Yemeni Air Force

Key facts

Official Name Yemeni Air Force
Local Name القوات الجوية والدفاع الجوي اليمنية (Al Quwwat al Jawwiya wal Difa’a al Jawwi al Yamaniya)
Country🇾🇪 Yemen
World rank#51
Active aircrafts168 as of 2025
Aircrafts on order0
Roundel

Roundel of Yemen air force

Overview

The Yemen Air Force, officially known as the Yemeni Air Defense Force, is the aerial warfare branch of the Armed Forces of Yemen. It was established in 1926 as part of the Yemeni Army, making it one of the oldest air forces in the Middle East region. Initially equipped with a mix of British, Soviet, and American aircraft, the Yemen Air Force has undergone several modernization efforts over the years. During the 1960s, it played a crucial role in the North Yemen Civil War, providing air support to ground forces. Throughout its history, the air force has participated in various conflicts, including the 1994 Yemeni Civil War and the ongoing Yemeni Crisis since 2015. The current inventory of the Yemen Air Force includes a diverse range of aircraft acquired from multiple countries, including fighter jets, attack helicopters, transport planes, and unmanned aerial vehicles. It has faced various operational challenges due to limited resources and an ongoing humanitarian crisis.

Origin countries of aircrafts

Country Active Aircraft
🇨🇳 Ex-USSR 115
🇨🇿 Czech Republic 28
🇺🇸 United States 22
🇺🇦 Ukraine 3

Evolution of Yemeni Air Force fleet

Aircrafts by type in 2025

Aircraft type Active
Combat Combat 78
Helicopter Helicopter 59
Training Training 28
Transport Transport 3

Full inventory in 2025

Yemen Arab Republic Air Force

Aircraft Type Model Origin Country Model Year Active 𝚫 YoY Ordered
CombatCombat MiG-29 🇨🇳 2009 23
0
0
CombatCombat Su-22 🇨🇳 1971 23
0
0
CombatCombat MiG-21 🇨🇳 1958 19
0
0
CombatCombat F-5E 🇺🇸 1976 11
0
0
CombatCombat F-5B 🇺🇸 1965 2
0
0
HelicopterHelicopter Mi-8/17/171 🇨🇳 1967 34
0
0
HelicopterHelicopter Mi-25/35 🇨🇳 1972 14
0
0
HelicopterHelicopter Bell 212 🇺🇸 1959 4
0
0
HelicopterHelicopter UH-1H 🇺🇸 1959 4
0
0
HelicopterHelicopter Mi-14 🇨🇳 1975 2
0
0
HelicopterHelicopter Bell 206 🇺🇸 1967 1
0
0
TransportTransport An-24/26 🇺🇦 1962 3
-5
0
TrainingTraining L-39 🇨🇿 1972 28
0
0
Various public data, including Wikipedia, Flightglobal.com, SIPRI Arms Transfer and official government websites.