Burkina Faso Air Force

The air force of Burkina Faso, the Force Aérienne du Burkina Faso (FABF), is structured to directly support counter-insurgency and internal security operations. Its organization includes transport and helicopter squadrons, a framework established since its formal inauguration in 1985. The FABF's primary mission is to counter armed groups, maintain territorial integrity, and provide aerial support to ground forces. This doctrine has shifted the force's focus towards assets that provide persistent surveillance and rapid precision strikes, prioritizing operational agility over a large, conventional fleet.

The core of the FABF's operational capability revolves around intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) coupled with light attack. To achieve this, the air force has integrated unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) as a central component of its strategy. These systems are used for continuous monitoring of vast and difficult terrain to detect and track insurgent movements. This aerial ISR is complemented by a fleet of light attack and transport aircraft. The operational concept involves using ISR platforms to guide tactical assets, enabling precision strikes against identified targets, including those in remote areas. New air bases have been established closer to operational zones to increase sortie rates and reduce reaction times.

Recent modernization has centered on acquiring specific capabilities to enhance this counter-insurgency model. The FABF has acquired Turkish-made Bayraktar TB2 and Akinci UAVs. The TB2s, some armed with precision-guided munitions, have been operational since at least mid-2022 and are used for both surveillance and attack missions against insurgent targets. In addition to UAVs, the force has incorporated new helicopters for transport and combat roles.