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List of air forces

From PlaneSpottingWorld, for aviation fans everywhere

This is a list of air forces, sorted alphabetically by country, followed by a list of former countries' air forces. It includes naval air arms, army aviation corps, and coast guards. Country names in italics indicate countries that are not generally recognized internationally.


Contents: Top - 0–9 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

A

Country Established
Service
Indigenous nameCurrentFormer
Template:Country data Abkhazia 23px Abkhazian Air Force 1992
Template:Country data Afghanistan 23px Afghan National Army - Air Corps
Afghan Melli-e Ourdou 		2002[1]

Air and Air Defense Force of the Islamic State of Afghanistan (Mujahideen)[2]

23px 1996-2001

Army Air Force of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (Taliban)[3]

23px 1996-2001

Air and Air Defense Force of the Islamic State of Afghanistan[4]

23px 1992-1996

Afghan Republican Air Force
De Afghan Hanoi Quirah

23px 1983-1992

Afghan Army Air Force[5]
De Afghan Hawa-e Quvah

23px 1980-1983

Afghan Republican Air Force
De Afghan Hanoi Quirah

23px 1973-1979

Royal Afghan Air Force

23px 1948-1973

Afghan Air Force
Afghan Hawa-e Ourdou

23px 1937-1947

Afghan Military Air Arm

23px 1924[6]-1929
Template:Country data Albania 23px Albanian Air Force
Forcave Ajrore 		1947
Template:Country data Algeria 23px Algerian Air Force
Al Quwwat aljawwija aljaza'eriiya 		1962
Template:Country data Angola 23px People's Air and Air Defence Force of Angola
Força Aérea Popular de Angola/Defesa Aérea y Antiaérea 		 

Angolan People's Air Force & Anti-Aircraft Defence
Força Aérea Popular de Angola/Defesa Anti-Aviões

23px 1976-?
Template:Country data Argentina 23px Argentine Air Force
Fuerza Aérea Argentina 		1945

Servicio Aéronautico del Ejército

23px 1912-?
23px Argentine Naval Aviation
Comando de Aviación Naval Argentina 		1919
23px Argentine Army Aviation
Comando de Aviación del Ejército Argentino 		1957
23px Coast Guard Air Division
Servicio de Aviación de la Prefectura Naval Argentina 		1970s
Template:Country data Armenia 23px Armenian Air Force 1994
Template:Country data Australia 23px Royal Australian Air Force 1921

Australian Air Corps

23px 1921

Australian Flying Corps

23px 1914-1921
23px Royal Australian Navy Fleet Air Arm 1947
23px Australian Army Aviation Corps 1968
Template:Country data Austria 23px Austrian Air Force
Östereichische Luftstreitkräfte 		1955

Luftwaffen Kommando Österreich

23px 1938-1945

Heimwehr Flieger Korps

23px 1927-1938

Austro-Hungarian Air Corps
Kaiserliche und Königliche Luftfahrtruppen

23px 1912-1919

KuK. Militär-Aeronautische Anstalt

23px 1893-1912
Template:Country data Azerbaijan 23px Azerbaijan Air Force 1991

B

Country Established
Service
Indigenous nameCurrentFormer
Template:Country data Bahamas 23px Royal Bahamas Defence Force Air Wing 1981
Template:Country data Bahrain 23px Royal Bahraini Air Force 2002

Bahrain Ameri Air Force

23px 1987-2002

Bahrain Defence Force Air Wing

23px 1977-1987
Template:Country data Bangladesh 23px Bangladeshi Air Force
বাংলাদেশ বিমান বাহিনী
Bangladesh Biman Bahini 		1971
Template:Country data Barbados 23px Barbados Defence Force 1981[7]
Template:Country data Belarus 23px Belarus Air Force post 1995

Belarus Air Force

23px 1991-1995
Template:Country data Belgium 23px Belgian Air Force[8]
Belgische Luchtmacht, Force Aérienne Belge 		1946

Militair Vliegwezen, Aviation Militaire

23px 1915-1940

Compagnie des Ouvries et Aérostiers

23px 1910-1915
Template:Country data Belize 23px Belize Defence Force Air Wing 1983
Template:Country data Benin 23px Benin Air Force
Force Aérienne Populaire de Benin 		1975

Dahomey Air Force
Force Aérienne de Dahomey

23px 1961-1975
Template:Country data Bhutan 23px Bhutan Air Force
Template:Country data Bolivia 23px Bolivian Air Force
Fuerza Aérea Boliviana 		1923
Template:Country data Botswana 23px Botswana Defence Force Air Wing 1977
Template:Country data Brazil 23px Brazilian Air Force
Força Aérea Brasileira 		1918
Bresil marine.jpg Brazilian Naval Aviation
Força Aeronaval 		1965
Bresil terre.jpg Brazilian Army Aviation
Aviação do Exército Brasileiro 		1931

(Roundel used during WWII)

23px 1941-1945
Template:Country data Brunei 23px Royal Brunei Air Force
Angkatan Tentera Udara Diraja Brunei 		1991

Royal Brunei Armed Forces Air Wing

23px 1984-1991

Royal Brunei Malay Regiment Air Wing

23px 1965-1984
Template:Country data Bulgaria 23px Bulgarian Air Force
Български Военно въздушни Сили
Bulgarski Voenno Vzdushni Sili (BVVS) 		1992

Bulgarian Air Defense and Air Force
Protivo-Vzdushna Otbrana i Voenno Vzdushni Sili (PVOiVVS)

23px 1961-1992

Bulgarian Air Defense and Air Force
Bulgarski Voenno Vzdushni Sili (BVVS)

23px 1952-1961

Bulgarian People's Air Force
Voenno Vozdushny Sily (VVS)

23px 1948-1952

Bulgarian Air Force
Bulgarski Vozdusni Vojski (BVV)

23px 1946-1948

 

23px 1945-1946

Royal Bulgarian Air Force
Vazhdushnite na Negovo Velichestvo Voyski (VNVV)

23px 1941-1944

 

23px 1937[9]-1941

(1st Roundel)

23px 1937-1938

Air Army
Vazdushni Voyski (VV)

23px 1934[10]-1937

Air Regiment

23px 1932-1934

Aeronautical Regiment

23px 1930-1932

Gendarmerie Air Squadron
Gendarmerie Air Otdelenie

23px 1921-1922

Army Aviation Corps

23px 1913-1920

Aeroplane Platoon

23px 1912-1913

Aeronautical Platoon[11]

23px 1906-1912
23px Bulgarian Naval Aviation
Aviatzia Na Bulgarski Voennomorski Flot (AnBVMF) 		1990

Independent ASW Squadron of the Navy
Otdelna Protivolodachna Eskadrila na VMF (OPLEV-VMF)

23px 1959-1990

Bulgarian Naval Aviation

23px 1917-??
Template:Country data Burkina Faso 23px Burkina Faso Air Force
Force Aérienne de Burkina Faso 		1964
Template:Country data Burundi 23px Burundi Army Aviation
Force Armée du Burundi 		1966

C

Country Established
Service
Indigenous nameCurrentFormer
Template:Country data Cambodia 23px Royal Cambodian Air Force
Toap Akas Khemarak Phoumin
Force Aérienne Royale Cambodge 		1993

Kampuchean People's Air Force

23px 1984-1991[12]

Air Force of the Kampuchean Liberation Army

23px 1977-1979[13]

Khmer Air Force
Aviation Nationale Khmer

23px 1970-1975

Royal Khmer Air Force
Aviation Royale Khmere

23px 1954-1970
Template:Country data Cameroon 23px Cameroon Air Force
Armée de l'Air du Cameroun 		1960
Template:Country data Canada RCAF-Roundel.svg Canadian Forces Air Command (AIRCOM) 1968

Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF)

Rcaf roundel old wht.png until 1968
Template:Country data Cape Verde 23px Cape Verde Air Force
Forza Aérea Caboverdaine 		1982
23px Cape Verde Coast Guard
Guarda Costeira de Cabo Verde
Template:Country data Central African Republic 23px Central African Republic Air Force
Force Aérienne Centrafricaine 		1961
Template:Country data Chad 23px Chad Air Force
Force Aérienne Tchadienne 		1973
Template:Country data Chile 23px Chilean Air Force
Fuerza Aérea de Chile (FACh)[14] 		1930

Chilean Military Aviation Service
Servició de Aviación Militar de Chile

23px 1910-1930
23px Chilean Naval Aviation
Servicio de Aviación de la Armada de Chile (popularly, Aviación Naval) 		1953

Chilean Naval Aviation Service
Servicio de Aviación Naval de Chile

23px 1919-1930[15]
23px Chilean Army Aviation
Comando de Aviación del Ejército de Chile (popularly, Aviación del Ejército) 		1970[16]
Template:Country data People's Republic of China China (PRC) 23px People's Liberation Army Air Force
中国人民解放军空军
Zhong Guo Ren Min Jie Fang Jun Kong Jun 		1949

Nanyuan Flying Group[17]

23px 1949

Red Army of China Air Force

23px c. 1930[18]
23px People's Liberation Army Naval Air Force
中国人民解放军海军航空兵
Zhong Guo Ren Min Jie Fang Jun Hai Jun Hang Kong Bing 		1953
Template:Country data Republic of China Republic of China (Taiwan) 23px Republic of China Air Force
中華民國空軍
Chung Hua Min Kuo Kung Chuan 		1938

Nationalist Chinese Air Force (Central Government)[19]

23px 1925-1938

Chinese Aviation Ministry

23px 1920-1925?

Chinese Aviation Service

23px 1916?-1919?

Chinese Army Air Arm

23px 1914-1916?

Airplane Corps of the Chinese Army

23px 1913-1914
23px Republic of China Army Aviation and Special Forces Command 1999

Army Paratroops and Special Forces Command

23px 1979-1999

Army Aviation Command[20]

23px 1976-1979
23px Republic of China Navy Aviation Command 1995

Naval Anti-Submarine Group

23px 1991-1995

Fleet Helicopter Squadron

23px 1977-1991

Chinese Naval Air Service

23px 1927-1938
Template:Country data Colombia 23px Colombian Air Force
Fuerza Aérea Colombiana 		1922
23px Colombian Naval Aviation
Aviación Naval
23px Colombian Army Aviation
Aviación del Ejército
Template:Country data Republic of the Congo[21] 23px Congolese Air Force
L'Armée de l'Air du Congo 		1961
Template:Country data Democratic Republic of the Congo Dem. Rep. of the Congo[22] 23px Congolese (DRC) Air Force
Force Aérienne du Congo
Template:Country data Costa Rica 23px Air Force of Costa Rica
Servicio de Vigilancia Aérea
Template:Country data Côte d'Ivoire 23px Côte d'Ivoire Air Force
Force Aérienne de la Côte d'Ivoire
Template:Country data Croatia 23px Croatian Air Force and Defense[23]
Hrvatsko Ratno Zrakoplovstvo i Protuzracna Obrana 		1991
Template:Country data Cuba 23px Cuban Revolutionary Air Force[24]
Fuerza Aérea Revolucionaria 		1959

Cuban Rebel Air Force[25]
Fuerza Aérea Rebelde

 23px 1958

Cuban Army Air Force
Fuerza Aérea del Ejército de Cuba

23px 1952-1958

Cuban Army Aviation Corps
Cuerpo de Aviación del Ejército de Cuba

23px 1934-1952

Cuban Army Air Corps
Cuerpo Aéreo del Ejército de Cuba

23px 1915-1934

Cuban Army Aviation Corps
Cuerpo de Aviación del Ejército de Cuba

23px 1913-1915
23px Cuban Naval Aviation[26]
Aviación Naval 		1934-1952
Template:Country data Czech Republic 23px Czech Air Force
Vzdušné síly armády České republiky 		1993

D

Country Established
Service
Indigenous nameCurrentFormer
Template:Country data Denmark 23px Royal Danish Air Force
Flyvevåbnet 		1950

Royal Danish Army Air Corps[27]
Hærens Flyvertropper

23px 1912-1950

Royal Danish Naval Aviation[28]
Marinens Flyvevæsen

23px 1911-1950
Template:Country data Djibouti 23px Djibouti Air Force
Force Aérienne du Djibouti 		1977
Template:Country data Dominican Republic 23px Dominican Air Force
Fuerza Aérea Dominicana

E

Country Established
Service
Indigenous nameCurrentFormer
Template:Country data Ecuador Ecuadorian Air Force roundel.svg Ecuadorian Air Force
Fuerza Aérea Ecuatoriana 		1920
23px Ecuadorian Naval Aviation
Aviación Naval Ecuatoriana
23px Ecuadorian Army Aviation
Aviación del Ejército Ecuatoriano
Template:Country data Egypt 23px Egyptian Air Force
Al Quwwat Al Jawwiya Il Misriya

Royal Egyptian Air Force

23px 1931-?
Template:Country data El Salvador 23px El Salvador Air Force
Fueza Aerea Salvadorena
Template:Country data Eritrea 23px Eritrean Air Force
Template:Country data Estonia 23px Estonian Air Force
Eesti Õhuvägi
Template:Country data Ethiopia 23px Ethiopian Air Force
Ye Ithopya Ayer Hayl

Imperial Ethiopian Air Force

23px 1946-?

F

Country Established
Service
Indigenous nameCurrentFormer
Template:Country data Fiji 23px none

Air Wing, Republic of Fiji Military Forces

23px 1987-1998
Template:Country data Finland 23px Finnish Air Force
Suomen Ilmavoimat 		1918

 

23px 1918-1945
23px Finnish Army Aviation
Suomen Maavoimat - Helikopterilentue 		1997
23px Finnish Frontier Guard
Rajavartiolaitos 		1919

Finnish Coast Guard
Merivartiolaitos

23px 1919-1944
Template:Country data France 23px French Air Force
Armée de l'Air 		1933

Normandie-Niémen squadron
Groupe de Chasse Normandie-Niémen

Red star.svg 1942-1945

RAF squadrons 326-329 and 340-347
Forces Aériennes Françaises Libres

RAF roundel.svg 1940-1945

French Army Aviation
Aviation Militaire

23px 1910-1933
23px French Naval Air Arm
Aviation Navale 		1925
23px French Army Light Aviation
Aviation Légère de l'Armée de Terre 		1954

G

Country Established
Service
Indigenous nameCurrentFormer
Template:Country data Gabon 23px Gabon Air Force
Armée de l'Air Gabonaise 		1961
Template:Country data The Gambia 23px Gambian Air Wing
Template:Country data Georgia 23px Georgian Air Force 1990
Template:Country data Germany 23px German Air Force
Luftwaffe 		1955

East German Air Force
Luftstreitkräfte der Nationale VolksArmee

23px 1956-1990

German Air Force
Luftwaffe

23px 1935-1945

Marineluftschiffe-Abteilung

23px 1912-1919

Die Marinefliegerabteilung des deutschen Kaiserreiches

23px 1911-1919

Imperial German Army Air Service
Luftstreitkräfte (Die Fliegertruppen des deutschen Kaiserreiches)

23px 1910-1919

Heeresluftschiffe-Abteilung

23px 1909-1917
23px German Naval Aviation
Marineflieger 		1955
23px German Army Aviators Corps
Heeresfliegertruppe 		1955
Template:Country data Ghana 23px Ghana Air Force 1959
Template:Country data Greece 23px Greek Air Force
Πολεμική Αεροπορία
Polemiki Aeroporia 		1930
23px Greek Army Aviation
Αεροπορία Στρατού
Aeroporia Stratou 		1956
23px Greek Naval Aviation
Πολεμική Ναυτικο
Polemiko Navtiko 		1976
23px Greek Coast Guard
Λιμενικό Σώμα
Limeniko Soma
Template:Country data Guatemala 23px Guatemalan Air Force
Fuerza Aérea Guatemalteca
Template:Country data Guinea 23px Guinea Air Force
Force Aérienne de Guinée 		1959
Template:Country data Guinea-Bissau 23px Guinea-Bissau Air Force
Força Aérea da Guiné-Bissau 		1978
Template:Country data Guyana 23px Guyana Defence Force 1968

H

Country Established
Service
Indigenous nameCurrentFormer
Template:Country data Haiti 23px Haiti Air Corps
Corps d'Aviation d'Garde d'Haiti 		1942
Template:Country data Honduras 23px Honduran Air Force
Fuerza Aérea Hondureña
Template:Country data Hungary 23px Hungarian Air Force
Magyar Légierő 		1939

I

Country Established
Service
Indigenous nameCurrentFormer
Template:Country data Iceland 23px Iceland Air Defense System
Íslenska Loftvarnarkerfið 		1987
File:Icstateflag.svg Icelandic Coast Guard Aeronautical Division
Landhelgisgæsla Íslands 		1955
Template:Country data India 23px Indian Air Force
भारतीय वायु सेना
Bharatiya Vayu Sena 		1950

Royal Indian Air Force

23px 1945-50

Indian Air Force

23px 1932-?1945
23px Army Aviation Corps 1986
23px Naval Air Arm 1953
23px Indian Coast Guard Air Wing
Bharatiya Tatarakshak Dal 		1978
Template:Country data Indonesia 23px Indonesian Air Force
Tentara Nasional Indonesia Angkatan Udara
23px Indonesian Naval Aviation
Dinas Penerbangan TNI Indonesia Angkatan Laut
23px Indonesian Army Aviation
Dinas Penerbangan TNI Angkatan Darat
Template:Country data Iran 23px Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force
نیروی هوایی ارتش جمهوری اسلامی ایران 		1979

Imperial Iranian Air Force
Nirou Havai Shahanshahiye Iran

23px 1925-1979
Template:Country data Iraq 23px Iraqi Air Force
Al Quwwat al-Jawwiya al-Iraqiya 		1958

Royal Iraqi Air Force

23px 1931-?1958
Template:Country data Republic of Ireland 23px Irish Air Corps
Aer-Chór na h-Éireann 		1922
Template:Country data Israel 23px Israeli Air Force
חיל האוויר
Heyl Ha'Avir 		1948

Haganah Sherut Avir

23px 1947-1948
Template:Country data Italy 23px Italian Air Force[29]
Aeronautica Militare 		1946

Italian Co-Belligerent Air Force
Aviazione Cobelligerante ed Aeronautica Militare Italiana

23px 1943-1946

Aviazione Nazionale Repubblicana [30]

ASD.svg 1943-1944

Règia Aeronautica[31]

23px 1923-1943

Royal Naval Aviation
Aviazione della Règia Marina

23px 1912-1923

Military Aeronautical Corps
Corpo Aeronautico Militare

23px 1911-1923

Balloon Corps
Servizio Aeronautico

23px 1884-?1911
23px Italian Naval Aviation
Aviazione Navale 		1956
23px Italian Army Aviation
Cavalleria dell'Aria 		1951
23px Air Service of the Italian Paramilitary Police Force
Nucleo Elicotteri Carabinieri 		1965
For Ivory Coast, see Côte d'Ivoire above.

J

Country Established
Service
Indigenous nameCurrentFormer
Template:Country data Jamaica Jamaican Defence Force roundel.svg Jamaican Defence Force 1963

Jamaica Air Squadron

23px 1963
Template:Country data Japan 23px Japan Air Self-Defense Force[32]
航空自衛隊
Nihon Koku-Jieitai 		1954
23px Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force
Kaijo Jieitai

Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service[33]
Dai-Nippon Teikoku Kaigun Koku Hombu

Japan.svg 1910-1945
23px Japan Ground Self-Defense Force
Rikujo Jieitai

Imperial Japanese Army Air Service
Dai-Nippon Teikoku Rikugun Koku Hombu

Japan.svg 1910-1945
Template:Country data Jordan 23px Royal Jordanian Air Force
Al Quwwat al-Jawwiya Almalakiya al-Urduniya 		1955

Arab Legion Air Force

23px 1946-?

K

Country Established
Service
Indigenous nameCurrentFormer
Template:Country data Kazakhstan 23px Kazakhstan Air Defense Force
Sil Vozdushnoy Oborony Respubliki Kazakhstan 		1992
Template:Country data Kenya 23px Kenya Air Force 1964
Template:Country data North Korea 23px Korean People's Army Air Force 1955
Template:Country data South Korea 23px Republic of Korea Air Force
대한민국 공군Template:NbsporTemplate:Nbsp大韓民國 空軍
Hankook Kong Goon 		1949
Template:Country data Kuwait 23px Kuwait Air Force
Al-Quwwat al-Jawwiya al-Kuwaitiya 		1988

Kuwait Air Force and Air Defense

23px 1961
Template:Country data Kyrgyzstan 23px Kyrgyzstan Air Force 1991

L

Country Established
Service
Indigenous nameCurrentFormer
Template:Country data Laos 23px Laotian Air Force
Template:Country data Latvia 23px Latvian Air Force
Latvijas Gaisaspeki 		1991

 

23px 1926-1940
Template:Country data Lebanon 23px Lebanese Air Force
Al Quwwat al-Jawwiya al-Lubnamia
Template:Country data Lesotho 23px Lesotho Defence Force
Template:Country data Liberia 23px Liberian Army Air Wing
Template:Country data Libya Libyan Air Force roundel.svg Libyan Air Force
Al Quwwatal Jawwiya al Jamahiriya al Arabia al Libyya 		1978

Libyan Arab Republic Air Force

23px 1969-?1978

Royal Libyan Air Force
Al Quwwat al Jawwiya al Malakiya al Libiyya

23px 1951-?1969
Template:Country data Lithuania 23px Lithuanian Air Force
Karinės Oro Pajėgos 		1992
Template:Country data Luxembourg 23px NATO Airborne Early Warning Force

M

Country Established
Service
Indigenous nameCurrentFormer
Template:Country data Macedonia 23px Macedonian Air Force
Военно Воздухопловство и Противвоздушна Одбрана
Voeno Vozduhoplovstvo i Protivvozdushna Odbrana
Template:Country data Madagascar 23px Malagasy Air Force
Armée de l'Air Malgache
Template:Country data Malawi 23px Malawi Army Air Wing
Template:Country data Malaysia 23px Royal Malaysian Air Force
Tentera Udara Diraja Malaysia
Template:Country data Mali 23px Mali Air Force
Force Aérienne de la République du Mali
Template:Country data Malta 23px Armed Forces of Malta
Template:Country data Mauritania 23px Mauritanian Air Force
Force Aérienne de la Islamique de Mauritanie
Template:Country data Mauritius 23px Mauritius Coast Guard
Template:Country data Mexico Mexican Air Force roundel.svg Mexican Air Force
Fuerza Aérea Mexicana 		1913
23px Mexican Naval Aviation
Fuerza Aeronaval
Template:Country data Moldova 23px Moldovan Air Force
Template:Country data Mongolia 23px Mongolian Air Defense Forces Command
Agaaryn Dovtolgoonoos Khamgaalakh Tsergiyn Komandlal
Template:Country data Montenegro 23px Montenegrin Air Force
Vazdušne snage Crne Gore
Template:Country data Morocco 23px Royal Moroccan Air Force
Alkowat al malakiya al jawiya
Template:Country data Mozambique 23px Mozambique Air Force
Força Aérea de Moçambique
Template:Country data Myanmar 23px Myanmar Air Force
Tatmdaw Lei 		1947

N

Country Established
Service
Indigenous nameCurrentFormer
Template:Country data Namibia 23px Namibian Air Force
Template:Country data Nepal 23px Royal Nepal Army Air Wing
Template:Country data Netherlands 23px Royal Netherlands Air Force[34]
Koninklijke Luchtmacht 		1953

Luchtvaartafdeeling

23px 1913-1940

 

23px 1939-1940
23px Netherlands Naval Aviation
Marineluchtvaartdienst 		1917
Template:Country data New Zealand 23px Royal New Zealand Air Force[35][36] 1934

New Zealand Permanent Air Force

23px 1923-1934

New Zealand Army Flying Corps

23px 1913-?1923
23px New Zealand Territorial Air Force 1930-?
Template:Country data Nicaragua 23px Nicaraguan Air Force
Fuerza Aérea de Nicaragua‎
Template:Country data Niger 23px Niger Air Force
Force Aérienne du Niger
Template:Country data Nigeria 23px Nigerian Air Force
Template:Country data Norway 23px Royal Norwegian Air Force
Kongelige Norske Luftforsvaret 		1944

Royal Air Force squadrons 331 and 332

RAF roundel.svg 1942-1945

Army Air Service
Hærens Flyvevesen

23px 1915-1944

Naval Air Service
Marinens Flyvevesen

23px 1916-1944

O

Country Established
Service
Indigenous nameCurrentFormer
Template:Country data Oman 23px Royal Air Force of Oman
Al Quwwat al-Jawwiya al-Sultanya al-Omanya
Oecsflag1.jpg OECS[37] 23px Regional Security System

P

Country Established
Service
Indigenous nameCurrentFormer
Template:Country data Pakistan 23px Pakistani Air Force
پاکستانی فضائيہ 		1956

Royal Pakistani Air Force

23px 1947-1956
23px Army Aviation Wing 1958
23px Pakistan Navy Air Arm 1973
Template:Country data Panama 23px Panamanian Air Force
Servicio Aéreo Nacional 		1983
Template:Country data Papua New Guinea 23px Papua New Guinea Defence Force 1974
Template:Country data Paraguay 23px Paraguay Air Force
Aeronautica Militar Paraguaya 		1989
Template:Country data Peru 23px Peruvian Air Force
Fuerza Aérea del Perú 		1950
23px Peruvian Naval Aviation
Fuerza Aviación Naval del Perú
23px Peruvian Army Aviation
Aviación del Ejército Peruana
Template:Country data Philippines 23px Philippine Air Force
Hukbong Himpapawid ng Pilipinas 		1947
Template:Country data Poland Szachownica.svg Polish Air Force
Siły Powietrzne Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej 		1993

 

23px 1947-1993

Soviet Air Force's Ludowe Lotnictwo Polskie

Red star.svg 1943-1946

RAF squadrons 300-309, 315-318 and 663

RAF roundel.svg 1940-1947

Forces Aerienes Polonaises

23px 1940

Wojska Lotnicze

23px 1918-1939
Szachownica.svg Polish Army Aviation
Lotnictwo Wojsk Lądowych 		1994
Szachownica.svg Polish Naval Aviation
Lotnictwo Marynarki Wojennej 		1947
Template:Country data Portugal 23px Portuguese Air Force
Força Aérea Portuguesa 		1952

Army Air Service
Arma da Aeronáutica Militar

23px 1924-?1952

Military Aeronautical Service
Serviço Aeronáutico Militar

23px 1914-?1924

Balloon Corps
Companhia de Aerosteiros

23px 1911-?1914
23px Navy Helicopter Squadron
Esquadrilha de Helicópteros da Marinha 		1993

Portuguese Naval Aviation
Aviação Naval

23px 1957-?1993

Formerly Aeronaval Forces
Forças Aeronavais

23px 1952-1957

Naval Aeronautical Service
Serviço da Aeronáutica Naval'

23px 1918-?1952

Naval Aviation Service
Serviço de Aviação da Armada

23px 1917-1918

Q

Country Established
Service
Indigenous nameCurrentFormer
Template:Country data Qatar 23px Qatar Emiri Air Force 1968

R

Country Established
Service
Indigenous nameCurrentFormer
Template:Country data Romania 23px Romanian Air Force
Fortele Aeriene Române 		1989

Aeronautica Regalâ Românã

23px
Template:Country data Russia 23px Russian Air Force
Военно-воздушные cилы России
Voyenno-Vozdushnye Sily Rossii 		1991

Soviet Air Force
Военно-воздушные силы
Voenno-Vozdushnye Sily

Red star.svg 1918-1991

Imperial Russian Air Force
Императорский военно-воздушный флот

23px 1910-1917
23px Russian Naval Aviation
Авиация Военно-Морского Флота
Aviatsiya Voyenno-Morskogo Flota
Template:Country data Rwanda 23px Rwandan Air Force
Force Aérienne Rwandaise

S

Country Established
Service
Indigenous nameCurrentFormer
Template:Country data Saudi Arabia 23px Royal Saudi Air Force
Al Quwwat al Jawwiya as Sa'udiya 		1950
Template:Country data Senegal 23px Senegalese Air Force
Armée de l'Air du Sénégal 		1960
Template:Country data Serbia 23px Serbian Air Force 1991

Serbian Military Air Service
Srpska Avijatika

23px 1913-18

Serbian Aviation Service Aircraft Command
Vazduhoplovna Komanda

23px 1912-13
Template:Country data Seychelles 23px Coast Guard Air Wing (Seychelles) 1980
Template:Country data Sierra Leone 23px Sierra Leone Defence Force 1973
Template:Country data Singapore 23px Republic of Singapore Air Force
Tentera Udara Singapura 		1971
Template:Country data Slovakia 23px Slovak Air Force
Velitelstvo Vzdušnych Sil 		1993

Slovenske Vzdusne Zbrane

23px 1939-1944
Template:Country data Slovenia 23px Slovenian Air Force
Vojaško letalstvo in zracna obramba Slovenske vojske
Template:Country data Somalia 23px Somali Air Corps
Cuerpo Aeronautica della Somalia 		1991
Template:Country data South Africa 23px South African Air Force
Suid-Afrikaanse Lugmag 		1920

South African Aviation Corps

23px 1915-?1920
Template:Country data Spain Spain.svg Spanish Air Force
Ejército del Aire 		1939

Fuerzas Aérea Republicanas

23px 1936-?1939

Aeronáutica Militar

23px

Aeronáutica Militar Española

23px 1911-?1936

Servicio Militar de Aerostacion

23px 1896-?1911
23px Spanish Army Aviation
Fuerzas Aeromóviles del Ejército de Tierra 		1973
23px Spanish Naval Aviation
Arma Aérea de la Armada 		1954

Aeronáutica Naval

23px 1917-1936
Template:Country data Sri Lanka 23px Sri Lanka Air Force 1971

Royal Ceylon Air Force

23px 1951-?1971
Template:Country data Sudan 23px Sudanese Air Force
Al Quwwat al-Jawwiya As-Sudaniya 		1956
Template:Country data Suriname 23px Suriname Air Force
Surinaamse Luchtmacht 		1982
Template:Country data Swaziland 23px Swazi Air Force 1979
Template:Country data Sweden 23px Swedish Air Force
Svenska Flygvapnet 		1926

Aircraft Coy of the Signal Corps
Flygkompaniet

23px 1912-1926

Naval Air Service
Marinens Flygväsen

23px 1911-1926
23px Defence Helicopter Wing[38]
Försvarsmaktens Helikopterflottilj 		1998-2003

Swedish Army Aviation
Arméflyget

23px 1954-1998

Swedish Naval Aviation
Marinflyget

23px 1958-1998
Template:Country data Switzerland 23px Swiss Air Force
Schweizer Luftwaffe
Forces Aériennes Suisses
Forze Aeree Svizzere 		1946

Independent service under the Swiss Federal Military Department
Schweizerische Flugwaffe

23px 1936-1946

Swiss Army Aviation
Schweizerische Fliegertruppe

23px 1914-1936
Template:Country data Syria 23px Syrian Air Force
Al Quwwat al-Jawwiya al Arabiya as-Souriya 		1946

T

Country Established
Service
Indigenous nameCurrentFormer
For Taiwan, see Republic of China above.
Template:Country data Tajikistan 23px Tajik Air Force
Template:Country data Tanzania 23px Tanzanian Air Force
Jeshi la Anga la Wananchi wa Tanzania
Template:Country data Thailand 23px Royal Thai Air Force
Kongtap Agard Thai
Template:Country data Togo 23px Togolese Air Force
Force Aérienne Togolaise
Template:Country data Trinidad and Tobago 23px Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force
Template:Country data Tunisia 23px Tunisian Air Force
Al Quwwat al-Jawwiya al-Jamahiriyah at'Tunisia
Template:Country data Turkey 23px Turkish Air Force
Türk Hava Kuvvetleri 		1944

Turkish Ministry of Defense,
Undersecretariat of Military Aviation
Hava Müsteşarlığı

23px 1928-1944

Turkish Air Force Inspectorate
Hava Kuvvetleri Müfettişliği

23px 1922-1928

Turkish Air Force General Directorate
Kuva-yı Havaiye Müdüriyet-i Umumiyesi

23px 1921-1922

Turkish Army Air Service
Kuva-yı Havaiye Şubesi

23px 1920-1921

Ottoman Air Force Inspectorate
Kuva-yı Havaiye Müfettişliği

23px 1918-1920

Ottoman Aviation Affairs Inspectorate
Umur-u Havaiye Müfettişliği

23px 1915-1918

Ottoman Aviation Organization Inspectorate
Teşkilat-ı Havaiye Müfettişliği

23px 1914-1915

Ottoman Aviation Commission
Havacılık Komisyonu

23px 1911-1914
23px Turkish Land Force Aviation
Türk Kara Kuvvetleri Havacılığı 		1948
23px Turkish Naval Aviation
Türk Donanma Havacılığı 		1971

Ottoman Naval Aviation Academy and Service
Bahriye Tayyare Mektebi ve Havacılık Şubesi

23px 1914-1919
23px Turkish Coast Guard Aviation
Türk Sahil Güvenlik Havacılığı 		1993
Template:Country data Turkmenistan 23px Turkmenistan Air Force

U

Country Established
Service
Indigenous nameCurrentFormer
Template:Country data Uganda 23px Ugandan Air Force
Template:Country data Ukraine 23px Ukrainian Air Force
Військово-Повітряні Сили України
Viys'kovo-Povitriani Syly Ukrayiny
23px Ukrainian Naval Aviation
Авіація Військово-Морських Сил
Aviatsiya Viys'kovo-Mors'kykh Syl
Template:Country data United Arab Emirates 23px United Arab Emirates Air Force[39]
Template:Country data United Kingdom RAF roundel.svg Royal Air Force 1918

Royal Naval Air Service

23px 1914-1918

Royal Flying Corps

23px 1912-1918
RAF roundel.svg Fleet Air Arm[40] 1937
RAF roundel.svg Army Air Corps[40] 1942
Template:Country data United States 23px United States Air Force 1947

United States Army Air Forces

23px 1941-1947

United States Army Air Corps

23px 1926-1941

United States Army Air Service

23px 1917-1926

Aeronautical Division, U.S. Signal Corps

23px 1907
23px Army Aviation 1947
23px U.S. Naval Aviation 1911
23px Marine Corps Aviation
23px Air National Guard 1947
Template:Country data Uruguay 23px Uruguayan Air Force
Fuerza Aérea Uruguaya
Template:Country data Uzbekistan 23px Uzbek Air Force

V

Country Established
Service
Indigenous nameCurrentFormer
Template:Country data Venezuela 23px Venezuelan Air Force
Fuerza Aérea Venezolana 		1949
23px Venezuelan Army Aviation
Servicio Aéreo del Ejército Venezolana 		1970
23px Venezuelan Naval Aviation
Aviación de la Marina Venezolana 		1922
23px National Guard of Venezuela
Comando de Apoyo Aéreo de Guardia Nacional 		1999
Template:Country data Vietnam 23px Vietnamese Air Force
Khong Quan Nhan Dan Viet Nam

Cochin China Air Force

23px 1941-1945

Y

Country Established
Service
Indigenous nameCurrentFormer
Template:Country data Yemen 23px Yemen Air Force

Z

Country Established
Service
Indigenous nameCurrentFormer
Template:Country data Zambia 23px Zambian Air Force and Air Defence Command 1968

Zambia Air Wing

23px 1964-1968
Template:Country data Zimbabwe 23px Air Force of Zimbabwe 1980

Rhodesian Air Force

23px 1970-1979

Royal Rhodesian Air Force

23px 1954-1970

Southern Rhodesian Air Force

23px 1939-1954

Rhodesian Regiment Air Unit

23px 1935-1939

Former countries

Country Established
Service
Indigenous nameCurrentFormer
Template:Country data Czechoslovakia

Czechoslovak Air Force[41]
Češkoslovenske Vojenske Letectvo

23px 1945-1993

Czechoslovak Army Air Force
Češkoslovenske Letectvo

23px 1918-1939
Template:Country data East Germany

East German Air Force
Luftstreitkräfte und Luftverteidigung der Deutschen Demokratischen Republik

23px 1956-1990
Template:Country data South Vietnam

Vietnam Air Force
Khong Quan Viet Nam

23px 1954-1975
Template:Country data Soviet Union

Soviet Air Force
Военно-воздушные силы

23px 1930-1991

Workers' and Peasants' Red Air Fleet
Рабоче-Крестьянская Красная воздуха флот

23px 1918-1930
Template:Country data Yugoslavia

SFR Yugoslav Air Force[42]
Ratno Vazduhoplovstvo i Protivvazdusna Odbrana

23px 1945-1991

Yugoslav Royal Air Force
Jugoslovensko Kraljevsko Ratno Vazduhoplovstvo

23px 1930-1941

Yugoslav Army Aviation Department

23px 1918-1929

Notes

  1. ↑ Operations resumed in 2002, but the new name may not have been applied until the after the 2003 defense reforms were promulgated.
  2. ↑ As they continued the fight against the Taliban, the Mujahideen leaders individually retained the trappings of elements of the Islamic State of Afghanistan. Most of the country's military aircraft not captured by the Taliban were retained by factions remaining aligned with former President Burhanuddin Rabbani. These groups would later form the 'United Islamic Front', which is more commonly known as the 'Northern Alliance'.
  3. ↑ Little is known about the Taliban regime's air force establishment.
  4. ↑ The pro-Soviet regime collapsed in late April 1992 and was succeeded by the UN-sponsored government, the "Islamic State of Afghanistan", led by Burhanuddin Rabbani until overthrown by the Taliban in September 1996.
  5. ↑ Soviet Union-installed regime.
  6. ↑ Official establishment occurred in 1924, but the AMAA received its first aircraft in 1921 (aside from some captured in 1919).
  7. ↑ Date first aircraft obtained; the Barbados Defence Force itself was established in 1979.
  8. ↑ Preceded by RAF Squadrons 349 and 350 (1942-1946).
  9. ↑ The indicated roundel was introduced in 1938.
  10. ↑ Clandestine air squadrons were actually formed as early as 1927.
  11. ↑ Operated balloons
  12. ↑ The KPAF's name was changed to "Cambodian People's Air Force" in 1989, following the restoration of the nation's former name of Cambodia. In 1992, the PKAF was briefly resurrected as the "State of Cambodia Air Force", but it never actually became operational under that title.
  13. ↑ The Vietnamese invasion of 1979 resulted in the forcible disbandment of the AFKLA; formation of a successor force did not begin until 1984.
  14. ↑ The Fuerza Aérea de Chile was briefly named Fuerza Aérea Nacional in 1930.
  15. ↑ The year 1919, when its first aircraft were received, is the traditional establishment date of Chile's Aviación Naval (the name by which it is still popularly referred); however, it was not officially established and recognized as a branch within the Navy until 1923.
  16. ↑ When the dissolution of Chile's unified national air force in 1953, the Army did not regain an air arm of its own. Disappointment with this outcome led to the founding of the Club Aéreo del Personal del Ejército (Army Personnel Aero Club) in 1959. Although never formally established as an air arm, it nevertheless served as an important and foundational predecessor to the modern CAEC.
  17. ↑ The NFG was formed in the summer of 1949 for the air defense of Beijing, but was replaced by the PLAAF in November of that year.
  18. ↑ On 28 February 1930, the Red Army captured a Nationalist Chinese O2U-4 Corsair reconnaissance aircraft that had been forced to land due to having run out of fuel; given a red star and named after Lenin, it was later used against the Nationalist government. This may have been the first aircraft in the Red Army. Small numbers of captured aircraft were also used against the Japanese during World War II, but the first regular Communist Chinese air force would be organized as the Nanyuan Flying Group in 1949.
  19. ↑ Information on the organization of Chinese military aviation prior to 1925, when the Kuomintang began establishing its Aviation Bureaus around China, is very spotty as many records have been lost during the conflicts raging from 1931-1949 and the subsequent Cultural Revolution; in fact, during most of these earlier years, China fielded multiple air forces, most being the personal air arms of various warlords — some allied with the national government and some not. During WWII (which began for the Chinese with the Japanese invasion of Manchuria in 1931), the Japanese established a number of puppet governments, several of which were permitted to field small air forces.
  20. ↑ Although a formal aviation arm was not stood up until 1979, the ROC Army created an Aviation Section for each of its two corps and an Aviation Platoon for its General Headquarters in 1956.
  21. ↑ Also known as Congo-Brazzaville.
  22. ↑ Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), also known as Congo-Kinshasa.
  23. ↑ Preceded by the German-controlled Kroatische Luftwaffen Legion (KG-5/JG-4, 1941-1945) during World War II.
  24. ↑ Full formal name is the Cuban Air Defense and Revolutionary Air Force (Defensa Anti-Aérea y Fuerza Aérea Revolucionaria).
  25. ↑ Established by Fidel Castro in 1958, but operations with a captured Aviación Naval aircraft began the previous year.
  26. ↑ Split off from the Cuban air force in 1934, but remerged in 1952 reorganization.
  27. ↑ Army aviation was ressurected from 1971-2003 as Hærens Flyvetjeneste (HFT) — Royal Danish Army Flying Service. Now placed under the Air Force as Squadron 724.
  28. ↑ Naval aviation was ressurected from 1962-2003 as Søværnets Flyvetjeneste (SVF) — Royal Danish Navy Flying Service. Now placed under the Air Force as Squadron 728.
  29. ↑ Also uses a low-visibility roundel: LV Italian Air Force roundel.svg
  30. ↑ Flank roundel: ASDF.svg
  31. ↑ Conglomerate of the Aviazione della Règia Marina and Corpo Aeronautico Militare. Flank insignia (click to enlarge): Italy-Royal Airforce.png
  32. ↑ Patterned on the US Air Force.
  33. ↑ Also used the Imperial Japanese Navy's ensign: Naval Ensign of Japan.svg
  34. ↑ Preceded by RAAF squadrons 18, 119 and 120 (1942-1946) and RAF squadrons 320, 321 and 322 (1940-1945).
  35. ↑ Includes Royal New Zealand Navy aircraft as No. 6 Squadron.
  36. ↑ Also included RAF squadrons 75 and 485-490 during World War II.
  37. ↑ Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States
  38. ↑ Merged with Swedish Air Force 2003
  39. ↑ Includes the Dubai Defence Force Air Wing (formed 1971); Abu Dhabi Army Air Wing (formed 1968); and Abu Dhabi Air Force (formed 1972).[citation needed]
  40. ↑ 40.0 40.1 Formerly part of the Royal Air Force.
  41. ↑ Preceded and supported by RAF squadrons 310-313 (1940-1946) and the Soviet Air Force's 1st Czech Fighter Regiment[citation needed].
  42. ↑ Preceded by the Partizanska Eskadrila NOVJ and RAF squadrons 351 and 352 (the RAF Balkan Air Force, 1942-1945)

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