Editing Niger Armed Forces (section)

==Niger Air Force==
=== History ===

The predecessor of the Niger Air Force, the Niger National Escadrille (Escadrille Nationale du Niger) was first formed in 1961.<ref name=shael82011>{{cite web |url=http://www.lesahel.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=8012%3Acinquantenaire-de-laviation-militaire-du-niger--un-demi-siecle-de-professionnalisme-et-dexcellence-au-service-de-la-nation&catid=34%3Aactualites&Itemid=53 |title=Cinquantenaire de l'aviation militaire du Niger : un demi siècle de professionnalisme et d'excellence au service de la Nation |first=Moussa |last=Zabeirou |date=3 August 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120322211258/http://www.lesahel.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=8012%3Acinquantenaire-de-laviation-militaire-du-niger--un-demi-siecle-de-professionnalisme-et-dexcellence-au-service-de-la-nation&catid=34%3Aactualites&Itemid=53 |archive-date=March 22, 2012 |website=Le Sahel}}</ref> It was later restructured into the National Air Wing (Groupement Aérien National)<ref name="desert warriors">{{cite web |last1=Delalande |first1=Arnaud |title=Niger's desert warriors |url=https://www.key.aero/article/nigers-desert-warriors |website=Key Aero |date=15 March 2018 |access-date=9 July 2022 |archive-date=16 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230516023304/https://www.key.aero/article/nigers-desert-warriors |url-status=live }}</ref> in 1989. Prior to 2003, the armed forces of Niger ({{langx|fr|Forces armées nigériennes}} or FAN) were grouped in one branch with one Chief of Staff overseeing both the ground forces and the National Air Wing. Following an organizational restructuring in 2003, the armed forces of Niger were structured into two main service branches: Niger Army (French: armée de terre) for all ground forces and Niger Air Force (Armée de l'air). Each branch was headed by a Chief of Staff answerable to the Joint Chief of Staff of military armed forces.{{citation needed|date=July 2022}} As part of this new structure, the National Air Wing was renamed as Niger Air Force (Force Aérienne du Niger) on December 17, 2003.<ref name="desert warriors"/> The Niger Air Force is led by the Air Force Chief of staff, answerable to the Joint Chief and the Defense Minister.{{citation needed|date=July 2022}}

=== Structure ===

Organizationally, the air force is composed a Chief of Staff Office, operation units (French: ''escadrons''), technical units, an infantry company (''compagnie de fusilliers'') and generalized staff.<ref>[https://pastel.diplomatie.gouv.fr/editorial/mae/freres-armes/241/1319.html Dossier Niger:La nouvelle armée de l'air], [[France Diplomatique]], 2003. {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120208115247/https://pastel.diplomatie.gouv.fr/editorial/mae/freres-armes/241/1319.html|date=February 8, 2012}}</ref> The Chief of Staff of the Niger Air Force is the colonel [[Abdoul Kader Amirou]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://news.aniamey.com/h/101743.html|title=Niger: vers le renforcement de la coopération militaire avec le Nigéria|date=2021-02-09|website=Niamey.com|language=fr|access-date=2021-10-04|archive-date=2021-10-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211004191446/http://news.aniamey.com/h/101743.html|url-status=live}}</ref> (''chef d'état major'').

=== Training ===

At the moment, there is no air force special training facilities in Niger. Basic training of Air Force recruits is conducted at the [[Tondibiah]] base along with recruits of other military service branches. Air force officers, pilots and mechanics are additionally trained in France, the United States and other North African countries like Morocco at the [[École royale de l'air de Marrakech|Royal Air Force School of Marrakech]] and Algeria.<ref name="dweb"/> In addition, local training activities are undertaken with foreign partners (United States, France etc.) to update skills. In 2014, a logistic company was trained and equipped by the United States with fuel and water trucks, ambulances and 4x4 unarmed vehicles.<ref>[http://news.aniamey.com/v/15195.html Edition du Journal Televise de Tele Sahel] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150904005045/http://news.aniamey.com/v/15195.html |date=2015-09-04 }}; 12 Septembre 2014. Accessed on 8 September 2014</ref>

The [[United States Air Force]] has a presence both at Nigerien Air Base 101 near Niamey and [[Nigerien Air Base 201]] at [[Agadez]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-08-15 |title=New USAF Base in Niger Begins Limited Operations |url=https://www.airforcemag.com/new-usaf-base-in-niger-begins-limited-operations/ |access-date=2022-03-09 |website=Air Force Magazine |language=en-US |archive-date=2022-05-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220516123116/https://www.airforcemag.com/New-USAF-Base-in-Niger-Begins-Limited-Operations/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

=== Aircraft inventory ===
The aircraft inventory of the Niger Air Force is modest though it has increased with new acquisitions beginning in 2008, and further assistance from France and the United States.<ref name="traderegistry" /> This expansion in capacity is guided by the need for better border patrol following the crisis in [[Libya]] and [[Mali]]. 
[[File:Roundel of Niger.svg|thumb|210px|Roundel of the Niger Air Force]]
{| class="wikitable"
! style="text-align:center; background:#acc;"|Aircraft
! style="text-align: center; background:#acc;"|Origin
! style="text-align:l center; background:#acc;"|Type
! style="text-align:left; background:#acc;"|Variant
! style="text-align:center; background:#acc;"|In service
! style="text-align: center; background:#acc;"|Notes
|-
! style="align: center; background: lavender;" colspan="6" | [[Combat aircraft]]
|-
| [[Sukhoi Su-25]]
| [[Soviet Union]]
| [[Attack aircraft|Attack]]
| 
| 2<ref name="World Air Forces 2025">{{cite web |last=Hoyle |first=Craig |year=2024 |title=World Air Forces 2025 |url=https://www.flightglobal.com/download?ac=106507 |access-date=30 January 2025 |publisher=Flight Global |doi=}}</ref>
|
|-
! colspan="6" style="align: center; background: lavender;" | [[Military transport aircraft|Transport]]
|-
| [[Dornier 228]]
| [[Germany]]
| [[Military transport aircraft|Transport]]
|
| 1<ref name="World Air Forces 2025"/> 
|
|-
| [[Cessna 208 Caravan|Cessna 208]]
| [[United States]]
| [[Utility aircraft|Utility]]
|
| 4<ref name="World Air Forces 2025"/>
| 2 units are used for [[Reconnaissance aircraft|reconnaissance]]
|-
| [[Beechcraft Super King Air]]
| United States
| Transport 
| [[Beechcraft Super King Air#Variants|350]]
| 1<ref name="World Air Forces 2025"/>
| 
|-
| [[Lockheed C-130 Hercules]]
| United States
| Transport
| [[Lockheed C-130 Hercules#Variants|C-130H]]
| 3<ref name="World Air Forces 2025"/>
|
|-
! style="align: center; background: lavender;" colspan="6" | [[Helicopters]]
|-
| [[Bell 412]]
| [[Italy]]
| Transport / [[Search and rescue|SAR]]
| [[Bell 412#Variants|AB-412]]
| 4<ref name="World Air Forces 2025"/>
|
|-
| [[Mil Mi-17]]
| [[Russia]]
| Transport 
| 
| 2<ref name="World Air Forces 2025"/> 
|
|-
| [[Mil Mi-24]]
| Russia
| [[Attack helicopter|Attack]]
|[[List of Mil Mi-24 variants#List of variants|Mi-35]]
| 1
| 2 on order<ref name="World Air Forces 2025"/>
|-
|[[Aérospatiale Gazelle]]
| [[France]]
|Scout / [[Anti-tank warfare#Helicopter|Anti-armor]]
|[[Aérospatiale Gazelle#Variants|SA342]]
| 5<ref name="World Air Forces 2025"/>
| 
|-
! colspan="6" center; background: lavender;" colspan="6"  |[[Trainer aircraft]]
|-
|[[TAI Hürkuş]]
|[[Turkey]]
|[[Trainer aircraft#Basic training|Basic trainer]] 
|B
|2<ref name="World Air Forces 2025"/>
|
|-
! colspan="6" |[[Unmanned aerial vehicle]]
|-
|[[Vestel Karayel]]
|Turkey
|[[Unmanned combat aerial vehicle|UCAV]]
|
|.
|5 on order
|-
|[[Bayraktar TB2]]
|Turkey
|UCAV
|
|6<ref>{{Cite web |last=Işık |first=Yusuf Emir |date=2022-05-21 |title=Nijer'e Bayraktar TB2 SİHA teslimatı |url=https://www.defenceturk.net/nijere-bayraktar-tb2-siha-teslimati |access-date=2024-01-04 |website=DefenceTurk |language=tr |archive-date=2024-02-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240224165742/https://www.defenceturk.net/nijere-bayraktar-tb2-siha-teslimati |url-status=live }}</ref>||-
|}