Ghanaian Air Force
The Ghana Air Force is the aerial warfare branch of the Ghanaian Armed Forces. Established on July 24, 1959, it has emerged as one of the West African country's key defense units. As of 2021, the Air Force operates under the command of the Chief of the Air Staff. The primary mission of the Ghana Air Force is to defend Ghana's airspace and provide aerial support to the ground forces. The Air Force operates a modest fleet of aircraft, consisting mainly of transport, utility, and training aircraft. These include aircraft models such as the Embraer EMB 314 Super Tucano, Casa C-295, and Diamond DA40 trainer aircraft. The Ghana Air Force also has a small number of helicopters, including the Kamov Ka-32 and the Mil Mi-17. In addition to its defense responsibilities, the Ghana Air Force occasionally participates in peacekeeping missions under the United Nations and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), supporting regional security efforts.
Key facts
| Official Name | Ghanaian Air Force |
| Local Name | Ghana Air Force |
| Country | 🇬🇭 Ghana |
| World rank | #116 |
| Active aircrafts | 20 (as of 2024) |
| Aircrafts on order | 13 |
| Roundel |
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Number of active aircrafts by type
| Aircraft type | Active | |
|---|---|---|
| Helicopters | 11 | |
| Training | 5 | |
| Transport | 2 | |
| Special missions | 2 | |
Aircrafts most used by Ghanaian air forces
| Aircraft | Active | Type | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mi-17 Hip-H | 6 | Soviet transport helicopter, prominently deployed during Afghan War, globally used for cargo, troop transport, and rescue missions. | |
| JL-8 | 4 | Chinese jet trainer, developed in the late 20th century, regularly deployed for pilot training and light attack roles. | |
| Z-9 Haitun | 4 | Chinese utility helicopter, widely deployed for anti-submarine and SAR missions since the late 20th century. | |
| DA42 Twin Star | 3 | Austrian twin-engine propeller-driven airplane, notable for its utility in civil aviation and pilot training post-2004. | |
| C-295 Persuader | 2 | Spanish tactical military transport aircraft, utilized globally in maritime patrol, surveillance, and humanitarian relief missions since the late 20th century. | |
| UH-1 Iroquois "Huey" | 1 | American utility helicopter, essential in the Vietnam War, extensively employed for medevac, transport, and combat operations. | |
| EMB 312 Tucano | 0 | Brazilian military trainer aircraft, utilized heavily in the 1980s, known for participation in the Iran–Iraq war. | |
| Mi-24 Hind | 0 | Soviet attack helicopter, renowned for Cold War use, predominantly deployed for airborne assault, close combat, and anti-armour roles. | |
Full inventory in 2024
Ghana Air Force
| Aircraft Type | Model | Active | Ordered |
|---|---|---|---|
| Helicopters | Mi-17/171 | ||
| Z-9 | |||
| Bell 412 | |||
| Mi-35 | |||
| Special missions | DA42 (Recce) | ||
| Training | K-8 | ||
| DA42 | |||
| EMB-314 | |||
| Transport | C295 |