Dominican Air Force
The Dominican Republic Air Force (Fuerza AĆ©rea de RepĆŗblica Dominicana) is the aerial warfare branch of the Armed Forces of the Dominican Republic. It was officially established on February 25, 1948, following the country's decision to develop its own air defense capabilities. The Air Force primarily focuses on the national security and sovereignty of the Dominican Republic. Its mission includes providing air support to ground forces, conducting surveillance and reconnaissance missions, and safeguarding the country's airspace. The Dominican Republic Air Force operates a range of aircraft, including the Embraer EMB-314 Super Tucano, Bell 206 JetRanger and Mi-17 helicopters, and Cessna aircraft for training and patrol purposes. The Air Force's main base is located at San Isidro Air Base, which serves as the hub for its operations and training activities. The Dominican Republic Air Force maintains a strong partnership with other regional and international air forces, participating in joint exercises and maintaining collaborations for training and knowledge sharing.
Key facts
| Official Name | Dominican Air Force |
| Local Name | Fuerza AĆ©rea de RepĆŗblica Dominicana |
| Country | š©š“ Dominican Republic |
| World rank | #87 |
| Active aircrafts | 63 (as of 2024) |
| Aircrafts on order | 0 |
| Roundel |
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Number of active aircrafts by type
| Aircraft type | Active | |
|---|---|---|
| Helicopters | 32 | |
| Transport | 12 | |
| Training | 10 | |
| Combat aircrafts | 8 | |
| Special missions | 1 | |
Aircrafts most used by Dominican air forces
| Aircraft | Active | Type | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 206 JetRanger | 20 | American light helicopter, well known for civilian, military, emergency medical services, and offshore oil support roles since the 1960s. | |
| UH-1 Iroquois "Huey" | 11 | American utility helicopter, essential in the Vietnam War, extensively employed for medevac, transport, and combat operations. | |
| EMB 312 Tucano | 8 | Brazilian military trainer aircraft, utilized heavily in the 1980s, known for participation in the IranāIraq war. | |
| R22 | 4 | American light, multi-purpose helicopter, widely used for flight training, livestock mustering, and patrol from the late 20th century. | |
| C-212 Aviocar | 3 | Spanish light transport plane, renowned for its versatility, extensively used for surveillance, rescue, and paratrooping missions since the 1970s. | |
| 500 | 2 | American light business aircraft, mainly used in civil and military flight training, widely deployed in the mid-20th century. | |
| PA-31 Navajo | 2 | American light, twin-engined aircraft, used extensively for air taxi, flight training, and personal use during the late 20th century. | |
| R44 Raven | 2 | American light, four-seat helicopter, extensively used worldwide for civilian operations, military training, and police usage since the 1990s. | |
| S330 / S333 | 2 | Indian light utility helicopter, manufactured in the early 21st century, engaged in civil, training, and surveillance operations. | |
| T-35 Pillan | 2 | Chilean trainer aircraft, popular in the late 20th century, extensively utilized for military pilot training worldwide. | |
Full inventory in 2024
Dominican Republic Air Force
| Aircraft Type | Model | Active | Ordered |
|---|---|---|---|
| Combat aircrafts | EMB-314 | ||
| Helicopters | OH-58 | ||
| UH-1H | |||
| Bell 430 | |||
| Special missions | P2006T (MPA) | ||
| Training | R22 | ||
| R44 | |||
| Schweizer 333 | |||
| T-35 | |||
| Transport | C212 | ||
| Turbo/Twin Commander | |||
| PA-31 | |||
| Beechcraft Baron | |||
| Cessna 208 | |||
| Cessna 404 | |||
| Citation I | |||
| PA-34 |