The Zambian Air Force is the air force

Air force

An air force, also known in some countries as an air army, is in the broadest sense, the national military organization that primarily conducts aerial warfare. More specifically, it is the branch of a nation's armed services that is responsible for aerial warfare as distinct from an army, navy or...

 of Zambia

Zambia

Zambia , officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. The neighbouring countries are the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north, Tanzania to the north-east, Malawi to the east, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia to the south, and Angola to the west....

.

Following the creation of the Republic of Zambia in 1964, Zambian military avaition was organized as the Zambia Air Wing which lasted until 1968. The Zambian Air Force was then established.

The primary missions of the Air Force are to defend Zambia's borders and protect its airspace. In addition, it provides various forms of air support to other government departments. Thus, it also flies reconnaissance, trooping and transport missions for the police and airlifts medical supplies and personnel to inaccessible areas. Finally, the organisation provides emergency transport whenever needed. One of the more recent relief operations mounted by the Air Arm occurred in early 2007, when it came to the aid of flood victims in the North-Western Province.Few details are available on force deployment, but combat elements are understood to be located at Lusaka (K-8), Mbala (MB-326) and Mumbwa (MiG-21), with the small fleet of transport aircraft and utility helicopters also reportedly stationed at Lusaka.

Current air force equipment

! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Aircraft
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Origin
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Type
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Versions
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|In service
! style="text-align: left; background: #aacccc;"|Notes
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| Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21MF

Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21

The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 is a supersonic jet fighter aircraft, designed by the Mikoyan-Gurevich Design Bureau in the Soviet Union. It was popularly nicknamed "balalaika", from the aircraft's planform-view resemblance to the Russian stringed musical instrument or ołówek by Polish pilots due to...

|  Soviet Union/Israel

Flag

A flag is a piece of fabric with a distinctive design that is usually rectangular and used as a symbol, as a signaling device, or decoration. The term flag is also used to refer to the graphic design employed by a flag, or to its depiction in another medium.The first flags were used to assist...

| Multi role fighter
|
| 11
| upgraded in Israel to MiG-21-2000
|-----
| Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-19S

Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-19

The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-19 is a Soviet second-generation, single-seat, twin jet-engined fighter aircraft. It was the first Soviet production aircraft capable of supersonic speeds in level flight. A comparable U.S...

|  Soviet Union
| Multi role fighter
|
| 12
|
|-----
| Antonov An-26

Antonov An-26

The Antonov An-26 is a twin-engined turboprop military transport aircraft, designed and produced in the USSR from 12 March 1968.-Development:...

 -
|  Soviet Union
| Medium transport
|
| 4
|
|-----
| de Havilland DHC-5D Buffalo

De Havilland Canada DHC-5 Buffalo

The de Havilland Canada DHC-5 Buffalo is a short takeoff and landing utility transport, a turboprop aircraft developed from the earlier piston-powered DHC-4 Caribou...

|  Canada
| Light transport
|
| 4
|
|-----
| Harbin Y-12

Harbin Y-12

-See also:-Bibliography:* Taylor, John W R. . Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1988-89. Coulsdon, Surrey, UK: Jane's Information Group, 1988. ISBN 07106-0867-5....

|  Mainland China
| Light transport
|
| 4
|
|-----
| Yakovlev Yak-40

Yakovlev Yak-40

The Yakovlev Yak-40 is a small, three-engined airliner that is often called the first regional jet transport aircraft...

|  Soviet Union
| VIP transport
|
| 2
|
|-----
| Aermacchi SF.260
|  Italy
| Basic trainer
|
|
| status unknown
|-----
| Aermacchi MB-326

Aermacchi MB-326

The Aermacchi or Macchi MB-326 is a light military jet aircraft designed in Italy. Originally conceived as a two-seat trainer, there have also been single and two-seat light attack versions produced. It is one of the most commercially successful aircraft of its type, being bought by more than 10...

|  Italy
| Jet trainer/ light attack
|
| 23
|
|-----
| Nanchang PT-6
|  Mainland China
| basic trainer
|
|
| status unknown
|-----
| Hongdu K-8 Karakorum

Hongdu JL-8

The Hongdu JL-8 is a two-seat intermediate jet trainer and light attack aircraft designed in the People's Republic of China by China Nanchang Aircraft Manufacturing Corporation. The primary contractor for this plane is the Hongdu Aviation Industry Corporation...

|  Mainland China
| Trainer
|
| 6
|
|-----
| Xian MA60

Xian MA60

|-See also:-References:* Jackson, Paul. Jane's All The World's Aircraft 2003–2004. Coulsdon, UK: Jane's Information Group, 2003. ISBN 0-7106-2537-5.-External links:* * *...

|  Mainland China
| Transport
|
| 2
|
|-----
| Mil Mi-17

Mil Mi-17

The Mil Mi-17 is a Russian helicopter currently in production at two factories in Kazan and Ulan-Ude...

|  Russia
| Medium transport helicopter
|
|
|status unknown
|-----
| Harbin Y-12

Harbin Y-12

-See also:-Bibliography:* Taylor, John W R. . Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1988-89. Coulsdon, Surrey, UK: Jane's Information Group, 1988. ISBN 07106-0867-5....

|  Mainland China
| Light transport
|
|
|status unknown
|-----
|Bell UH-1H Iroquois

UH-1 Iroquois

The Bell UH-1 Iroquois is a military helicopter powered by a single, turboshaft engine, with a two-bladed main rotor and tail rotor. The helicopter was developed by Bell Helicopter to meet the United States Army's requirement for a medical evacuation and utility helicopter in 1952, and first flew...

|  United States
| Light utility transport helicopter
|
|6
|recently purchased in South Africa
|-----