Hind fleet serves as the primary aerial fire support platform against mobile paramilitary formations).

Medium & Light Transport (Helicopter):

• 24 Mil Mi-8 / Mi-17 / Mi-171 (Hip).
• 3 Bell 212 Twin Huey.
• 2 Bell 205.
  • (On order: Sudan has historically ordered Bo105 and additional Mi-8 variants to bolster mobility).

• UNMANNED AERIAL SYSTEMS (UAS)

Combat ISR (Heavy & Medium):

• Chengdu CH-3;
• Chengdu CH-4;
• Qods Mohajer-6.
  • (Note: These platforms provide long-range persistence and precision strike capability, often utilizing Iranian or Chinese designs).

ISR (Medium):

• Ababil-2;
• Ababil-3 (ZAGIL).
  • (Note: The Ababil-3 is a localized Sudanese designation of the Iranian design, used extensively for surveillance).

• AIR DEFENCE SYSTEMS (GROUND-BASED)

• SURFACE-TO-AIR MISSILES (SAM)

Medium-range (Non-operational):

• 18 S-75M Dvina (RS-SA-2 Guideline) launchers.
  • (Note: These systems are currently listed as non-operational).

Point-defence (Man-portable):

• 9K32M Strela-2M (RS-SA-7 Grail).
• 9K38 Igla (RS-SA-18 Grouse).
• 9K338 Igla-S (RS-SA-24 Grinch).
• FN-6 (CH-SA-10).
• HN-5 (CH-SA-3).
  • (Note: MANPADS are the primary operational ground-based air defense systems used to protect infrastructure and military installations).

• ANTI-AIRCRAFT ARTILLERY (GUNS)

Self-propelled (SP):

• 14.5mm ZPU-2 (Truck-mounted).
• 23mm ZU-23-2 (Truck-mounted).
  • (Note: SP guns are frequently deployed for both local air defense and direct fire support in urban environments).

• AIR-LAUNCHED WEAPONS

• Air-to-Air (AAM): R-3 (RS-AA-2 Atoll); R-60 (RS-AA-8 Aphid); R-73 (RS-AA-11A Archer); R-77 (RS-AA-12A Adder).
• Training Hel: SAFAT 02 light helicopter (domestically produced based on Ukrainian AK1-3 design).

Strategic Note: By 2026, the Sudanese Air Force has become a central tool for the SAF in its struggle for territorial management against the RSF. The Military Industry Corporation (MIC) and the SAFAT Aviation Group continue to support the force by seeking to diversify production into light helicopters (SAFAT 02) and protected mobility vehicles like the Rhino and Rhino 2. Despite a UN arms embargo in the Darfur region, Sudan has maintained its fleet through acquisitions of Chinese fighter-ground attack aircraft and Russian government surplus. The geostrategic environment remains exceptionally intricate, with Sudan's future in 2026 poised between managed collapse and fragile stability.