Every war the Somali Air Force has fought
The Somali losses of the Ogaden War in 1977–78 are Ethiopian claims; no Somali count was found. Somaliland and a number of the scholars cited by Wikipedia describe the 1988 campaign against Hargeisa and Burao as the Isaaq genocide, while the Barre government treated it as a counter-insurgency; death estimates are given with their sources. In the campaign against al-Shabaab, casualty figures are Somali government claims, and whether particular strikes were flown by Somali or Turkish crews is often unclear. Where a consolidated sortie or loss figure exists in the official record it is given here; where accounts disagree, the range is shown and the disagreement named. Blank cells are blank because no figure could be verified, not because the fighting was small.
From the 1964 border war with Ethiopia to strikes on al-Shabaab since 2025.
| Conflict | Years | Against | Main aircraft | Sorties | Aircraft lost | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ethiopian–Somali Border Warthe 1964 border warSomali Air Force | 1964 | Ethiopia | Vampire trainer, C-47, DC-3 | — | — | |
|
Flew combat air patrols with Vampire trainers and lifted troops in C-47s; had no real combat aircraft. When fighting broke out on 8 February 1964, the four-year-old air force had only transports and trainers. According to Wikipedia, C-47s flew two companies of troops into Tog Wajaale around 10 February, and Vampire trainers received from Iraq flew combat air patrols, while Ethiopian F-86 Sabres held the air and struck Tog Wajaale, Feerfeer, Galkayo and other border towns. Four Ethiopian aircraft bombed Hargeisa three times on 30 March. A report of 15 February, quoted by Wikipedia without naming who made it, said 117 civilians had been killed in air strikes on 12 villages. Outcome Ceasefire under Sudanese mediation; status quo ante. All details are from one Wikipedia article; the source of the civilian casualty figure is not identified.
|
||||||
| Ogaden Warthe Ethiopian–Somali warSomali Air Force | 1977–1978 | Ethiopia, Soviet Union and Cuba | MiG-21MF, MiG-17, Il-28 | — | — | |
|
Supported the invasion of the Ogaden with MiG-17s, MiG-21s and Il-28s, then lost the air war to Ethiopian F-5Es. Somalia invaded on 13 July 1977 with about 53 combat aircraft against an Ethiopian air force of about 36, built around eight F-5Es and 14 F-86s. The three remaining Il-28s supported the first advance but bombed from high altitude to little effect, and none survived. The Soviet Union, which had trained and equipped the air force, switched to Ethiopia; with spare parts cut off, Wikipedia says the Somali Air Force was grounded for most of the war. Soviet advisers and Cuban forces then supported the Ethiopian counter-offensive with close air support from January to March 1978. Outcome Somali forces were driven out of the Ogaden by March 1978. Kill figures are Ethiopian claims reported by Wikipedia; no independent count and no Somali government figures were found. Aircraft numbers at the start vary between sources.
|
||||||
| Ethiopian–Somali border clashesthe 1982 border warSomali Air Force | 1981–1983 | Ethiopia and Somali rebel groups backed by Ethiopia | Shenyang F-6C | — | — | |
|
F-6s were used in border skirmishes in 1981; Ethiopian aircraft struck Galkayo in 1982. Wikipedia’s F-6 article says Somali F-6s were used in border skirmishes with Ethiopia in 1981. In the border war of June 1982 to August 1983, Ethiopian aircraft bombed and strafed Galkayo airport and, during one raid, the Somalis reported downing an Ethiopian MiG. The sources reached do not describe Somali air operations in 1982–83. Outcome Ethiopian-backed forces held border positions; no peace settlement until 1988. Thin sourcing; the shoot-down is a Somali claim.
|
||||||
| War in the north and the Somali Rebellionthe bombing of Hargeisa and BuraoSomali Air Force | 1988–1991 | Somali National Movement, United Somali Congress and other rebel groups | Hawker Hunter, Shenyang F-6, MiG-21MFand 1 more | — | — | |
|
Bombed cities held or contested by the Somali National Movement, and later fought other rebel groups. After the Somali National Movement attacked Burao and Hargeisa in May 1988, government forces retook them with artillery and air attack. A US GAO report of May 1989 found that "the Somali military resorted to using artillery and aerial shelling in heavily populated urban centers", quoted the US Embassy’s estimate that 70 per cent of Hargeisa had been damaged or destroyed, counted about 350,000 Isaaq refugees in Ethiopia, and said aircraft bombed settlements inside Ethiopia in mid-July. According to Wikipedia, aircraft took off from Hargeisa airport to bomb the city, and the Hunters were often flown by former Rhodesian or South African mercenary pilots. Death estimates range from about 50,000 to up to 100,000 (Wikipedia, citing scholars). Somaliland and a number of scholars describe the campaign as the Isaaq genocide; the Barre government treated it as a counter-insurgency. Outcome The government fell in January 1991 and the air force ceased to exist. Mercenary pilots and death figures come from Wikipedia and the scholars it cites; the GAO report does not give a death toll.
|
||||||
| Campaign against al-Shabaabair strikes by the rebuilt air forceSomali Air Force | 2025– | al-Shabaab | Bayraktar Akinci, Bayraktar TB2, T129 ATAKand 1 more | — | — | |
|
Strikes and helicopter support against al-Shabaab with drones and attack helicopters, alongside Turkish and US air power. On 9 March 2025 Defence Minister Abdulkadir Mohamed Nur said the Somali Air Force was striking al-Shabaab with aircraft "purchased by the government". On 17 March the President met the air force’s operations leadership; Radio Dalsan wrote that for the first time in a long while the air force was leading operations against militants. On 21 March the National Intelligence and Security Agency said six strikes by the air force and NISA in Lower Shabelle had killed 82 al-Shabaab fighters; that figure is NISA’s and was not independently checked. T129s were "apparently" in action from June 2025 (defenceWeb). Turkish drone operations and US AFRICOM strikes run alongside, and Middle East Eye reports that Turkish air operations are coordinated with AFRICOM. Outcome Continuing. Casualty figures are Somali government claims. Whether particular strikes were flown by Somali or Turkish crews is often unclear.
|
||||||
Nothing matches that search.
Every figure, checked
- SONNA: Somali Air Force strikes have severely weakened the enemy – Defence Minister (9 March 2025)Defence Minister Abdulkadir Mohamed Nur on air strikes with aircraft "purchased by the government".
- Radio Dalsan: President Hassan Sheikh meets with the leadership of the Somali Air Force operations (17 March 2025)Briefing on air strikes; pledge to keep rebuilding and equipping the air force.
- Anadolu Agency: Somali forces kill 82 al-Shabaab terrorists in airstrikes (21 March 2025)NISA claim: six strikes by the Somali Air Force and NISA in Lower Shabelle.
- defenceWeb: Somalia receives T-129 attack helicopters from Turkey (23 June 2025)Three T-129s in the first week of June 2025; at least two Akinci in March 2025; TB2 in SNA service since 2022; defence agreement February 2024.
- Middle East Eye: Turkey doubles troops in Somalia amid al-Shabab offensive (2025)Nearly 500 Turkish troops, about 200 for armed drone operations; two Akinci; T129 handover reported but denied by a Somali source; AFRICOM coordination.
- US GAO: Somalia – Observations Regarding the Northern Conflict and Resulting Conditions (NSIAD-89-159, 4 May 1989)Aerial shelling of urban centres; US Embassy estimate that 70 per cent of Hargeisa was damaged or destroyed; 350,000 Isaaq refugees in Ethiopia.
Figures verified 2026-10-01. Back to the Somali Air Force.