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Roundel of Djibouti air force
Air Forceยท ๐Ÿ‡ฉ๐Ÿ‡ฏ Djibouti

Djibouti Air Force

The Djibouti Air Force operates 17 military aircraft in 2026 โ€” 10 helicopters, 7 transport aircraft. It ranks #118 of 161 air forces worldwide.

Active aircraft
172026
Helicopters
10
AIRS Index (Air Inventory Rating of Strength)
2.1/ 100
Global rank: #118 / 161
The score reflects a fleet of 0 combat aircraft, 10 helicopters and 7 transports out of 17 active airframes, weighted by combat effectiveness.
How this score is calculated
Fleet Composition โ€” 2026
  • Helicopter 10
  • Transport 7
Fleet Evolution
2020 โ€” 13 13 2020 2021 โ€” 12 12 2021 2022 โ€” 12 12 2022 2023 โ€” 13 13 2023 2024 โ€” 15 15 2024 2025 โ€” 17 17 2025 2026 โ€” 17 17 2026
Origin of Aircraft
Most Used Aircraft
AS565 Panther profile drawing AS565 Panther Helicopter ยท 4 active 208 Caravan profile drawing 208 Caravan Transport ยท 3 active Mi-24 Hind profile drawing Mi-24 Hind Helicopter ยท 2 active Mi-8 Hip profile drawing Mi-8 Hip Helicopter ยท 2 active Y-7 profile drawing Y-7 Transport ยท 2 active Y-12 profile drawing Y-12 Transport ยท 2 active

Full inventory in 2026

8 aircraft types

Djibouti Air Force

Aircraft Origin Model year Active ฮ” YoY Ordered
Helicopter
AS565 ๐Ÿ‡ซ๐Ÿ‡ท France 1986 4 โ€” โ€”
Mi-24 ๐Ÿ‡ท๐Ÿ‡บ Ex-USSR 1972 2 โ€” โ€”
Mi-8 ๐Ÿ‡ท๐Ÿ‡บ Ex-USSR 1967 2 โ€” โ€”
AS355 ๐Ÿ‡ซ๐Ÿ‡ท France 1990 1 โ€” โ€”
Z-9 ๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ณ China 1994 1 โ€” โ€”
Transport
Cessna 208 ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ United States 1984 3 โ€” โ€”
MA60 ๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ณ China โ€” 2 โ€” โ€”
Y-12 ๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ณ China 1985 2 โ€” โ€”
ActiveOn order

Overview

The Djibouti Air Force is the aerial warfare branch of the Djibouti Armed Forces. Established in 1977 following Djibouti's independence from France, the air force primarily focuses on the defense of Djibouti's airspace. It operates mainly from the Ambouli International Airport, with a modest fleet consisting of transport aircraft and helicopters. The air force enhances Djibouti's national security capabilities by conducting aerial surveillance, reconnaissance, and transportation missions. Its fleet includes various aircraft models such as the Harbin Y-12, CASA C-212, Mil Mi-35, and Eurocopter AS532 Cougar. The air force has limited capabilities for air defense and provides support to ground forces during military operations, particularly in counter-terrorism efforts in the region. Additionally, it plays a vital role in facilitating humanitarian and disaster relief operations. Through its modest fleet and operations, the Djibouti Air Force contributes to the defense and stability of the country.

Compiled from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA), official air force and government publications and dated press reports; the update journal below lists the sources of each pass. Last updated on 23 September 2026. Suggest a change

Frequently Asked Questions

How many aircraft does Djibouti have?
Djibouti Air Force operates 17 active military aircraft as of the current year. Additionally, 0 aircraft are currently on order.
How does Djibouti's air force rank globally?
Djibouti Air Force ranks #118 out of 161 air forces worldwide based on the AIRS Index (Air Inventory Rating of Strength), which measures overall air power capability considering fleet size and combat effectiveness.
How many military helicopters does Djibouti have?
Djibouti Air Force operates 10 military helicopters, including attack, transport, and utility rotorcraft used for various combat and support missions.
What is the AIRS Index score of Djibouti?
Djibouti has an AIRS Index (Air Inventory Rating of Strength) score of 2.1 out of 100. This composite score weights every active airframe by category and by generation tier (strategic bombers highest, then combat aircraft, helicopters and transports), scales the combat fleet by its enablers โ€” tankers and airborne early warning โ€” and its stand-off armament, and applies a budget-based availability proxy to the whole force.
Where does Djibouti get its military aircraft from?
Djibouti sources its military aircraft primarily from France, China, and Ex-USSR. The fleet composition reflects both domestic production capabilities and international defense partnerships.
Compare this Air Force
๐Ÿ‡ฉ๐Ÿ‡ฏ Djibouti vs
๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ท Eritrea ๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡น Ethiopia ๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฆ Saudi Arabia ๐Ÿ‡พ๐Ÿ‡ช Yemen
Related Pages
Chinese Aircraft Designations Soviet and Russian Aircraft Designations Mi-8 and Mi-17 Variants: Hip, Mi-171, Mi-17V-5 and Mi-8AMTSh
Latest Data Updates
  1. SEP 232026 Updated MA60 fleet linked to its aircraft page
  2. JUL 242026 Updated AS565 fleet entry linked to its aircraft page
  3. MAR 142026 Updated 8 aircraft types added