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WORLD'S AIR FORCES
Svenska Marinen The Swedish Navy's helicopter force consists of three squadrons. No. 11, based at Berga near Stockholm, is equipped with Boeing-Vertol/Kawasaki 107s, AB.206B JetRangers, and the Navy's only CASA 212 Aviocar, all used on ASW, over-the-horizon target acquisition for surface vessels, and general transport duties. With similar roles and equipment are 12 and 13 Squadrons at Save, near Gothenburg, and Kallinge, near Ronneby, respectively.
Three C-212 Aviocars were ordered in December 1985, one going to 11 Squadron, while the other two have replaced the Cessna 404 aircraft formerly used by the Coast Guard service. The Navy will receive two more Aviocars in 1988. Four Boeing-Vertol 107s are to be transferred from the Air Force in 1988, and these will be updated, together with the original Navy examples, to have new avionics and will probably be re-engined with Gnome H1400 turboshafts. The last Alouette lis have been retired.
Armeflygkar The Army air corps is primarily tasked with casualty evacuation, personnel/ cargo transport, artillery spotting, and reconnaissance, but will be expanding its activities in 1987/88 to include the anti-tank role, as the TOW equipped BO. 105s are delivered. The AB.204 fleet is already overdue for replacement, and a new utility helicopter is required for service in the 1992/93 timeframe. Bulldogs are to be replaced by Hughes 300 helicopters and some will be transferred to the Air Force.
Type No Role
Air Force JAS39 Gripen JA37 Viggen AJ37 Viggen SF/SH37 Viggen Sk37 Viggen J35F/J Draken Sk35C Draken J32D/E Lansen Sk60 (SAAB 105) Sk61 Bulldog Sk50 Safir C-130E/H Hercules Caravelle III Tp86 Sabreliner Tp88 Metro Boeing-Vertol 107 AS.332M-1 Super Pume AB.204B B0.105CBS Alouette II
Navy C-212 Aviocar Boeing-Vertol 107/
KV-107 AB.206B JetRanger
Army Fpl61 Bulldog DO-27A AB.204B B0.105CB AB.206A JetRanger Hughes 300C
M O -M I " 83 48 18 4 0 + / 6 4 4 11/11 125 + 51 4 0 + 2/6 2 2 2/1 9 1 0 " 6 4 6
1 / 2 "
1 0 / 4 " 9
18 2 12 20* 19 26
Int/Attack/Reece Int Attack Mar Att/Reece Training
* Int Training TT/ECM Attack/Train/Reece Training Liaison Transport ECM/Elint ECM Training VIP/AEW Trials SAR SAR SAR SAR SAR
ASW
ASW/Transport ASW/Liaison
Training/AOP Liaison Utility Anti-tank Utility Training/AOP
Delivery in progress On Order
Switzerland Swiss Air Force and Anti-Aircraft Command The Swiss Air Force is a Corps of the Swiss Army. Switzerland maintains its neutrality with modern weapons and equipment, and a re-equipment programme over the
last few years has seen the retirement of the Venom FB.50; the modernisation of the Hunter force with Maverick missiles, RWR, ECM, and IRCM; and the completion of F-5E/F Tiger II deliveries. Vampire T.55 trainers and single-seat FB.6s are to be replaced by the BAe Hawk, and an order for 20 was placed in October. Switzerland is also beginning the process of selecting a new interceptor to replace the Mirage III in the 1990s. Four types are under study; the F-16C, F-18, Mirage 2000, and JAS39. Second-phase overseas flight tests will short-list two aircraft which will ultimately be the subject of a full evaluation in Switzerland. Air defence is currently undertaken by two squadrons of Mirage Ills, two F-5 squadrons, a Hunter squadron, and a reconnaissance squadron with Mirage IIIRs. These units form the Surveillance Wing. The Service has enhanced its air defence training by buying time on the instrumented air combat range at Deccimomannu in Sardinia. Another five F-5 and Hunter squadrons are assigned primarily to close-support duties, with some Hunter T.68s configured for the ECM role. Of the seven light aviation squadrons flying a mix of fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters, four are assigned to the various Army Corps. Three AS.332 Super Pumas are being delivered for transport duties, while two secondhand Learjets are on order to replace the Twin Bonanzas. Flying training is on the PC-7, followed by basic jet course on the Vampire T.55 and an advanced course on the Vampire FB.6 before type conversion. The C.3605 target tugs have been grounded with fatigue problems and may be replaced by PC-9s.
Type No Role
F-5E/F Tiger II Mirage IIIS/RS Mirage IIIB/D Hunter F.58/T.68 Hawk 66 Vampire FB.6/T.55 PC-7 Turbo-Trainer Pilatus P-3 Learjet 36 Twin Bonanza PC-6B Turbo-Porter Do-27 AS.332 Super Puma Alouette II
91 /12 30 /18 2/2 125/7 2 0 " 20/35 40 60 2 " 3 18 3 3 ' 26 /76
Int/Training Int/Reece Training FGA/Training Training Training Training Training Comms Communications Utility/SAR Liaison Transport Liaison/Utility
Delivery in progress * On Order
Syria Al Quwwat al Jawwiya al Arabiya As'souriya Organised and trained to Soviet standards and equipped almost exclusively with Soviet equipment, the Syrian Air Force is often engaged in combat with the Israeli Air Force. Syria has ordered MiG-29 Fulcrums and has requested MiG-31 Foxhounds to counter Israel's F-15s and F-16s, but it would appear that the real causes of the heavy Syrian losses over the Lebanon in 1983 were its mediocre training and rigid tactics, rather than a lack of suitable aircraft. MiG-29 deliveries, originally reported in July/August 1986, did not start until July 1987. Syria is also reported to be acquiring a small number of Tu-126 Moss AEW aircraft. There are four three-squadron interceptor regiments with MiG-21s, MiG-23s, and MiG-25s. The strike/attack force has Su-22s and MiG-23s, together with Su-7s.
Type No Role
MiG-29 Fulcrum MiG-25/25R/25U Foxbat MiG-23MF/BM Flogger
8 0 ' 3 0 + / 8 / 2 80 /65
MiG-21PF/MF/bis Fishbed 225 + MiG-21U Mongol Su-22BKL Fitter Su-7BM Fitter MiG-17F Fresco MiG-15UTI Midget L-39 Albatros L-29 Delfin Flamingo II-76T Candid An-26 Curl An-24 Coke 11-14 Crate 11-18 Coot Yak-40 Codling Falcon 20 PA-31 Navajo Mi-24 Hind Mi-8 Hip Mi-6 Hook Mi-4 Hound SA.342 Gazelle
Navy Mi-14 Haze Ka-25 Hormone
* Delivery in progress
20+ 60+ 20 + 60+ 25 + 40 60 48 2 4 2 6 4 2 2 2 36 100+ 10 20+ 55 +
12 5
Taiwan
Int Int/Recce/Trng Int/Attack Int Training FGA FGA Tact Training Training Training Training Training Transport Transport Transport Transport Transport/VIP VIP VIP Survey Attack Transport Transport Liaison Anti-tank
ASW ASW
Republic of China Air Force As more friendly links between the USA and the People's Republic of China have grown over the past few years, the RoCAF has experienced increasing difficulty in re-equipping with modern aircraft. Requests to the USA for F-4 Phantoms, F-16s, and F-18 Hornets were all denied, while initial approval for an F-20 Tiger-shark purchase was later withdrawn. Consequently Taiwan is developing an indigenous fighter, with similar performance to the F-20, in a six-year programme which began in 1985 and for which $lbn is allocated. Production is scheduled to start in 1988. The Aero Industry Development Centre (AIDC) has also designed and built a jet trainer, the AT-TC-3 Tse Tchan, and deliveries against a first order for 50 aircraft began in 1984. The only recent acquisitions from the USA have been 44 T-34C Turbo-Mentor trainers, 12 C-130H Hercules, and 14 S-70C Blackhawks. Spares support for the large fleet of US aircraft is still available. 18 ex-Royal Netherlands Air Force Starfighters were acquired in April 1987.
The RoCAF is organised along US lines, and has six wings plus a VIP squadron and a training centre. F-5E Tigers are flown by the 1st, 2nd, and 455th Tactical Fighter Wings at Tainan, Hsin Chu, and Chic Ye respectively, and also by two squadrons in the 5th Composite Wing at Tao Yuan. Other elements of the 5th CW comprise an RF-104G reconnaissance squadron and the F-5 OCU The 30th TFW at Ching Chuan Rang operates F-104G Star-
^fighters, most of which formerly saw service in Arizona, training pilots of the West German Air Force. The final wing is the 20th Tactical Transport Wing at Pingtung (North and South airfields), with a mix of C-47 Dakotas, C-li,9Gs, and C-123 Providers. The Hercules will also be attached to this wing. A VIP squadron is based at Sung Shan, while the Training Centre at Kang Shan is equipped with T-34Cs, T-CH-ls, T-33As, AT-TC-3s, and T-38A Talons. Helicopter training is on Hughes OH-6As and Bell 47Gs.
FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL, 28 November 1987 91
