The Georgetown Air Force of Guyana

AIRFORCES, Inc. Reports: The president of Guyana is commander in chief of the GDF. The GDF is organized into approximately twenty corps whose activities ranged from training to intelligence to catering and musical performance. Service in the GDF is voluntary, and its membership is overwhelmingly Afro-Guyanese. Women were accepted into the service but constituted only a small percentage of the total force.

The air wing of the GDF was created in 1968. In 1970 it was redesignated the Air Command, GDF. The 200-member Air Command is headquartered at Camp Ayanganna in Georgetown. In the early 1990s, it's aircraft helicopters operated from Georgetown's Timehri Airport. The command's primary missions are transportation, communications, and liaison. Secondary missions include counter narcotics and maritime patrolling.

Currently the GDF Air Command's operates a variety of aircraft. Only one Shorts Skyvan remains in service and is operated alongside a Harbin Y-12 Turbo Panda, acquired from the Chinese aircraft manufacturer in early 2002. For many years, a Bell 412 was the sole helicopter in use with the GDF, until it was augmented by a pair of Rotorway Exec 162F helicopters in 2004 and 2005, which were locally assembled.

the Suriname Air Force

AIRFORCES, Inc. Reports: The Surinam Air Force (sometimes simply referred to as luchtmacht) is an independent part of the National Army (or Nationale Leger) alongside the army, navy and military police. With a colonel as Commander-in-Chief, consisting of some 2.000 man and a budget of less than $ 10 million the National Army is a very limited power in the international environment although internally and politically it remains a force to be reckoned with. The air force forms a relatively large part of the armed forces and it's history started soon after the country gained independence and is closely linked with the country's recent history.

The first military aircraft of the young air force was a Hughes 500 helicopter, simply registered SAF-001 and being used for light observation tasks. Unfortunately the aircraft was written off in March 1982, but in May of the same year a couple of Britten-Norman Defenders were delivered, providing the air force with a slow but valuable observation and light transportation aircraft. Later the number of Defenders increased to four and currently at least one is still operated by the air force, another two are (temporarily) stored.

201st Mexican Fighter Squadron "The Aztec Eagles" P-47D

AIRFORCES, Inc. Reports: The 201st Mexican Fighter Squadron of the "Fuerza Area Expedicionaria Mexicana" is the only Mexican military unit that has seen combat outside Mexico.
Affectionately known as the "Aztec Eagles," the squadron flew combat missions in the Philippines from May to August 1945. The 201st was attached to the American 58th Fighter Group, 5th Fighter Command, 5th Air Force and flew P-47 Thunderbolts.
Mexico declared war against the Axis powers in 1942 after U-boats sank two Mexican ships. In 1944, The Mexican Air Force formed 300 pilots and crewmen into El Escuadron Aereo de Pelea 201 and sent them to Idaho and Texas for training.
The 201st flew its first combat missions in support of American ground troops in June 1945 during the advance into northern Luzon. In July the squadron flew long range fighter sweeps from the Philippines to Formosa and in August they flew a dive-bombing mission on the Port of Karenko, Formosa.
During its four-month tour, the squadron flew 791 sorties including 96 combat missions, dropped 1,497 bombs and fired 166,922 rounds of 0.50 cal. ammunition. Five of the squadron's 31 pilots were killed during the war.

The MEAF was disbanded after returning to Mexico from the Philippines. The 201st is still an active duty squadron, flying the Pilatus PC-7 from Cozumel, Quitna Roo.

Fuerza Aerea Boliviana (FAB) 1st Latin American Operator of the Chinese Xian MA60 Turboprop Aircraft

AIRFORCES Inc. Reports: Exclusive, Miami December 29, 2007: In a Holiday well wished phone call to Col. Jose R. Viana our friend here at Latin Airforces "LA/F" and internal FAB contact, we learned today of the delivery of two Xian MA60's passenger / cargo turbo prop, Chinese made transport aircraft to the FAB.
This marks the first presence of the Xian MA60 within a Latin American Air Force. Originally, delivery was expected to have taken place back on October 12th, however, problems with a lack of proper visas for the Chinese pilots delayed delivery until this past Friday December 28, 2007 when they arrived into Santa Cruz. According to our contact, the decision to purchase the MA60's was announced earlier this year within the FAB. The MA60 is similar in size and performance to the Bombardier Dash-8 and the EADS ATR-72. The newly arrived MA60's will operate in conjunction with the FAB's BAe-146-200's which where also acquired this year to support FAB personal and logistical transport services. Most likely, the MA60's will be assigned to the 1st Brigada Aerea, with Grupo Aereo de Caza 31 of the Escuadron de Ejecutivos 310, based at La Paz-El Alto (field identifier SLLP).

Venezuela, Latin America 1st Air Force To Take Part in RED FLAG "92"

AIRFORCES Inc. Reports: Back in 1992, nine years after receieving their first F-'16s Fighters, five aircrafts from "Grupo 16" of the Venezuelan Air Force, based at the "El Libertador" Air base in Venezuela, flew a distance of 4,400 miles and undertook three in-flight refueling hook ups, respectfully first with their own B707 tanker and then with USAF KC-135's to reach Nellis Air Force Base, located in Las Vegas to take part in the world famous "Red Flag" air combat training exercise.

Being supported by one of their C-130 and 55 of their highly trained and motivated ground support personnel, the Venezuelan Air Force made history by becoming the first ever Latin American Air Force to part take in Red Flag.

Back then USAF Red Flag Operations Commander, Col. Boby Buffkin expressed his admiration toward the Venezuelan F-16 crews for their ability to integrate and become a cohesive attribute of the Red Flag 1992 session. Since its inception back in 1975 to the present, 20 foreign Air Forces have had the professional and tactical pleasure of being part of the USAF Red Flag annual training events, and as stated above, Venezuela became the first Latin American Air Forces to display their abilities in air to air combat training and participation. The Venezuelan Air Force again took part in Red Flag in 1994 thus being the last time. It would be a welcome sight for them to be invited back to participate with their new Sukhoi SU-30MK's. (see "Venezuela Next Generation Russian Fighter Blog, dated Friday Nov 2, 2007)

Red Flag 1992 Venezuelan Air Force F-16 Crew List

1. Lt Col. Oswaldo Di Sabatino

2. Col. Arturo Garcia

3. Maj. Hector D. Armas

4. Maj. Saul Fuenmayor

Venezuela and the F-16 Falcon

AIRFORCES, Inc. Reports: In May 1982, the government of Venezuela signed an agreement to buy 18 block 15 F-16A's and six Block 15 F-16B's to replace the fleet of Mirage III interceptors and Mirage 5 ground-attack aircraft serving with the Fuerza AereaVenezolana (FAV).

However, the Venzuelan order was not approved immediately because the US government wanted to sell Venezuela the F-16/79 (a slightly degraded F-16 version developed for export orders) instead. In 1983, the US government abandoned its hopes of selling the F-16/79, and finally approved the sale of the F100-powered F-16s to Venezuela
The FAV accepted its first aircraft in September 1983. FAV F-16s wear an attractive green/brown color scheme, with the insignia of the Aviacion de Combate (Combat Aviation) on the tail and roundels on the wings. A four-digit serial is painted on the fuselage just below the tail fin.Of the original 24 aircraft that Venezuela bought, three have crashed: the first two, due to engine failure, and the second one, an F-16B, crashed during a maneuver on an air show at Base Aerea El Libertador, where Grupo 16 is based. In this accident, the first and second commander of the squadron where killed. The Venezuelan Air Force was looking for US government approval to replace these two aircraft and was planning to overhaul and update the remaining 22 airframes. At the end of October 1997, the US government approved the sale of the two F-16s, as well as an upgrade packet including the F-100-PW-220E. However, the purchase of the two attrition airframes has been halted until further notice.

Argentina F-16 Troubles

AIRFORCES Inc. Reports: December 23, 2007: (Miami) - Latin Airforces, Inc. has learned from our internal contacts within Argentina's Air Force that Argentina is no longer considering the F-16 to replace some of it's older fighter aircraft.

This started as the result of a US accusation that the Venezuelan government provided political campaign donation for Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner. Fernandez publicly criticized the US for trying to spoil her new presidency and promised to keep a closer tie with her Venezuelan counterpart Hugo Chavez. (not a slick move Miss. President)

The last time U.S. fighter aircraft were acquired by the Argentine Air Force (Fuerza Aérea Argentina or FAA) was in the 1990s when they received A-4M Skyhawks (known as A-4AR Fightinghawks.) (also see November 2007 blog titled: Argentina Air Force, Latin America first Douglas A-4 Skyhawk Operator).

Buenos Aires press revealed that two months ago representatives from Israel's air and space industry visited Buenos Aires offering an upgraded, multipurpose model of the US manufacture F16. The French are also under consideration. Recently, a special envoy from French president Nicolas Sarkozy reiterated the offer from the previous administration of President Jacques Chirac: 12 Mirage 2000 for a total price of 90 million Euros.

Brazil The Only Latin American Air Force to have Operated the famed Curtiss P-40

El Salvador Air Force Update Ending 2007

AIRFORCES Inc. Reports: El Salvador modest annual defense budget is just over US$100 million, from which each year the Fuerza Aerea Salvadorena (FAS, Salvadorian Air Force) receives an operating budget of a meagre US$2.6 million, most of which is spent on fuel and salaries, leaving little for a much needed modernization programs. Currently, the (FAS) operates a single "Bassler Mod" C-47T and would like to return to service a C-47R to operational status as soon as funds allow.

The (FAS) latest acquisition is a Bell 412 for their special forces. Finally, the (FAS) is in the process of acquiring three refurbished Arava transports from Israel.

Chilean Navy Orders EADS / CASA Maritime Patrol C-295's

AIRFORCES Inc. Reports: December 12, 2007 (Miami): Latin Airforces has learned via Chilean Naval Aviation contacts at the Vina de Mar Naval Air Station that on 18th October 2007, the Armada de Chile-Aviacion Naval(Chilean Navy Aviation) has signed a contract for the purchase of up to eight (8) C-295MPA maritime surveillance aircraft. The deal comprises a firm order for only three (3) aircraft but also includes options on an additional five (5) C-295's.