Air Force of Ivory Coast

The Air Force of the Ivory Coast is one of the four main branches of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Ivory Coast.

History
After achieving independence from France in 1960, Ivory Coast maintained a strong relationship with France through bilateral defense agreements. Training and operating techniques have been used since the establishment of the Ivory Coast Air Force. The first equipment supplied included three Douglas C-47s and seven MH.1521 Broussard STOL utility aircraft in 1961. The first jet aircraft to enter service were six Alpha Jet CI light attack and advanced training aircraft, in October 1980. Six more were ordered and subsequently cancelled, and finally, another one was purchased in 1983.

The Ivory Coast Air Force had only transport and liaison aircraft in 1979. In 1987, the Library of Congress Country Study said that the Air Force's official name, Ivoirian Air Transport and Liaison Group (Groupement Aérien de Transport et de Liaison—GATL), "reflects an original mission focused more on logistics and transport rather than a combat force."

In 2004, following air strikes on French peace-keepers by Ivorian forces, the French military destroyed all aircraft in the Ivorian Coast Air Force. Gbagbo had ordered air strikes on Ivorian rebels. On 6 November 2004, at least one Ivorian Sukhoi Su-25 bomber attacked a French peacekeeping position in the rebel town of Bouaké, killing nine French soldiers and wounding 31. An American development worker, reported to have been a missionary, was also killed. The Ivorian government claimed the attack on the French was unintentional, but the French insisted that the attack had been deliberate.

Several hours after the attack, French President Jacques Chirac ordered the destruction of the Ivorian Air Force and the seizure of Yamoussoukro airport. The French military performed an overland attack on the airport, destroying two Sukhoi Su-25 ground attack aircraft and three Mi-24 helicopter gunships. Two more military helicopters were destroyed during combat in the skies over Abidjan. France then flew in 300 troops and put three Dassault Mirage F1 jet fighters based in nearby Gabon on standby. Since then, the Air Force of Ivory Coast has been rebuilt. In 2007, Aviation Week & Space Technology reported a total of six aircraft in service: one Antonov An-32 tactical transport, one Cessna 421 Golden Eagle utility aircraft, two Eurocopter SA 365 Dauphin helicopters, one Gulfstream IV VIP aircraft, and one Mil Mi-24 attack helicopter. In addition, Deagel.com reported two Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23 attack aircraft. It is unknown whether any of these aircraft are completely operational.