MNDF Air Corps
| Air Corps | |
|---|---|
 MNDF Air Corps flag | |
| Founded | 2024 |
| Country |  Maldives |
| Type | Air force |
| Part of | Maldives National Defence Force |
| Commanders | |
| Commander-In-Chief | President Mohamed Muizzu |
| Commandmant | Brigadier General Abdul Rauf |
| Insignia | |
| Roundel |  |
The MNDF Air Corps is the air arm of the Maldives National Defence Force.
History
On 15 March 2024, President Mohamed Muizzu inaugurated the MNDF Air Corps to protect the Maldives' exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and the airspace of the country.[1][2][3]
The Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) recently acquired the Baykar Bayraktar TB2 UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle), a widely used drone originally developed by the Turkish defense company Baykar. The Bayraktar TB2 is a medium-altitude, long-endurance (MALE) UAV renowned for its versatility, particularly in intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) roles, as well as its ability to conduct precision strikes.
Aircraft
| Aircraft | Origin | Type | Variant | In service | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UAV | ||||||
| Bayraktar TB2 | Turkey | UCAV | 6[4] | Bought from Turkey.[5] | ||
| Baykar Bayraktar Akıncı | Turkey | UCAV | 2[6] | Bought from Turkey.[7] | ||
| Transport | ||||||
| Dornier 228 | Germany/India | maritime patrol | 1[8] | Gifted by India[9][10] | ||
| Helicopters | ||||||
| HAL Dhruv | India | SAR / utility | Mk.3 | 2[11] | Gifted by India[12] | |
Radars
| Name | Origin | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Selex RAT-31DL | Italy | AESA Air Search Radar | 2 installations[13] |
| 1L-117 [1] | Russia | Air Search Radar | 2 installations[13] |
| AN/TPS-43 | United States | 3D Air Search Radar | 4 installations[13] |
| JH-16[14] | China | Air Search Radar | |
| JY-11B [2][14] | China | 3D Air Search Radar | |
| KRONOS LAND [3] | Italy | AESA Air Search Radar | 1 installation[13][15] |
| YLC-6[16][14] | China | Air Search Radar | |
| Plessey AR15 | United Kingdom | Air Search Radar | |
| RL-64I [4][14] | Czech Republic | S-Band Airport Surveillance Radar(ASR) |
Air defence
| Name | Origin | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAM | |||
| FM-90 | China | SAM | 14 batteries received[17] |
| FN-6 | China | MANPADS | 15[17] |
| QW-2 Vanguard 2 | China | MANPADS | 5[17] |
| Type 81 Tan-SAM | Japan | SAM | 7 |
| Shahin | Iran | SAM | 4 Gifted By Iran |
| Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) | United States | SAM | 2 Gifted By US |
References
- ^ "MNDF Air Corps launched, surveillance ensured 24/7". PSM News. 15 March 2024. Retrieved 11 October 2024.
- ^ Mohamed, Mariyath (15 March 2024). "MNDF Air Corps established". The Edition. Retrieved 11 October 2024.
- ^ "President launches the MNDF Air Corps and the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) into service". The President's Office. 15 March 2024. Retrieved 11 October 2024.
- ^ "Türkiye-ABD Savunma Ticareti Diyaloğu için anlaşma sağlandı" (in Turkish). 2024-03-09. Retrieved 2024-05-14.
- ^ "Maldives receives renowned Turkish drones amid India tensions". Daily Sabah. 11 March 2021. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
- ^ "Türkiye-ABD Savunma Ticareti Diyaloğu için anlaşma sağlandı" (in Turkish). 2024-03-09. Retrieved 2024-05-14.
- ^ "Maldives receives renowned Turkish drones amid India tensions". Daily Sabah. 11 March 2021. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
- ^ "World Air Forces 2023". Flightglobal Insight. 2023. Retrieved 24 December 2022.
- ^ Hadi, Ahmedulla Abdul (1 October 2020). "MNDF puts off disclosing info on Indian donated aircraft". Sun. Archived from the original on 28 November 2020. Retrieved 28 February 2021.
- ^ "India Hands Over Surveillance Aircraft to Maldives Amid Strategic Tussle with China". xairforces.com. 30 September 2020. Retrieved 28 February 2021.
- ^ "HAL workers may replace military staff in Maldives". The Times of India. 9 February 2024. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 11 October 2024.
- ^ Anandan, S. (14 December 2013). "India donates second naval Advanced Light Helicopter to Maldives". The Hindu. Retrieved 11 October 2024.
- ^ a b c d Trade Registers Archived 14 April 2010 at the Wayback Machine. Armstrade.sipri.org. Retrieved 23 December 2017
- ^ a b c d Cite error: The named reference
dgdp_Radarwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "Bangladesh orders Leonardo's high-tech air surveillance radar". Leonardo S.p.A. (Press release). 29 October 2019. Archived from the original on 28 December 2020. Retrieved 29 September 2020.
- ^ "President inducts Air Defence Radar". The Independent. Dhaka. Archived from the original on 28 December 2020. Retrieved 9 December 2015.
- ^ a b c International Institute for Strategic Studies (2020). "Chapter Six: Asia". The Military Balance. 120 (1): 254. doi:10.1080/04597222.2020.1707967. S2CID 219627149.