Senegalese Air Force

The Senegalese Air Force (Armée de l'Air Sénégalaise) is structured and equipped primarily to support ground forces, with a focus on counter-insurgency, border surveillance, and tactical mobility. Its strategic doctrine is shaped by internal security threats, particularly in the Casamance region, and by commitments to regional stability and international peacekeeping operations. This is underpinned by close training and support relationships with France and the United States, with Turkey emerging as a key supplier of specific capabilities.

The air force's operational capabilities are centered on a small but increasingly modern fleet. In recent years, it has used its rotary-wing assets and new light attack aircraft in combat. During large-scale military operations against the Movement of Democratic Forces of Casamance (MFDC) along the Gambian border in March 2022, the air force employed Mi-24/35 attack helicopters and KAI KA-1S light attack/reconnaissance aircraft to conduct bombing campaigns. These air strikes were, for the first time, supported by Turkish-supplied observation drones for targeting. The air force's transport fleet is crucial for deploying Senegalese troops for both internal security and for regional interventions, such as the ECOWAS mission in The Gambia.

A significant recapitalization effort is underway to replace legacy platforms. To enhance tactical transport and logistics, particularly for supporting UN deployments, the air force is replacing its old Fokker F-27s with new transports. An order for two Airbus C295W aircraft was placed in 2021, with the first delivered in July 2022 and the second expected in late 2023. These complement the existing CN235-220 aircraft, one of which is a dedicated maritime patrol variant acquired in 2021.

The light attack and training capabilities have been directly modernized. Four KAI KA-1S aircraft were commissioned from 2020 and have since been used as reconnaissance and support platforms in Casamance. This procurement followed the cancellation of a 2018 order for four Aero L-39NG jet trainers. Pilot training infrastructure is also being improved; the Air Force school took delivery of a Schweizer 300C helicopter in 2021 and ordered five more to handle ab-initio and instrument training. This is part of a broader effort to build technical capacity, which includes overhauls of Mi-35P and Mi-171Sh helicopters.