Editing Niger Armed Forces (section)

=== 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}}