Lesotho Defence Force – Air Squadron

The Lesotho Defence Force – Air Squadron is the air force of the Lesotho Defence Force

History
The Lesotho Defence Force Air Wing was an originally a 1978 offshoot of the paramilitary police mobile unit and began operations with two Short Skyvan twin turboprop STOL transports; a leased Cessna A152 Aerobat; two MBB Bo 105 helicopters; and a Bell 47G helicopter converted to turboshaft power. Two Mil Mi-2 twin turbine helicopters were donated by Libya in 1983 but were retired by 1986.

Deliveries of four Bell 412 helicopters were delayed in 1983 to 1986 because of South Africa's influence. This changed when a 1986 military coup resulted in new security agreements with South Africa being signed. In the mid-1980s the air wing was mergerd into the Lesotho Defence Force. In 1989 the Skyvans were replaced by two CASA C-212 Aviocar light turboprop transports; one immediately crashed, requiring a third to be delivered in 1992. A fifth Bell 412 (an EP model) was delivered in May 1998 to replace one written off the previous January.

Retired aircraft

 * Dornier Do 27
 * Dornier Do 28
 * Eurocopter EC135
 * MBB/Kawasaki BK 117
 * Mil Mi-2
 * Short Skyvan

Accidents and incidents
all of the accidents and incidents have occurred because of technical problems and inexperienced pilots.


 * On 13 April 2017, a Eurocopter EC135 T2+ crashed on 13 April 2017 in the area of Thaba Putsoa, killing all four people on board. The helicopter was carrying three soldiers and an official from the Ministry of Finance who was delivering pensions to outlying districts. Officials reported it hit power lines and crashed in mountainous terrain near Thaba Putsoa, killing two of the soldiers and critically injuring the other two passengers, both of whom later died in hospital from their injuries.
 * On 30 April 2013 an LDF Casa C.212 crashed at Moshoeshoe I International Airport.