Kenya Air Force

The Kenya Air Force (KAF) is the national aerial warfare service branch of the Republic of Kenya.

The main airbase operating fighters is Laikipia Air Base in Nanyuki, while Moi Air Base in Eastleigh, Nairobi is the HQ & operations Kenya Air Force. Other bases include FOB Mombasa (Moi inter. Airport), FOB Mandera, FOB Wajir & FOB Nyeri (mainly helicopters/small planes). The air force does not own helicopter gunships. Contrary to popular opinion, all of Kenya's fleet of helicopter gunships are exclusively operated by the Army's 50th Air Cavalry Division.

History
The Kenya Air Force was formed on 1 June 1964, soon after independence, with the assistance of the United Kingdom.

From 1979–1982 President Daniel arap Moi used Air Force F-5 fighter jets to escort his flights in and out of the country; later commentators have pointed out that there was no threat justifying the waste of fuel and the difficult and complex requirements of the escort mission.

After a failed coup by a group of Air Force officers on 1 August 1982, the Air Force was disbanded. Air Force activity was reconstituted and placed under tighter army control as the 82 Air Force. The Air Force regained its independent status in 1994. Currently it is a professional force with F-5 upgrade and procurement underway (10 F-5E, 2 F-5F, and 3 F-5EM from Jordan ). On 10 April 2006 a KAF Harbin Y-12 crashed near Marsabit with 17 on board, of whom 14 died. It was carrying several local and national politicians; Bonaya Godana, a former minister, was among the casualties. The pilot in command was Major David Njoroge.

There was controversy over the purchase of used F-5 jets from Jordan, which were shipped to Kenya and assembled locally.

Aircraft inventory


Anti-aircraft equipment:


 * Rapier SAM batteries
 * Mistral anti aircraft missiles
 * Bofors 40 mm
 * ZPU-4

Missiles
In addition to the Air Force, the police air wing operates 11 aircraft (including 3 Bell 206L Long Ranger, 3 Bell 212, 4 Mil Mi-17 Hip).
 * HJ-8 antitank Missiles
 * TY-90 air-air missiles
 * 72x AIM-9J Sidewinder air to air missile
 * 72x AGM-65A Maverick
 * 2,100x BGM-71C Improved TOW for MD 500 Helicopters

Former fleet:
 * BAC 167 Strikemaster fighters (in operation since 1971) (sold to Botswana 1993–94) -6 Delivered
 * BAE Hawk 52 (in operation since 1980, 8 or more built, all grounded) -12 delivered
 * Hawker Hunter fighters (bought from RAF, in operation 1974–79) -6 Delivered
 * De Havilland Canada DHC-1 Chipmunk trainers (in operation 1964–74)
 * De Havilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver bush planes (in operation 1964–83)
 * De Havilland Canada DHC-4 Caribou transport (in operation 1966–87)
 * Dornier Do 28D utility, (in operation since 1977, 4 or more built) -8 Delivered.

Commanders
The following officers have been in command of the Kenya Air Force:


 * 12 December 1964 Group Captain I S Stockwell CBE DFC RAF
 * 22 February 1967 Group Captain F Rothwell DFC TD RAF
 * 9 August 1971 Group Captain David John Edwards CBE AFC RAF
 * 17 April 1973 Colonel Dedan Gichuru
 * 27 June 1980 Major General P M Kariuki
 * 1982 Major General Mohamoud Mohamed (as commander of the 82 Air Force)
 * 27 February 1986 Major General Dedan N Gichuru (as commander of the 82 Air Force)
 * 10 May 1989 Major General D K Wachira
 * 28 June 1994 Major General N L Leshan
 * 1 December 2000 Major General S K Muttai
 * 27 November 2003 Major General J W Karangi
 * 10 August 2005 Major General Harold M Tangai
 * 13 July 2011 Major General Joff Otieno