Myanmar Air Force

Slagorde · Myanmar

Myanmar Air Force

တပ်မတော်(လေ) · မြန်မာ လေတပ်မတော်

The Myanmar Air Force was formed as the Burmese Air Force on 16 January 1947, before independence, and has spent almost its whole life flying against insurgents inside its own borders — and since the February 2021 military takeover it has become the military government’s main weapon in the civil war, with air strikes that the UN, rights groups and major media say have killed hundreds of civilians a year, while resistance groups claim a growing list of aircraft shot down.

Nationale markeringA yellow triangle inside a white triangle edged in blue
95Gevechtsvliegtuigen
14Actieve luchtbases
1947Opgericht
15Typen gepensioneerd
LandMyanmarOpgericht1947StatusActiefHoofdkwartierNaypyidawCommandantTun Win
Het verhaal

The Myanmar Air Force story: born into a civil war in 1947, supplied by China and Russia, and at the centre of the war since 2021

1947–1962: an air force born into a civil war

The Burmese Air Force was created on 16 January 1947, a year before Burma left the British Empire, and it inherited a training fleet rather than a fighting one: Wikipedia, drawing on Maung Aung Myoe’s history of the armed forces, lists 40 Airspeed Oxfords, 16 Tiger Moths, four Austers and three Spitfires from the RAF by 1948. Independence in January 1948 was followed almost at once by communist and Karen insurrections, and the small air force was used from the start for transport and close support of the army. Mingaladon, outside Rangoon, became its main base on 16 June 1950, and No. 2 Squadron formed there with nine Dakotas that December. In 1953 it bought 30 Spitfires from Israel and 20 Seafires from Britain, followed by 40 Percival Provosts and eight Vampire T.55 jet trainers in 1954 and 21 Hawker Sea Furies in 1957–1958.

1962–1988: isolation, Swiss trainers and armed T-33s

Its one air-to-air victory came against a foreign intruder. Kuomintang troops who had retreated from China into the Shan hills were supplied by air, and on 15 February 1961 Burmese Sea Furies intercepted a Republic of China Air Force PB4Y Privateer dropping supplies to them. The Privateer was brought down near the Thai border; Wikipedia’s Sea Fury article, citing Lednicer, gives five of its crew killed and two captured, and the Myanmar Air Force article records that one Burmese fighter was also lost and a Burmese airman killed. After the 1962 coup Burma turned inward. T-33 jets arrived by December 1964 and, according to Mackay’s history of the Sea Fury, armed T-33s replaced the Sea Furies around 1968. In the 1970s and 1980s Burma bought Bell helicopters, SIAI-Marchetti SF.260s and 16 Pilatus PC-7 and 10 PC-9 trainers,.

1988–2011: buying from China, Yugoslavia and Russia

After the military’s 1988 takeover, and once the service was renamed the Myanmar Air Force in 1989, Western suppliers fell away and China became the main one. Wikipedia counts more than 100 Chinese aircraft bought in the 1990s: 64 F-7 fighters and FT-7 trainers delivered between 1990 and 1999, 24 A-5C attack jets in 1997–1998, K-8 jet trainers and Y-8 transports. About six of 20 Soko G-4 Super Galebs ordered from Yugoslavia in 1991 are reported delivered before the country broke up, and Poland supplied Mi-2 and W-3 Sokol helicopters. The first MiG-29s, ten single-seaters and two trainers, came from Belarus in 2001; a further 20 were bought from Russia in December 2009 for a reported 570 million dollars, together with ten Mi-35 gunships.

2011–2021: Kachin, Kokang and a modern shopping list

The air force was back in heavy use from late 2012. On 2 January 2013 the government confirmed air strikes against the Kachin Independence Army around Laiza, which it described as self-defence; UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon asked Myanmar to avoid endangering civilians. In the 2015 Kokang fighting, bombs from Myanmar aircraft killed four people in Yunnan on 13 March 2015, and Myanmar apologised to China. Meanwhile the shopping list modernised: six Yak-130s ordered from Russia in June 2015, 16 JF-17 Block 2s from China and Pakistan in 2015, about 20 German Grob G 120TP trainers, a MiG-29 upgrade revealed in 2017 and six Su-30SMEs agreed during Russian defence minister Sergei Shoigu’s visit in January 2018. Much of this equipment was in service when the army took power again on 1 February 2021.

Since February 2021: the air war over the civil war

Since the 2021 takeover the air force has become central to the military government’s war against the National Unity Government’s People’s Defence Forces and the ethnic armed organisations. Monitors and the UN describe a rising curve: ACLED counted 1,716 air strikes in 2024 and 2,165 from January to late November 2025, and the UN human rights office, as quoted by the Irrawaddy, recorded 982 civilians killed by air strikes in 2025, up from 641. One of the deadliest, on Pazigyi in Sagaing Region on 11 April 2023, killed at least 100 people and later tallies by BBC Burmese reached 171; the military spokesman Maj. Gen. Zaw Min Tun confirmed the strike and said it targeted the opening of a People’s Defence Force office. The military government says it strikes only legitimate military targets; the National Unity Government called Pazigyi a war crime.

2024–2026: new jets, lost aircraft, fuel and the question of who supplies it

The same years brought losses. The Irrawaddy counted 13 aircraft claimed shot down by resistance groups between the coup and July 2025, including Mi-35 and Mi-17 helicopters, two K-8Ws, two FTC-2000Gs and an F-7, and about ten more lost to accidents or weather; most claims could not be independently verified and the military has usually attributed its losses to technical failure. Fresh aircraft kept coming: the Su-30SMEs from 2022, FTC-2000G light fighters from China and further Yak-130s. UN investigators say foreign states and firms continue to supply arms and jet fuel, and the United States sanctioned jet fuel suppliers in August 2023. The March 2025 earthquake did not stop the bombing, and by 2026, after elections that ended in January and Min Aung Hlaing’s election as president by parliament in April, the air campaign was still continuing.

Its one air-to-air victory came against a foreign intruder. Kuomintang troops who had retreated from China into the Shan hills were supplied by air, and on 15 February 1961 Burmese Sea Furies intercepted a Republic of China Air Force PB4Y Privateer dropping supplies to them.Myanmar Air Force · verified 2026-09-30
In één oogopslag

The Myanmar Air Force in numbers

Dienst

Inheemse naam
တပ်မတော်(လေ)Tatmadaw (Lay), “armed forces (air)”, the name given in the English Wikipedia article; the armed forces article uses မြန်မာ လေတပ်မတော် (Myanmar air force). Known as the Burmese Air Force until 1989
Opgericht
16 January 1947Formed while Burma was still under British rule. Wikipedia’s article gives 16 January in the text and 15 January in its infobox; the anniversary is marked at an Air Force Day in December
Onderdeel van
Myanmar Armed Forces (Tatmadaw)The air arm of the armed forces, whose commander-in-chief, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, led the 1 February 2021 takeover and was elected president by parliament in April 2026
Hoofdkwartier
NaypyidawOffice of the Commander-in-Chief (Air), Ministry of Defence. Mingaladon near Yangon was the first main base from 1950
Commander-in-Chief (Air)
Tun WinIn post since 21 April 2026, according to Wikipedia citing BBC Burmese; predecessor General Htun Aung (10 January 2022 to 10 April 2026)
Government
Military-ledThe State Administration Council formed on 2 February 2021 was dissolved on 31 July 2025, when its powers passed to the National Defence and Security Council and a State Security and Peace Commission; voting in the military-run election ran from December 2025 to the end of January 2026

Kracht

Personeel
23,000–25,000Wikipedia’s air force article gives 25,000 personnel and 356 aircraft citing IISS The Military Balance 2024; its armed forces article gives 23,000. No official figure is published
Gevechtsvliegtuigen
  • MiG-29SM/SE and UB — 36 (2022)
  • Su-30SME — 6 ordered, 6–10 reported
  • JF-17 Block 2 — 11 reported of 16 ordered
  • F-7M/F-7IIK/FT-7 — 36 F-7 and 6 FT-7 in 2012
  • A-5C — 20–24
  • FTC-2000G — about 12 reported

Open-source counts only; several types have lost aircraft since 2021 and the JF-17s were reported largely grounded in 2022

Trainers
  • Yak-130 — 18–24
  • K-8W — 40–60+
  • Grob G 120TP — at least 20 bought
  • PC-7 — 16 bought, PC-9 — 10 bought

The Yak-130 and K-8W are used in combat as well as training

Helikopters
  • Mi-17 — 25+
  • Mi-35P — about 9
  • Mi-2 — about 20
  • W-3 Sokol, Bell 206 and others

Several Mi-17s and one Mi-35 are claimed shot down since 2021

Vervoer
  • Y-8 — about 8
  • Y-12 — about 15
  • ATR 42/72 — about 10
  • Beech 1900, Fokker 70

Wikipedia figures; a Beech 1900 crashed near Pyin Oo Lwin on 11 June 2021

Defensiebudget
2.7 billion US dollars (2023)The armed forces figure announced by the military government, as given by Wikipedia; there is no separate air force budget

Infrastructuur

Air commands
  • Southern Air Command — Hmawbi
  • Western Air Command — Magway
  • Eastern Air Command — Namsang

Organisation as given by Wikipedia

Main air bases
  • Mingaladon (Yangon)
  • Hmawbi
  • Meiktila
  • Magway
  • Myitkyina
  • Taungoo
  • Pathein
  • Myeik
  • Namsang
  • Homalin
  • Naypyidaw
  • Tada-U (Mandalay)

Hmawbi and Meiktila were the other main bases by 1953; Su-30s were seen at Naypyidaw in 2022 and the Yak-130s were commissioned at Tada-U in 2018

Training and repair
Meiktila and ShanteAircraft Production and Repair Base and Ground Training Base at Meiktila; Flying Training Base at Shante
Radar
Four radar squadronsNos. 71 to 74 at Namsang, Myeik, Myitkyina and Hmawbi, according to Wikipedia
Attacks on bases
Several since 2021Resistance groups claimed rocket or drone attacks on Magway (November 2022), Hmawbi (February 2022) and Mandalay airport (September 2026); the claims are disputed or unverified
Structuur

How the Myanmar Air Force is organised

The air arm of the Myanmar Armed Forces, run from the Office of the Commander-in-Chief (Air) in Naypyidaw through three air commands — Southern at Hmawbi, Western at Magway and Eastern at Namsang — according to Wikipedia. Its front line mixes Russian and Chinese types: MiG-29s, Su-30SMEs, F-7s, A-5Cs, JF-17s and FTC-2000Gs, with Yak-130 and K-8W trainers also used in combat. Repair and ground training are at Meiktila, flying training at Shante, and four radar squadrons are spread from Myitkyina to Myeik.

TW

General (Wikipedia’s list gives lieutenant general)Tun WinCommander-in-Chief (Air) · in office since 2026
Myanmar Air Forceတပ်မတော်(လေ)
Hoofdkwartier

Office of the Commander-in-Chief (Air)

Naypyidaw

In Naypyidaw, under the Ministry of Defence: the air arm of the Myanmar Armed Forces, whose commander-in-chief, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, led the 1 February 2021 takeover and was elected president by parliament in April 2026. Tun Win took over as Commander-in-Chief (Air) on 21 April 2026, according to Wikipedia citing BBC Burmese; his rank on appointment was reported differently.

Air command

Southern Air Command

Hmawbi

Headquartered at Hmawbi, one of the three main bases since 1953, where Wikipedia places No. 56 Squadron with Mi-17 helicopters and No. 74 Radar Squadron.

Air command

Western Air Command

Magway

Headquartered at Magway, which Wikipedia calls the base of several fighter types. The Irrawaddy reported F-7s flying from it in 2018; resistance groups claimed MiG-29s destroyed there in November 2022, a claim that has not been verified.

Air command

Eastern Air Command

Namsang

Headquartered at Namsang in Shan State, where six FTC-2000G light fighters from China were delivered in two batches in 2022, according to The Irrawaddy, and where Wikipedia places No. 71 Radar Squadron.

Training and repair

Training and repair commands

Meiktila and Shante

The Aircraft Production and Repair Base and the Air Force Ground Training Base Command are at Meiktila, and the Flying Training Base Command at neighbouring Shante, according to Wikipedia. The Grob G 120TP trainers are kept at Meiktila, The Irrawaddy reported, grounded by accidents and a lack of spare parts.

In dienst

What the Myanmar Air Force flies today

Elk type is gekoppeld aan de bijbehorende pagina in het Boek der Beesten, indien aanwezig. Het aantal vliegtuigen betreft de geregistreerde vliegtuigen, niet de vliegtuigen die op een bepaalde dag beschikbaar zijn.

Type Rol In dienst Sinds Eenheden Notities
Sukhoi Su-30SMEIn dienst Multifunctionele gevechtsvliegtuig 6 2022 — Six ordered in 2018. Two arrived in March 2022; Wikipedia reports more on 15 December 2023 and two on 15 December 2024 and puts the fleet at 8–10, which would exceed the reported order.

Meer

Range published: 6–10.
Mikoyan MiG-29SM/SE and MiG-29UBIn dienst Vechter 36 2001 — 31 single-seat SM/SE and five UB trainers in 2022 per Wikipedia’s operators list; the air force article gives 38. At least one MiG-29SMT crashed on 29 February 2024 (Magway Region).
PAC/CAC JF-17 Thunder Block 2In dienst Multifunctionele gevechtsvliegtuig 11 2018 — 16 ordered in 2015; 11 reported in service. The Irrawaddy reported in November 2022 that most were grounded by technical faults.
Chengdu F-7M/F-7IIK and FT-7In dienst Vechter 42 1990 — 64 delivered 1990–1999; 36 F-7 and six FT-7 in service in 2012. One F-7 was lost on 10 June 2025 (see note).
Nanchang A-5C (A-5IIIK)In dienst Grondaanval 24 1997 — 24 delivered 1997–1998; Wikipedia’s Q-5 article says 20 remained in December 2025. Range: 20–24.
Guizhou FTC-2000GIn dienst Light fighter and trainer 12 2022 — About 12 reported delivered 2022–2024; the order size is not confirmed (Wikipedia’s inventory table mentions 60 on order).
Yakovlev Yak-130In dienst Advanced trainer and light attack 18 2017 — Six ordered in 2015 and delivered by December 2017, six more later, and a further six revealed after 2021; Wikipedia’s Yak-130 article gives 18, the air force article 24.
Hongdu K-8 / K-8WIn dienst Straaljager voor training en lichte aanvalsvliegtuigen 40 — 40+ (Wikipedia’s JL-8 article) to 60+ (air force article).
Grob G 120TPIn dienst Basistrainer 20 2015 — At least 20 bought in 2015; several grounded.
Pilatus PC-7In dienst Trainer 16 — 16 bought 1976–1987.
Pilatus PC-9In dienst Trainer 10 — Ten bought between 1976 and 1987.
HAL HJT-16 KiranIn dienst Straaltrainer 6 — Six ex-Indian Air Force.
Mil Mi-35PIn dienst Aanvalshelikopter 9 — Ten bought in 2009 (package reported at 71 million dollars); about nine in service. One claimed shot down by the KIA on 3 May 2021.
Mil Mi-17In dienst Transporthelikopter 25 1991 — 13 delivered 1991–1997, 25+ now. Several claimed lost: 3 January 2024 (KIA), 20 and 21 May 2025 near Shwegu (KIA), 23 June 2026 (Magway PDF drone attack).
PZL Mi-2In dienst Lichte helikopter 20 1991 — 20 delivered 1991–1997; Wikipedia’s table gives 22.
PZL W-3 SokolIn dienst Hulphelikopter 13 1991 — 13 delivered in the 1990s; how many remain is not confirmed.
Shaanxi Y-8In dienst Vervoer 8 — About eight.
Harbin Y-12In dienst Licht transport 15 — About 15.
ATR 42 / ATR 72In dienst Vervoer 10 — About ten in total.
Beechcraft 1900In dienst Licht transport 7 — About seven; one crashed on 11 June 2021 near Pyin Oo Lwin, killing 12 including a senior monk.
F-742
K-8W40
MiG-2936
Mi-1725
A-5C24
G 120TP20
Mi-220
Yak-13018

Op bestelling

Type Besteld Eerste levering Notities
Guizhou FTC-2000GOp bestelling — 2022 Order first reported in April 2020 for an unnamed Southeast Asian customer. About 12 delivered by 2024; Wikipedia’s inventory table mentions 60 on order, which could not be corroborated.
PAC/CAC JF-17 Thunder Block 2Op bestelling 5 2018 The balance of the 16 ordered in 2015 if 11 have been delivered; no delivery of the remainder was confirmed.
Voorheen in bedrijf

Every type the Myanmar Air Force has retired

15 types, from the Airspeed Oxford, de Havilland Tiger Moth and Auster to the Hawker Sea Fury FB.11 and T.20. De piekcijfers hebben betrekking op het aantal vliegtuigen dat gedurende de gehele levensduur in gebruik is genomen, niet op de vlootsterkte op een bepaalde datum.

Type Rol Piek Geserveerd Vervangen door Notities
Hawker Sea Fury FB.11 and T.20 Jachtbommenwerper 21 1957–1968 Armed T-33 21 received 1957–1958, mainly ex-Fleet Air Arm.
Soko G-4 Super Galeb Straaltrainer 6 1991– — 20 ordered in 1991; about six delivered before Yugoslavia broke up.
Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star Straaljager voor training en lichte aanvalsvliegtuigen — 1964– — Cijfers niet bevestigd.
Supermarine Spitfire Vechter 33 1948– Sea Fury Three from the RAF by 1948 and 30 bought from Israel in 1953.
Supermarine Seafire Vechter 20 1953– — 20 bought from Britain in 1953.
de Havilland Vampire T.55 Straaltrainer 8 1954– — Eight bought in 1954.
Percival Provost T.53 Trainer en lichte aanval 40 1954– — 40 bought in 1954.
Airspeed Oxford, de Havilland Tiger Moth and Auster Trainers and liaison 60 1947– — 40 Oxfords, 16 Tiger Moths and four Austers from the RAF by 1948.
Douglas Dakota Vervoer 9 1950– — Nine with No. 2 Squadron from December 1950.
de Havilland Canada DHC-3 Otter Nutsvervoer 9 1957– — Nine from Canada in 1957.
Kawasaki-Bell 47G and Vertol H-21 Helikopters 18 1956– — Six Bell 47G (1956), the first helicopter unit, and 12 H-21 from the US (1958).
Cessna 180 Contactpersoon 10 1956– — Ten bought in 1956.
SIAI-Marchetti SF.260 Trainer 20 1975– — 20 bought in March 1975.
Bell 205A and 206B Utility helicopters 25 1975– — 18 Bell 205A and seven 206B delivered in 1975; Wikipedia lists three Bell 206 and two UH-1 still in service.
Pilatus PC-6 Porter Nutsvervoer 7 — — Seven bought 1976–1987.
Luchtbases

Where the Myanmar Air Force flies from

Zwarte pinnen geven actieve bases aan, holle pinnen de vliegvelden die gesloten zijn. Mingaladon, Hmawbi and Meiktila have been main bases since the early 1950s; the newest aircraft have gone elsewhere, with Yak-130s commissioned at Tada-U in 2018, FTC-2000Gs delivered to Namsang and a Su-30 seen at Naypyidaw in 2022. Resistance groups have claimed rocket or drone attacks on several bases since 2021; the claims are disputed or unverified. Pakokku is listed because defectors and resistance sources report it reactivated for military jets in 2024. Entries with no published aerodrome data carry no pin.

Actieve luchtmachtbasis Gesloten of reserverenKlik op een speld om de basispagina te openen.
Baseren ICAO Status Startbaan Eenheden en vliegtuigen
HmawbiYangon Region, Hmawbi Township VYHB Actief 09/272.440 m
HomalinSagaing Region, Homalin Township Actief — —
MagwayMagway Region, Magway Township VYMW Actief 01/192600 mconcreet
MeiktilaMandalay Region, Meiktila Township VYML Actief —
MingaladonYangon Region, Mingaladon Township VYYY Actief 03/213,414 m
  • No. 1 Squadron and Flying Training School (historic)
  • No. 2 Squadron: Douglas Dakota
  • American Volunteer Group (Flying Tigers) and RAF: Curtiss P-40, Hawker-orkaan
MyeikTanintharyi Region, Myeik Township Actief —
  • No. 72 Radar Squadron
MyitkyinaKachin State, Myitkyina Township Actief —
  • Helicopter units (designations not published): Mil Mi-17
  • No. 73 Radar Squadron
NamsangShan State, Namsang Township VYNS Actief —
  • FTC-2000G unit (designation not published): Guizhou FTC-2000G
  • No. 71 Radar Squadron
NaypyidawAye LarNaypyidaw Union Territory Actief —
Pakokku Airportmilitary useMagway Region, Pakokku Township VYPU Actief — —
PatheinAyeyarwady Region, Pathein Township Actief — —
ShanteMandalay Region, Meiktila Township VYST Actief —
  • Air Force Flying Training Base Command
Tada-UMandalay Region, Tada-U Township VYMD Actief 17/354.267 mconcreet
TaungooBago Region, Taungoo Township Actief —
  • Air force units (designations not published)
  • American Volunteer Group (Flying Tigers): Curtiss P-40

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Slagorde

Who is stationed where in the Myanmar Air Force

Vliegende eenheden per basis, met de huidige eenheden eerst. The Myanmar Air Force publishes few unit designations: only No. 56 Squadron, the radar squadrons numbered 71 to 74 and the early No. 1 and No. 2 Squadrons are named, so most entries are named by aircraft type. RAF and American Volunteer Group units of the Second World War are listed and marked as not Burmese. Where a unit’s base rests on Wikipedia, The Irrawaddy or resistance sources alone, the entry says so.

Meiktila Air Base · VYMLAircraft Production and Repair Base Headquarters and Air Force Ground Training Base Command, Myanmar Air Force
Mi-35P helicopter squadronAanvalshelikoptereskader · actief
Mil Mi-35P
Aircraft Production and Repair BaseMaintenance, repair and assembly · active
—
Air Force Ground Training Base CommandGround training · active
—
Grob G 120TP trainer fleetBasic trainers · active
Grob G 120TP
No. 221 (Tactical) Group RAF and RAF squadrons1945–1946
Supermarine Spitfire, Hawker Hurricane IIC, Republic Thunderbolt II, de Havilland Mosquito VI, Westland Lysander IIIA, Douglas Dakota, Handley Page Halifax A.7
Shante · VYSTAir Force Flying Training Base Command, Myanmar Air Force
Air Force Flying Training Base CommandVliegopleiding · actief
—
Hmawbi · VYHBSouthern Air Command, Myanmar Air Force
No. 56 SquadronHelikoptereskader · actief
Mil Mi-17
No. 74 Radar SquadronRadar squadron · active
—
RAF squadrons1945–1946
de Havilland Mosquito, Douglas Dakota
Mingaladon · VYYYMyanmar Air Force
No. 1 Squadron and Flying Training School (historic)1950–
—
No. 2 Squadron1950–
Douglas Dakota
American Volunteer Group (Flying Tigers) and RAF1941–1942
Curtiss P-40, Hawker Hurricane
Magway · VYMWWestern Air Command, Myanmar Air Force
Fighter units (designations not published)Jachtvliegtuigeskaders · actief
Chengdu F-7, Mikoyan MiG-29
RAF wing and American Volunteer Group1942–1942
Curtiss P-40, Hawker Hurricane
Tada-U · VYMDMyanmar Air Force
Yak-130 and A-5 units (designations not published)Light attack and training · active
Yakovlev Yak-130, Nanchang A-5
Naypyidaw (Aye Lar) · Myanmar Air Force
Su-30SME detachment (designation not published)Fighter · active
Sukhoi Su-30SME
Taungoo · Myanmar Air Force
Air force units (designations not published)Fighter and helicopter units · active
—
American Volunteer Group (Flying Tigers)1941–1941
Curtiss P-40
Myitkyina · Myanmar Air Force
Helicopter units (designations not published)Helicopters · active
Mil Mi-17
No. 73 Radar SquadronRadar squadron · active
—
Namsang · VYNSEastern Air Command, Myanmar Air Force
FTC-2000G unit (designation not published)Light fighter · active
Guizhou FTC-2000G
No. 71 Radar SquadronRadar squadron · active
—
Myeik · Myanmar Air Force
No. 72 Radar SquadronRadar squadron · active
—

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Tijdlijn

Myanmar Air Force milestones, 1914 to today

1947

16 January: the Burmese Air Force is formed under British rule.

1948

4 January: independence. The air force has 40 Oxfords, 16 Tiger Moths, four Austers and three Spitfires, and is soon flying against communist and Karen insurgents.

1950

16 June: Mingaladon becomes the main base; No. 2 Squadron forms with nine Dakotas on 18 December.

1953

30 Spitfires bought from Israel and 20 Seafires from Britain; Mingaladon, Hmawbi and Meiktila are the main bases.

1957

The first of 21 Hawker Sea Furies arrive (1957–1958).

1961

15 February: Sea Furies intercept and bring down a Republic of China Air Force PB4Y Privateer supplying Kuomintang forces; a Burmese fighter and airman are also lost.

1964

Lockheed T-33 jets in service by December; armed T-33s replace the Sea Furies around 1968.

1989

Renamed the Myanmar Air Force. The 1990s bring more than 100 Chinese aircraft, including 64 F-7s and FT-7s.

2001

Ten MiG-29s and two MiG-29UBs arrive from Belarus.

2009

December: 20 more MiG-29s and ten Mi-35 gunships ordered from Russia.

2013

2 January: the government confirms air strikes against the Kachin Independence Army near Laiza.

2015

13 March: bombs from Myanmar aircraft kill four people in Yunnan; Myanmar apologises to China. Yak-130 and JF-17 orders follow.

2018

January: six Su-30SMEs agreed during Sergei Shoigu’s visit. December: JF-17s shown at Air Force Day.

2021

1 February: the military takes power. 3 May: the KIA shoots down an Mi-35 near Momauk, the first loss claimed after the takeover.

2022

March: the first two Su-30SMEs arrive. 23 October: an air strike on a KIO anniversary concert at Hpakant kills at least 80, according to the KIO; the military denies civilian casualties.

2023

11 April: the Pazigyi strike kills at least 100 people (171 by BBC Burmese’s count). 23 August: the US sanctions Burma’s jet fuel sector.

2025

28 March: the Sagaing earthquake; the military declares a truce on 2 April but, according to the UN, keeps attacking. 31 July: the State Administration Council is dissolved.

2026

21 April: Tun Win becomes Commander-in-Chief (Air). 28 September: a strike on a market in Kyauktaw kills at least 33 (Arakan Army) or at least 50 (UN human rights office).

Gevechtsgeschiedenis

Every war the Myanmar Air Force has fought

Uitvallen en verliezen waar de gegevens die vermelden, en een eerlijke blanco waar die ontbreken.

6conflicten
1948Eerst
16Vliegtuig verloren
1Gedood
  • Communist and ethnic insurgencies 1948–1962 Transport and close air support for the army against communist and Karen insurgents
  • Operations against Kuomintang forces in Burma 1950–1961 Supported army operations against Kuomintang troops who had retreated from China, and intercepted their air supply
  • Kachin conflict 2011–2021 Air strikes against Kachin Independence Army positions
  • 2015 Kokang offensive 2015 Air strikes against the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army
  • Myanmar civil war 2021– Air strikes, close support and transport for the military government’s forces against the People’s Defence Forces of the National Unity Government and ethnic armed organisations

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Uit het tijdschrift

Myanmar Air Force news from Afterburner

Everything MiGFlug’s magazine has published on the Myanmar Air Force and the aircraft it flies. Deze lijst wordt automatisch vernieuwd — nieuwe Afterburner-verhalen verschijnen hier automatisch.

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Vragen en antwoorden

Everything people ask about the Myanmar Air Force

What is the Myanmar Air Force called in Burmese?
Wikipedia gives its Burmese name as တပ်မတော်(လေ), Tatmadaw (Lay), “armed forces (air)”; the armed forces article uses မြန်မာ လေတပ်မတော်. It was the Burmese Air Force until 1989, when the country’s English name changed. No official English-language website of the air force was reachable to confirm the spelling.
What aircraft does the Myanmar Air Force fly in 2026?
Its fighters are Russian and Chinese: MiG-29s (36 in 2022), Su-30SMEs (six ordered, six to ten reported), JF-17s (about 11), F-7S, A-5C attack jets and FTC-2000G light fighters. Yak-130 En K-8W trainers are also used in combat, and the helicopter fleet includes Mi-17s en Mi-35 gunships. All numbers are open-source estimates.
When was the Myanmar Air Force founded?
On 16 January 1947, as the Burmese Air Force, while Burma was still under British rule. Its first fleet was mostly trainers from the RAF: 40 Oxfords, 16 Tiger Moths, four Austers and three Spitfires.
Has the Myanmar Air Force ever shot down an aircraft?
One case is recorded: on 15 February 1961 Burmese Sea Furies intercepted an unmarked Republic of China Air Force PB4Y Privateer supplying Kuomintang troops in northern Burma, and it came down near the Thai border. Five of its crew were killed and two captured, according to Wikipedia citing Lednicer; one Burmese fighter and one airman were also lost.
How many civilians have Myanmar air strikes killed since 2021?
There is no single agreed figure. The UN human rights office, as quoted by the Irrawaddy, recorded 982 civilians killed by air strikes in 2025, including 232 children, up from 641 in 2024; a UN report counted 476 air strike deaths between August 2025 and January 2026. ACLED counted 2,165 air strikes from January to late November 2025. The military government says it strikes only legitimate military targets and has denied several specific attacks.
What happened at Pazigyi in April 2023?
On 11 April 2023 a jet and an Mi-35 helicopter attacked a gathering at Pazigyi in Kanbalu Township, Sagaing Region. At least 100 people were reported killed, and BBC Burmese counted 171 by 14 April. The military spokesman Maj. Gen. Zaw Min Tun confirmed the attack, saying it targeted the opening of a People’s Defence Force office and that some deaths were caused by mines; the National Unity Government called it a war crime and the UN Secretary-General condemned it.
How many Myanmar military aircraft have been shot down?
The Irrawaddy counted 13 aircraft claimed shot down by resistance groups between the coup and July 2025, including Mi-35 and Mi-17 helicopters, two K-8Ws, two FTC-2000Gs and an F-7, and about ten more lost to accidents or weather. Most claims could not be independently verified, and the military has generally blamed technical failure. Further claims followed, including an Mi-17 hit by drones in Magway on 23 June 2026.
Who supplies the Myanmar Air Force?
Russia and China above all: MiG-29s, Su-30SMES, Yak-130s and Mi-35s from Russia; F-7s, A-5Cs, K-8s and FTC-2000Gs from China; JF-17s built with Pakistan. UN investigators said in 2026 that foreign actors continue to transfer arms and jet fuel. Amnesty International found that Myanmar imported at least 109,604 tonnes of aviation fuel in 2025, 69 per cent more than in 2024, according to the Irrawaddy.
What are the jet fuel sanctions on Myanmar?
On 23 August 2023 the US Treasury declared jet fuel a sector of the Burmese economy open to sanctions, citing air strikes that had killed civilians, and designated two individuals and three Singapore-based companies linked to jet fuel supply. Amnesty International has called since 2022 for all states to suspend aviation fuel shipments that could reach the air force.
Who commands the Myanmar Air Force?
Tun Win became Commander-in-Chief (Air) on 21 April 2026, according to Wikipedia citing BBC Burmese, succeeding General Htun Aung, who had led the service since January 2022 and was sanctioned by the EU in November 2022. The service is part of the armed forces led by Min Aung Hlaing, who was elected president by parliament in April 2026.

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Figures verified 2026-09-30. Order of Battle pages are regenerated from a single dataset; if a number here disagrees with a Book of Beasts page, this page is the more recent of the two.

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