Editing Zambian Defence Force (section)

==Zambia Air Force==
{{main| Zambian Air Force}}
The Zambia Air Force is a small air force that developed from the Northern Rhodesian Air Wing as well as the former Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland Air Force.  In recent years the aircraft inventory has largely been updated with Chinese aircraft reflecting the increasing closeness between the Zambian Defence Force and China.  During 1999 eight [[Hongdu JL-8|Karakorum-8]] jet trainers were delivered and in 2006 the Zambia Air Force received two [[Xian MA60]] and five [[Yakovlev Yak-12]] transport aircraft from China.  During March 2012 a further eight K-8 were received.<ref>'Zambian Air Force receives more K-8 trainers', DefenceWeb, 16 April 2012.</ref> Four [[Harbin Z-9]] helicopters were delivered in June 2012, with a further four delivered by March 2013 (when one of the new aircraft was lost in an accident, see below).<ref name="DefenceWeb 2013">'Zambian Air Force Z-9 crashes', DefenceWeb, 14 March 2013.</ref>

In April 2014 six [[Hongdu L-15]] Falcon supersonic lead-in fighter/trainer jets were ordered from China, the first arriving in December 2015. Around the same time orders were placed for six [[SIAI-Marchetti SF.260|SIAI-Marchetti SF.260TW]] trainer aircraft, one [[Alenia C-27J Spartan]] transport aircraft, and a number of Russian-made [[Mil Mi-17]] helicopters.<ref>Nkala, O. (2015) 'Hongdu Prepares to Deliver First Light Attack/Trainer Jet to Zambia', Defensenews.com, 31 December 2015.</ref>  These orders were expected to be delivered during 2016.<ref>'As Zambia Air Force Grows, it Plays a Regional Role', ''Africa Defence Forum'', 19 July 2016, accessed 25 April 2017, <http://adf-magazine.com/?p=6306 {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161113112202/http://adf-magazine.com/?p=6306 |date=2016-11-13 }}></ref>

===Recent aircraft losses===
* On 13 March 2013 a [[Harbin Z-9]] helicopter crashed while attempting to land at Lusaka City Airport.  The pilot, Major Misapa Mukupa, was killed, and the co-pilot, Lieutenant Kenneth Chilala, was injured. The helicopter was taking part in Youth Day celebrations and it was suggested the accident was caused by a national flag attached to the aircraft coming loose and then entangled in the tail rotor.<ref name="DefenceWeb 2013"/>
* On 15 January 2014 a [[Saab Safari|Saab MFI.17 Supporter]] trainer crashed some 40&nbsp;km from Livingstone.  Both crew were killed.<ref>'Zambian Air Force MFI-17 crashes', DefenceWeb, 20 January 2014.</ref><ref name="DefenceWeb 2014">'Deputy Zambian Air Force Chief killed in MFI-15 crash', DefenceWeb, 20 May 2014.</ref>
* On 19 May 2014 a [[Saab Safari|Saab MFI.15]] crashed in Lusaka West. Both crew were killed.  The crew were the Deputy Commander ZAF, Major-General Muliokela Muliokela, and Colonel Brian Mweene.<ref>'Zambia's Deputy Air Force Chief Killed in Plane Crash', Agence France Presse via Defensenews.com, 19 May 2014.</ref><ref name="DefenceWeb 2014"/>
* On 14 September 2015 an [[Agusta-Bell AB.205]] helicopter crashed near Sinazongwe, apparently while returning from taking Defence Minister Richwell Siamunene on a private trip.<ref>'Crashed ZAF Chopper Was Returning From Taking Minister to His Village', ''Zambian Watchdog'' (Lusaka), 15 September 2015.</ref> Five people were injured.<ref>'No Fatalities as ZAF Chopper Plunges', ''Zambia Reports'' (Lusaka), 15 September 2015.</ref>
* On 28 March 2022 two Zambian Air Force pilots, Colonel Lyson Siame, and Second Lieutenant Kalasa Bwalya, were killed when their SF-260TW aircraft (registration AF-545) crashed 38 kilometres north of Harry Mwaanga Nkumbula International Airport near Livingstone.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-03-29 |title=Two dead in Zambian SF-260 crash {{!}} defenceWeb |url=https://www.defenceweb.co.za/aerospace/aerospace-aerospace/two-dead-in-zambian-sf-260-crash/ |access-date=2024-03-01 |language=en-ZA}}</ref>