Restructuring Jordan’s Air Force By David Oliver
Jordan is restructuring its Air Force to maintain its fleet of the F-16A/B fighter aircraft. © USAF
The Hasemite Kingdom of Jordan has been in the front line of Middle East conflicts for decades. More recently it has played a pivotal role in coalition operations against ISIL militants in neighbouring Syria and Iraq. With no oil and limited resources, Jordan has had to face the challenge of maintaining its defence spending. Although it has been bolstered by the United States and the hosting of coalition fighter aircraft, in 2019 Jordan had to reappraise the size and strength of its air force. In order to balance the defence budget and sustain its large fleet of F-16 fighter aircraft, in June 2019 Jordan’s armed forces posted its intent to sell 23 fixed-wing aircraft that include two Airbus C295 medium transport aircraft and one Lockheed C-130B operated by 3 Squadron at Amman-Marka, two CASA AC235 gunships modified by ATK in conjunction with the King Abdullah II Design and Development Bureau (KADDB) and operated by 32 Squadron, and 12 former UAE Air Force BAe Hawk Mk.63s.
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ordan has also sold two Ilyushin Il-76MF heavy transports operated by Jordan International Air Cargo, which was founded in 2004 and owned and operated by the Royal Jordanian Air Force. Earlier this year the Russian arms trade agency Rosoboronexport confirmed that it had approved the resale of two Ilyushin Il-76MF military transports from Jordan to Egypt. The Egyptian Air Force will become the only
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operator of the Il-76MF, a stretched version of the Soviet-era Il-76MD transport. In addition, six RJAF CH-4B Rainbow armed unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have been offered for sale only three years after they were delivered, which are in service with No 9 Squadron of the Prince Al-Hussein Bin Abdullah II ISR Wing alongside Schiebel S-100 Camcopter VTOL UAVs which will be retained. Designed by the China Aerospace Science and
