Air Force of Albania

The Albanian Air Force ( sq, Forca Ajrore e Republikës së Shqipërisë - Air Force of the Republic of Albania) is the air force of Albania and one of the branches of the Albanian Armed Forces.

History

Early history

In 1914 the government of Albania ordered three ''Lohner'' Gottlieb Daimler, Daimler aircraft from Austria to form an air force. As a result of the outbreak of World War I, the order was cancelled. Albania did not have the resources to start the development of a proper Air Force during the 1920s and 1930s. After the establishment of the Albanian Kingdom (1928-39), Albanian Kingdom in 1928, King Zog formed the Royal Albanian Air Corps under the direction of the Royal Albanian Army.

The Royal Air Force, and the rest of Albanian armed forces, were abolished following the Italian invasion of Albania during the Second World War.

Socialist Albania

On 24 April 1951, following the end of the Second World War, Albania re-established its air force.

An Albanian Air Force Academy, academy was founded in Vlorë in 1962. Albania cut diplomatic ties with the Soviet Union in 1962, leading to a shift to China for the supply of necessary parts to maintain its MiGs.

After World War II, the Albanian Air Force finally came into existence when Albania was equipped with Soviet aircraft. The first squadron was equipped with Yakovlev Yak-9s. The first jet fighter to enter service was the MiG-15, dating officially 15 May 1955, followed by the MiG-17. Some of the MiG-15s were Soviet fighters used and then withdrawn from the North Korean Air Force. The backbone of the Albanian Air Force jet fighters became Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-19, MiG-19 (NATO code "Farmer"). 12 Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-19, MiG-19PM were delivered by the USSR in October 1959 and on the same year pilots and specialists were sent in USSR to train with the all-weather interceptor MiG-19 PM. After the collapse of USSR-Albanian relations, significant numbers of Shenyang J-6 fighters (Chinese copy of the Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-19, MiG-19S), were acquired from China. In the early 1970s, Albania exchanged its lot of Soviet-made Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-19, MiG-19PM (NATO code "Farmer-E") fighters equipped for beam-riding missiles, with 12, more advanced, Chengdu J-7A fighters (Chinese copy of the Soviet-built MiG-21). Two of them were lost in incidents in the early 1970s, eight had problems with lack of batteries in the early 1980s.

In total, during the 70s and early 80s, the Albanian Air Force was able to deploy 142 aircraft, between MiG-19, Shenyang J-6Cs, 12 MiG-21, Chengdu J-7As, a fighter squadron equipped with MiG-17s, a considerable number of MiG-15 (both ''BIS'' and ''UTI'' versions), and 4 Soviet-made Ilyushin Il-14, Il-14 transport aircraft. A squadron of Antonov An-2, Shijiazhuang Y-5 was deployed in Tirana and the ''Air Force Academy'' in Vlora had 2 squadrons of Yak-18 for basic pilot training purposes. The helicopter component consisted in 18 Harbin Z-5 (Chinese copy of Mil Mi-4) helicopters based in ''Farka'' Tirana, meanwhile there was a single prototype of a light Ilyushin Il-28, H-5 bomber based in ''Rinas''.

Due to the collapse of relations between Albania and the Chinese, maintenance became extremely difficult and the number of deadly incidents involving Mikoyan fighters increased. Despite Albanian efforts and some initial success in repairing the engines of the MiGs, the lack of specific jet fuel forced authorities to start production locally, resulting in low-quality production (the first attempt was in 1961, when the ''Kuçova'' factory produced the special jet aircraft, jet kerosene called ''TSI''). The fuel shortened the lifespan of the jet engines and was often blamed as the main reason for several deadly incidents. 35 Albanian pilots lost their lives from 1955 to 2005, mainly due to MiG mechanical failures.

Recent history

Following the fall of communism in Albania in 1990, the air force had 200 jets and 40 helicopters, and four Ilyushin Il-14, Il-14 transport planes. During Albanian civil war of 1997, the 1997 uprising in Albania, seven MiGs were destroyed and their parts were stolen. In the early 90s, in an effort to keep the MiGs flying, the Albanian Air Force received spare parts from Bulgaria and engines from the ex-East Germany, GDR. By 2004, Albania still had 117 MiG-19, J-6C aircraft, although mostly were not operational and only 12 MiG-21, Chengdu J-7A. The Albanian fighter jets were finally withdrawn from active service in late 2004 after the last deadly incident involving a MiG-19, J-6C during take-off from the military area at ''Mother Teresa Airport'' in Tirana.

By 2006, Albania had scrapped over half of its Harbin Z-5, Z-5s and had signed a contract for the delivery of six MBB Bo 105, Bolkow 105s over three years. This acquisition allowed air force to operate with 4 Antonov An-2#Chinese variants, Y-5s, 7 Bell 204/205, B206s, 3 Bell 206, B205s, 6 MBB Bo 105, Bolkow 105s. Currently, the Albanian Air Brigade does not operate any Soviet-era aircraft. Since 2011, 9 Antonov An-2, Shijiazhuang Y-5 have been retired from service. In 2011, the air force sold four Ilyushin Il-14, Il-14 transport planes for scrap.

In 2016, 40 retired Albanian military aircraft were prepared for auction at a future date. The aircraft for sale include a military trainer aircraft, the Yak-18, and four types of military jets – MiG-15s, MiG-17s, MiG-19s, and MiG-21s – and four Mi-4 transport helicopters. The government said there has been interest from collectors and museums, and that it will sell another 100 jets if the auction is successful. The funds generated will be used to further modernise the Air Force.

Aircraft

Current inventory

The Albanian Air Force has retired all its fixed wing aircraft and now operates several types of helicopters. Also, close NATO Integration Air defense is no longer a priority for the Albanian military.

Retired aircraft

All Albanian fixed-wing aircraft were withdrawn from active service in 2005.

Structure

The air force's headquarters is located in Tirana and it operates three airbases: Tirana International Airport Nënë Tereza, Tirana Air Base with the national Control and Reporting Centre, which reports to NATO's NATO Integrated Air Defense System, Integrated Air Defense System CAOC Torrejón in Spain, Kuçovë Air Base, and Lapraka Airfield, Lapraka Air Base, home to the government's transport helicopters.

* Head Quarters - Tirana
** Staff Support Company - Tirana
** Helicopter Squadron- Farkë, Farka Air Base
** Support - Kucove Air Base
** Air Surveillance Centre, in Rinas reports to NATO Integrated Air Defense System's CAOC Torrejón at Torrejón Air Base in Spain
** Military Meteorological Service - Tirana
*** Automated weather stations in Farkë, Gjadër, Kuçovë, Kukës, Vlorë, and Gjirokastër

Officer ranks

Other ranks

Roundels

File:Roundel of Albania (1946–1958).svg, (1946–1958)
File:Roundel of Albania (1958–1960).svg, (1958–1960)
File:Roundel of Albania (1960–1992) – Type 1.svg, (1960–1992)
File:Roundel of Albania (1960–1992) – Type 2.svg, (1960–1992)
File:Fin flash of Albania.svg, Fin flash (1946–1960)

See also

* List of Albanian Air Force aircraft
*Albanian Armed Forces
* Albanian Land Force
* Albanian Naval Force

References

External links

Albanian Armed Forces

{{Authority control

Air forces by country, Albania
Military units and formations of Albania, Air Force
Aviation in Albania, Air Force