Kenya Air Force

The Kenya Air Force (KAF) is structured as a professional and relatively well-equipped force within the region, tasked with a conventional military doctrine. Its headquarters is located at Moi Air Base in Nairobi, with its fighter aircraft fleet operating primarily from Laikipia Air Base. Additional Forward Operating Bases are maintained in Mombasa, Mandera, Wajir, and Nyeri to support a range of operations. A key structural development has been the formation of the Rapid Deployment Squadron (RDS), a special forces unit tasked with combat search and rescue.

The KAF's strategic doctrine is centered on the defense and sovereignty of Kenyan airspace, with secondary missions focused on supporting the Kenya Army and Navy and providing assistance to civil authorities during emergencies. This doctrine has been actively applied through participation in counter-terrorism and regional stability operations. The KAF's operational capabilities are primarily geared towards counter-insurgency, border security, and battlefield air support, rather than conventional state-on-state air combat.

The most significant recent engagements for the KAF have been part of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) and its precursor, Operation Linda Nchi, which began in 2011. In this context, the KAF has conducted numerous air strikes against Al-Shabaab militants, targeting their training camps and operational bases inside Somalia in response to terrorist attacks in Kenya. These operations have relied heavily on its attack helicopters and light attack aircraft to provide close air support and reconnaissance for ground forces.

Recent acquisitions aim to enhance its transport and light attack helicopter capabilities. The service has integrated new platforms, including C-27J Spartan and C-145 Skytruck transport aircraft, to improve its airlift capacity for both domestic and regional deployments. The rotary fleet has seen significant upgrades with the induction of MD530F light attack, AH-1F attack, and UH-1H utility helicopters, largely through security cooperation programs with the United States and Jordan. These acquisitions reflect a focus on improving capabilities for the asymmetric warfare and border security challenges Kenya currently faces. Future plans include the acquisition of additional aircraft from the United States and South Korea to further bolster mission readiness.