Cameroon Air Force
The Cameroon Air Force (Armée de l’Air du Cameroun) grew from a one-squadron transport arm formed a year after independence into a small force of Alpha Jets, Hercules and helicopters that stayed loyal in the 1984 coup attempt and has spent the last decade flying troops, casualties and Mi-24 and Z-9 gunships over Boko Haram’s Far North and the Anglophone west — with an ageing fleet whose real serviceability no one outside Yaoundé publishes.
The Cameroon Air Force story: a squadron for a new republic, loyalty in 1984 and helicopters against Boko Haram
1960–1966: an escadrille for a new republic
French Cameroun became independent on 1 January 1960 and joined the former British Southern Cameroons on 1 October 1961. The air arm followed the army: the English Wikipedia article, the most detailed open account, dates it to 1 January 1961, when a National Squadron (Escadrille Nationale) was formed, renamed National Aviation in 1964 and the Cameroon Air Force (Armée de l’Air du Cameroun) in 1966. That makes 1960 the birth year of the state and its forces, and 1961 the first date for the air arm itself. Its early fleet was what France and its partners supplied to new African states: Max Holste Broussard liaison aircraft, Douglas C-47s, Alouette helicopters and later the de Havilland Canada Caribou and Buffalo and the Dornier Do 28. It was an air force built for moving people and supplies across a large country with poor roads, not for fighting.
1970s–1984: Hercules, Alpha Jets and a loyal air force
Combat aircraft came late and in small numbers. Cameroon bought the Dassault/Dornier Alpha Jet in its MS2 ground-attack version in the early 1980s: Dassault lists Cameroon among its ten Alpha Jet air forces, and Wikipedia gives seven aircraft, adding that some sources say six. Three Lockheed C-130H Hercules, which a maintenance report in 2020 described as 38 to 42 years old, gave the air force real airlift. The force earned its political reputation on 6 April 1984, when presidential palace guards tried to overthrow Paul Biya, in a plot widely believed to have been directed from exile by former president Ahmadou Ahidjo. Wikipedia’s account calls the air force’s loyalty to the president an important factor in the coup’s defeat. The government gave 71 dead; independent estimates ran to about 1,000.
1981–2008: Bakassi, the dispute settled in court
The Bakassi peninsula, oil-rich and claimed by both Cameroon and Nigeria, produced border clashes from 16 May 1981 and more serious fighting in 1994 and on 3 February 1996. Cameroon took the case to the International Court of Justice on 29 March 1994. The court ruled on 10 October 2002 that the 1913 Anglo-German agreement gave the peninsula to Cameroon; Nigeria had argued for an older line based on British treaties with local chiefs. Under the Greentree Agreement of 12 June 2006 Nigeria withdrew, completing the handover on 14 August 2008. The sources checked for this page describe no air combat over Bakassi and no Cameroonian air strikes there; the air force’s documented role in the dispute is not established, and this page does not invent one.
1990s–2013: Impalas that never flew and a fleet in decline
The 1990s and 2000s were a story of decline. In 1997 Cameroon bought six ex-South African Atlas Impala Mk I and Mk II light jets; Military Africa reported in 2021 and again in 2022 that none was operational. The Buffalo transports were grounded from 2001. defenceWeb’s country profile has long described a low serviceability rate that leaves few combat-capable aircraft. The Hercules fleet survived on outside contracts — Denel, Sabena Technics, OGMA of Portugal and, from 2019, a five-year Marshall Aerospace and Defence Group contract with work at Cambridge. New equipment arrived one airframe at a time: a CASA CN235M in July 2013, Bell 412EP helicopters from February 2010, and a Chinese Xian MA60 transport.
2013–2020: Boko Haram and a helicopter air force
Boko Haram changed the air force’s priorities. In 2013 Cameroon signed its first arms contract with Russia, for Mi-17 transport helicopters; China supplied four Harbin Z-9s in 2014; the first refurbished Mi-24 attack helicopter of an order reported as six arrived at Douala in February 2016, earmarked for the Rapid Intervention Battalion (BIR) and Operation Alpha in the Far North. The United States handed over two Cessna 208 surveillance aircraft in Yaoundé on 11 May 2018 and flew its own drones from Garoua. Much of this was tied to the BIR rather than the air force proper, and much of it was contested: Amnesty International documented 101 cases of torture by Cameroonian forces, mostly at the Salak base near Maroua, in a 2017 report summarised by Military Africa; AFRICOM said in August 2017 that it had received no reports of abuse. On 6 February 2019 Washington halted C-130 training and a Cessna upgrade over alleged gross human rights violations.
2017–2026: the Anglophone war, new partners and the honest gaps
From September 2017 the conflict in the English-speaking North-West and South-West regions added a second front. Z-9WE gunships were reported based at Bamenda, and one crashed near Oku on 13 May 2019 with three divisional officers aboard; separatists fired on a Camair-Co airliner landing at Bamenda on 1 December 2019. More than 6,500 people had died by October 2024, according to a figure cited by the researcher Jacqui Cho. Cameroon signed a defence agreement with Russia on 12 April 2022 and a financial cooperation agreement with Türkiye on 3 June 2026, and US forces were preparing to return to Maroua in mid-2026. What is missing is transparency: no official fleet list is published, the commander’s name rests on a single unofficial source, and estimates of serviceable Alpha Jets and Mi-24s differ widely.
The Cameroon Air Force in numbers
Dienst
- Inheemse naam
- Armée de l’Air du CamerounFrench and English are both official languages; the force is known in English as the Cameroon Air Force. The official Ministry of Defence site (mindef.cm) could not be reached, so the spelling follows Wikipedia
- Opgericht
- 1 January 1961As the Escadrille Nationale, a year after independence (1 January 1960); renamed National Aviation in 1964 and Armée de l’Air du Cameroun in 1966. No official founding date was found
- Onderdeel van
- Cameroon Armed ForcesAlongside the army, navy and gendarmerie; the President is Commander-in-Chief
- Hoofdkwartier
- YaoundéAir Force Headquarters in Yaoundé, per Military Africa’s report on the Hercules support contract
- Chef van de Luchtmacht
- Brig. Gen. Jean Calvin Momha (unconfirmed)Named only by Wikipedia, without a date; no official confirmation found
- Opperbevelhebber
- President Paul BiyaIn office since 1982; declared winner of the 12 October 2025 election on 27 October 2025 with 53.66 per cent
Kracht
- Personeel
- About 1,000–1,800Wikipedia (Armed Forces article) gives about 1,000 including a security battalion; defenceWeb’s profile gives about 1,800. No official figure published
- gevechtsvliegtuigen
-
- Alpha Jet MS2 — 4–6
- Atlas Impala — 5–6, none operational
Two to six serviceable at most: Military Africa reported in 2021 and 2022 that two of six Alpha Jets were inoperable; defenceWeb lists four. The Impalas are not operational
- Aanvalshelikopters
-
- Mi-24 — 2–3 reported
- Z-9WE — about 3
- SA 342 Gazelle with HOT — several (2020)
Six refurbished Mi-24s reported ordered from Russia, the first arriving February 2016; defenceWeb listed "a couple of" Mi-24Vs in 2020 and three in its profile. Four Z-9WE came from China in 2014; at least one and possibly two have been lost
- Vervoer
-
- C-130H Hercules — 3
- Cessna 208 Caravan — 2–3
- CN235M — 1
- Xian MA60 — 1
- PA-23 Aztec — 1
FlightGlobal 2023 via Wikipedia; two of the Caravans are ISR aircraft donated by the US in 2018
- Helikopters
-
- Mi-17 — 5
- AW109 — 4
- Bell 412EP — 1–4
- SA 330 Puma — 1–2
- Bell 206 — 1–2
- Alouette II — 1
FlightGlobal 2023 via Wikipedia, with Bell 412EP numbers from defenceWeb and Military Africa (four by 2019, against one in the FlightGlobal table)
- Trainers
-
- Humbert Tétras — 7
Humbert Tétras light aircraft for elementary training
Infrastructuur
- Luchtbases
-
- Yaoundé — headquarters, helicopters and liaison
- Douala (BA 201) — transport and reconnaissance
- Garoua (BA 301) — attack and training, PANVR school
Military Africa names Yaoundé, Douala and Garoua; Douala is Base Aérienne 201 and Garoua Base Aérienne 301. Koutaba (airborne battalion) and Bamenda (Z-9s) are also used
- Flying units named in sources
- 22e Escadron Aérien, DoualaWith 221 Escadrille de Transport and 222 Escadrille de Reconnaissance; other unit designations were not confirmed
- Main runways
- Garoua 3,401 m; Douala 2,852 mBoth shared civil airports (FKKR and FKKD); lengths per the ASECNA eAIP (AD 2.12, checked 2 October 2026). Wikipedia gives 3,363 m and 2,880 m; OurAirports gives 3,363 m and 2,850 m
- Drones
- None confirmed with the air forceThe ScanEagle, Orbiter and Bramor drones belong to the BIR’s Air Observation Group at Maroua-Salak
- Buitenlandse luchtmacht
- US, by invitationUS drones flew from Garoua from about 2015 to 2019; in June 2026 AFRICOM described only small training and assessment teams while a return to Maroua was reported
How the Cameroon Air Force is organised
A small service of the Cameroon Armed Forces, about 1,000 to 1,800 strong, with three main bases at Yaoundé, Douala (Base Aérienne 201) and Garoua (Base Aérienne 301). Its only combat jets are about six Alpha Jet MS2s, two of them reported inoperable; the wars against Boko Haram and in the Anglophone regions are fought mostly with helicopters — Mi-24s, Mi-17s, Z-9WEs and Bell 412EPs — and three C-130H Hercules. No official order of battle or fleet list is published, and the only flying units named in the sources are at Douala.
Cameroon Air Force
One of the services of the Cameroon Armed Forces, alongside the army, navy and gendarmerie, about 1,000 strong according to Wikipedia and about 1,800 according to defenceWeb. Wikipedia names Brigadier General Jean Calvin Momha as Chief of the Air Force, without a date; no official page confirms the name. The Commander-in-Chief is President Paul Biya, and the Minister Delegate in charge of Defence is Joseph Beti Assomo.
Alpha Jet fleet
The force’s only combat jets: Alpha Jet MS2 ground-attack aircraft bought in the early 1980s, six on strength with two inoperable according to Military Africa in 2021 and 2022, four according to defenceWeb. No unit designation or base for them is published. The six ex-South African Impalas of 1997 were reported not operational.
Aanvalshelikopters
Refurbished Mi-24s from Russia, the first arriving at Douala in February 2016 for the Rapid Intervention Battalion (BIR) and Operation Alpha in the Far North, with two or three reported in service; four Harbin Z-9WEs supplied by China in 2014, about three left; and HOT-armed Gazelles, "several" in 2020. Military Africa reported in 2022 that the Z-9WEs were based at Bamenda; no official confirmation.
22e Escadron Aérien and 21st Air Transport Squadron
The only flying units named in the sources. The 22e Escadron Aérien, with 221 Escadrille de Transport and 222 Escadrille de Reconnaissance, flies the three C-130H Hercules, 38 to 42 years old in 2020 and supported since 2019 by Marshall Aerospace and Defence Group. IISS, via Wikipedia, also lists a 21st Air Transport Squadron, whose aircraft are not named. The fleet includes a CN235M and an MA60.
Cessna 208s and utility helicopters
Two Cessna 208 surveillance aircraft donated by the United States were handed over in Yaoundé on 11 May 2018. The utility helicopters are Mi-17s from the first Russian arms contract of 2013, Bell 412EPs from 2010, used heavily in support of the BIR, AW109s and Pumas; their units and bases are not published.
Pôle Aéronautique National à Vocation Régionale
An aviation centre at Garoua named only by English Wikipedia, without a citation; its role and date of creation could not be confirmed. Seven Humbert Tétras light aircraft are listed for elementary training.
What the Cameroon 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dassault/Dornier Alpha Jet MS2In dienst | Lichte aanval en geavanceerde trainer | 6 | 1982 | Six on strength, of which two inoperable (Military Africa 2021 and 2022; FlightGlobal 2023 via Wikipedia); defenceWeb lists four.
MeerWikipedia’s Alpha Jet article says seven (some sources six) were delivered; its operators list also gives an uncorroborated 27 with 12 in service, which no other source supports. |
||
| Mil Mi-24V HindIn dienst | Aanvalshelikopter | 3 | 2016 | defenceWeb’s profile lists three; defenceWeb wrote of "a couple of" Mi-24Vs in 2020. Six refurbished helicopters were reported ordered from Russia.
MeerNot listed in the FlightGlobal 2023 table quoted by Wikipedia. |
||
| Mil Mi-17V-5In dienst | Transporthelikopter | 5 | 2014 | Five in the FlightGlobal 2023 table via Wikipedia; defenceWeb reported two acquired from the 2013 contract. | ||
| Harbin Z-9WEIn dienst | Armed utility helicopter | 3 | 2014 | Four supplied by China in 2014; FlightGlobal 2023 via Wikipedia lists three. Military Africa reports one lost in 2015 (or 2020, by a later article) and a crash on 13 May 2019. | ||
| Aérospatiale SA 342 GazelleIn dienst | Antitankhelikopter | Four HOT-armed Gazelles in 2013; "several" in 2020. Not in the FlightGlobal 2023 table. | ||||
| Lockheed C-130H HerculesIn dienst | Tactisch transport | 3 | Three C-130H (defenceWeb profile: two C-130H and one C-130H-30). | |||
| CASA CN235MIn dienst | Tactisch transport | 1 | 2013 | Received July 2013. | ||
| Xian MA60In dienst | Vervoer | 1 | Een. | |||
| Cessna 208 Caravan (ISR)In dienst | Bewaking en licht transport | 3 | 2018 | Three in the FlightGlobal 2023 table, two of them for ISR; the two ISR aircraft were US-donated. | ||
| Bell 412EPIn dienst | Hulphelikopter | 4 | 2010 | Four by September 2019 per defenceWeb and Military Africa; FlightGlobal 2023 via Wikipedia lists one. | ||
| AgustaWestland AW109In dienst | Lichte utiliteitshelikopter | 4 | FlightGlobal 2023 via Wikipedia; not corroborated elsewhere. | |||
| Aérospatiale SA 330 PumaIn dienst | Transporthelikopter | 2 | Two (Wikipedia, FlightGlobal 2023); Military Africa listed one in 2021. | |||
| Bell 206B JetRangerIn dienst | Lichte helikopter | 1 | One (FlightGlobal 2023 via Wikipedia); two in Military Africa 2021. | |||
| Aérospatiale Alouette IIIn dienst | Lichte helikopter | 1 | Een. | |||
| Humbert TétrasIn dienst | Hoofdtrainer | 7 | Zeven. | |||
| Piper PA-23 AztecIn dienst | Licht transport | 1 | One (defenceWeb lists two). | |||
| Grumman Gulfstream IIIIn dienst | VIP-vervoer | 1 | Presidential squadron, operated separately from the air force per Wikipedia. | |||
| Aérospatiale AS 332 Super PumaIn dienst | VIP-helikopter | 1 | Presidential squadron; defenceWeb counted two in 2013. | |||
| Aérospatiale AS 365 DauphinIn dienst | VIP-helikopter | 1 | Presidential squadron. |
Every type the Cameroon Air Force has retired
12 types, from the Atlas Impala Mk I and Mk II (licence-built MB-326) to the de Havilland Canada DHC-5D Buffalo. 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| de Havilland Canada DHC-5D Buffalo | Tactisch transport | |||||
| Atlas Impala Mk I and Mk II (licence-built MB-326) | Lichte aanvalsvliegtuigen en straaljager-trainers | 6 | 1997– | Six ex-South African Air Force aircraft bought in 1997; defenceWeb still lists five, said to be non-operational. | ||
| Fouga CM.170 Magister | Straaljager voor training en lichte aanvalsvliegtuigen | Alpha Jet | defenceWeb’s profile lists five with a question mark; Wikipedia lists the type as former. Wikipedia’s Magister article does not list Cameroon, so this row is weakly sourced. | |||
| de Havilland Canada DHC-4 Kariboe | Tactisch transport | defenceWeb’s profile still lists one. | ||||
| Douglas C-47 | Vervoer | |||||
| Hawker Siddeley HS 748 | Vervoer | |||||
| Max Holste MH.1521 Broussard | Contactpersoon | |||||
| Dornier Do 28 and Do 128 | Licht transport | Wikipedia lists both as former; defenceWeb’s profile still lists two of each. | ||||
| IAI Arava | Licht transport | Listed (two) only in defenceWeb’s long-running profile; current status unknown. | ||||
| Boeing 707 | VIP-vervoer | Listed (one) only in defenceWeb’s profile; not in the 2023 table. | ||||
| Aérospatiale SA 315B Lama | Lichte helikopter | |||||
| Aérospatiale Alouette III | Lichte helikopter | Listed as former by Wikipedia; defenceWeb mentioned Alouette IIIs as late as 2013. |
Where the Cameroon Air Force flies from
De zwarte pinnen zijn actieve bases. Military Africa names three main bases, each in a different military region: Yaoundé, the capital’s old city airport, and Douala and Garoua, which share their runways with international airports. Bamenda is listed as the Z-9WE forward base Military Africa reported in 2022, and Maroua-Salak as the airlift field of the Far North, beside the army’s BIR base. Yaoundé and Bamenda have no page in the ASECNA AIP, so their positions are Wikipedia’s.
| Baseren | ICAO | Status | Startbaan | Eenheden en vliegtuigen |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bamenda AirportNorth-West Region | FKKV | Actief | 17/352500 m |
|
| DoualaBase Aérienne 201Littoral Region | FKKD | Actief | 12/302.852 masfaltbeton |
|
| GarouaBase Aérienne 301Noordelijke regio | FKKR | Actief | 09/273,401 masfaltbeton |
|
| Maroua-Salak AirportFar North Region | FKKL | Actief | 13/312100 mbitumineus beton |
|
| YaoundéCentre Region | FKKY | Actief | 03/211,987 m |
|
Geen enkele luchtmachtbasis voldoet aan die zoekopdracht.
Who is stationed where in the Cameroon Air Force
Eenheden op basis van basis, met de huidige eenheden eerst. The only Cameroonian flying units named in the sources are at Douala: the 22e Escadron Aérien, with 221 Escadrille de Transport and 222 Escadrille de Reconnaissance, and the 21st Air Transport Squadron listed by IISS. The American drone task force at Garoua and the US forces at Salak are listed and marked as not Cameroonian, and the BIR’s drone unit as army. Where a single report or Wikipedia alone places a unit, the entry says so.
- Air Force Headquarters (État-major de l’Armée de l’Air)Hoofdkantoor · actief
- 21st Air Transport Squadron (21e Escadron de Transport Aérien)Transporteskader · actief
- 22e Escadron AérienTransport and reconnaissance squadron · active
- C-130H Hercules
- Base Aérienne 301Luchtmachtbasis · actief
- Pôle Aéronautique National à Vocation Régionale (PANVR)Aviation training centre · active
- US task force, Contingency Location Garoua2015–2019
- US drones (Predator-family; reported as MQ-1C Gray Eagle)
- BIR Air Observation GroupDrone unit (army) · active
- Orbiter 2 and Orbiter 3, Boeing Insitu ScanEagle, C-Astral Bramor C4EYE
- US forces at Salak2015–2019
- Z-9WE helicopter detachment (reported)Armed helicopter detachment · active
- Harbin Z-9WE
Geen enkel apparaat voldoet aan die zoekopdracht.
Cameroon Air Force milestones, 1914 to today
1 January: French Cameroun becomes independent.
1 January: the National Squadron (Escadrille Nationale) is formed, according to Wikipedia. 1 October: reunification with Southern Cameroons.
Renamed National Aviation.
Renamed Armée de l’Air du Cameroun.
16 May: the first deadly clash with Nigeria over Bakassi; five Nigerian soldiers are killed.
6 April: coup attempt by palace guards in Yaoundé; the air force stays loyal to President Biya.
29 March: Cameroon takes the Bakassi dispute to the International Court of Justice.
Six ex-South African Atlas Impalas bought; none is reported operational by 2021.
10 October: the ICJ awards Bakassi to Cameroon.
14 August: Nigeria completes its withdrawal from Bakassi under the Greentree Agreement.
July: a CN235M is received. August: first Russian arms contract, for Mi-17 helicopters.
China supplies four Harbin Z-9 helicopters.
February: the first refurbished Mi-24 arrives at Douala for operations against Boko Haram.
11 May: two US-donated Cessna 208 ISR aircraft are formally handed over in Yaoundé.
6 February: the US halts C-130 training and other aid over alleged abuses. 13 May: a Z-9 crashes near Oku. 1 December: separatists fire on an airliner at Bamenda.
2 August: a C-130H runs off the runway at Maroua with 96 aboard; nobody is hurt.
12 April: defence cooperation agreement with Russia.
3 June: financial military cooperation agreement with Türkiye. June: US forces prepare to return to Maroua. 3 August: President Biya promotes five brigadier generals.
Every war the Cameroon Air Force has fought
Uitvallen en verliezen waar de gegevens die vermelden, en een eerlijke blanco waar die ontbreken.
- The 1984 coup attempt 1984 Remained loyal to President Paul Biya when palace guards rose against him
- The Bakassi border conflict with Nigeria 1981–2008 No documented air combat; the air force’s part in the dispute is not established in the sources checked
- Operations against Boko Haram and ISWAP 2014– Airlift of troops and supplies, casualty evacuation, surveillance and helicopter attack in support of ground forces
- The Anglophone conflict 2017– Helicopter transport and armed support from Bamenda; airlift
Everything people ask about the Cameroon Air Force
What is the Cameroon Air Force called in French?
What aircraft does the Cameroon Air Force fly?
When was the Cameroon Air Force founded?
Does Cameroon still fly the Alpha Jet?
Did the Cameroon Air Force fight over Bakassi?
What did the air force do in the 1984 coup attempt?
How has the air force fought Boko Haram?
Are there foreign military aircraft in Cameroon?
Which bases does the Cameroon Air Force use?
Who commands the Cameroon Air Force?
Read the aircraft the Cameroon Air Force flew
Elk type met een pagina in het Boek der Dieren, eerst op basis van de periode dat het in dienst was, daarna op basis van het jaar waarin het de vloot verliet.
Alle feiten gecontroleerd
- defenceWeb: Cameroon (African militaries profile)First published 14 February 2013, updated 19 November 2025. About 1,800 air force personnel; inventory table (Impala 5 non-operational, Alpha Jet 4, Mi-24 3, C-130H 2 plus C-130H-30 1, etc.); low serviceability.
- Military Africa: Cameroon Air Force is falling apart (Ekene Lionel, 15 May 2021)Six Impalas none operational; six Alpha Jets with two inoperable; Buffalo grounded; trainers; Z-9 crash 2019; C-130H excursion 2020; US aid halt and Leahy law; bases Yaounde, Douala and Garoua (301).
- Military Africa: U.S. Forces return to Cameroon, prioritizing ISR (20 June 2026)US redeployment planned to Maroua (Salak); 2015 authorisation of up to 300 troops; MQ-1C Gray Eagle drones operated from Garoua about 2015 to 2019; withdrawal late 2019; AFRICOM commander visited Yaounde in September 2025.
- defenceWeb: US presence in Cameroon by government invitation only – Africom (26 June 2026)AFRICOM: a small force supporting a training event and an assessment team; no permanent basing.
- Military Africa: Cameroonian Military Harbin Z-9 crash, one killed (14 May 2019)13 May 2019 crash near Oku, North-West Region; seven aboard; at least one official killed; four Z-9s supplied by China in 2014; one lost in 2015.
- Military Africa: Cameroon Air Force acquires additional Bell 412EP helicopter (22 March 2020)TJ-XRA; four Bell 412EPs; first two in February 2010; fatal crash 22 November 2010 killing five; used extensively by the BIR.
- defenceWeb: Cameroon Air Force operating another Bell 412EP (20 March 2020)Bell 412EP history 2010–2019; lists a couple of Mi-24Vs, several HOT-armed Gazelles, Z-9s and Mi-17V-5s, plus JetRangers, Pumas, Dauphins and Alouettes.
- Military Africa: Jihadist attacks in Djibrilli raises questions about Cameroon’s military capacity (30 October 2022)Four Z-9WE based at Bamenda with HJ-8 or 57 mm rockets, one lost in a 2020 crash; six Alpha Jets, two inoperable; six Impalas bought from South Africa in 1997, none operational; two US-donated Cessna 208s; Djibrilli base overrun 21–22 October 2022.
- Military Africa: US donates Cessna 208 ISR to Chadian and Cameroonian Air Force (7 February 2018)Four Cessna 208 ISR aircraft for Chad and Cameroon together; AFRICOM confirmed delivery.
- defenceWeb: Cameroon officially receives Cessna 208s (14 May 2018)Handover of two Cessna 208 ISR aircraft in Yaounde on 11 May 2018, worth 4.3 million US dollars; delivered January 2018; Ambassador Peter Henry Barlerin, Minister Joseph Beti Assomo, Lt Gen Rene Claude Meka.
- defenceWeb: Cameroon Air Force C-130 incurs damages after crash-landing (4 August 2020)2 August 2020 runway excursion at Maroua Salak, 96 aboard (5 crew, 91 troops for the MNJTF), no injuries; three C-130H at Douala; 22e Escadron Aérien with 221 Escadrille de Transport and 222 Escadrille de Reconnaissance.
- Military Africa: Cameroon military drones (8 June 2022)Drones are flown by the BIR’s Air Observation Group from Maroua-Salak, not the air force: Orbiter 2 (2015), six ScanEagle (2015), Orbiter 3 (2018), Bramor C4EYE (2021).
- Présidence de la République: Forces de Défense – le Chef de l’État nomme de nouveaux Généraux (3 August 2026)Decrees 2026/263 (promotions, including five brigadier generals), 2026/264 (Ministry of Defence appointments) and 2026/265 (Presidential Guard commander). Decree texts were not readable in the fetch.
- Human Rights Watch: Cameroon country pageIndex of HRW reporting 2022–2026, including army killings in the North-West (11 August 2022) and separatist abuses (27 June 2022); no reports on air operations found.
- defenceWeb / ISS: Lake Chad Basin’s military bases in ISWAP’s crosshairs (Taiwo Adebayo, 7 August 2025)May 2025 ISWAP attacks on Wulgo and Soueram; ISWAP use of modified commercial drones to drop explosives.
- Military Africa: Cameroon enters defence pact with Russia amid Western sanctions (23 April 2022)Agreement signed 12 April 2022 for five years, renewable; earlier military-technical agreement April 2015; Mi-17 contract 2013.
- Military Africa: Turkey and Cameroon sign Military Financial Cooperation Agreement (16 June 2026)Signed in Ankara on 3 June 2026 by Yaşar Güler and Joseph Beti Assomo; no aircraft named.
- defenceWeb: US halts military assistance to Cameroon (8 February 2019)6 February 2019: C-130 training programme terminated, Cessna upgrade for the BIR halted; reasons and quotes attributed to the State Department and General Thomas Waldhauser.
- Military Africa: Marshall Aerospace awarded five-year contract to support Cameroon’s C-130 fleet (7 May 2020)Five-year contract from 2019 for three C-130H aged 38–42 years; earlier support by Denel, Sabena Technics and OGMA; local partner Aeromec; Air Force Headquarters in Yaounde.
- Human Rights Watch: Cameroon – Biya Declared the Winner Amid Post-Election Violence (28 October 2025)Election 12 October 2025; results 27 October 2025, Biya 53.66 per cent; opposition claim; at least four killed in Douala on 26 October (governor).
- Dassault Aviation: Alpha JetManufacturer: first flight 26 October 1973; 512 built, 329 exported; Cameroon among the ten air forces supplied.
- Military Africa: US likely complicit in Cameroonian military’s human-rights violation (27 December 2018)Amnesty International 2017: 101 cases of torture, mostly at Salak; US deployment of about 300 from October 2015; AFRICOM response.
- Military Africa: U.S. Military Special Force in Cameroon fighting Boko Haram (6 September 2017)MQ-1C Gray Eagle drone base at Garoua identified in satellite imagery.
- defenceWeb / The Conversation: Cameroon’s conflict is part of a bigger trend (Jacqui Cho, 31 December 2025)More than 6,500 dead by October 2024 and over 584,000 internally displaced in the Anglophone conflict; failed Swiss facilitation 2019–2022.
- defenceWeb: France donates military equipment to Cameroon (12 December 2016)Records the first two of six refurbished Mi-24s from Russia received in 2016.
- defenceWeb: Cameroon receiving Mi-24s (19 February 2016)First refurbished Mi-24 arrived at Douala in mid-February 2016, for the BIR and Operation Alpha in the Far North; two Mi-17s from 2013; SIPRI: four Z-9 from China; most combat aircraft believed unserviceable.
- defenceWeb: Cameroon orders Mi-17 helicopters (30 August 2013)Contract signed at MAKS 2013; first Russian-Cameroonian military-technical contract; fleet then: several Mi-24, about six non-operational Impalas, four HOT Gazelles, two Super Pumas, CN235M received July 2013, two C-130s.
- defenceWeb: Inaugural Africa Air Force Forum wraps up in Senegal (28 October 2022)Forum in Dakar 26–27 October 2022; Cameroon among 22 African nations represented; Cameroon’s air chief not named.
- AIP ASECNA, Cameroun AD 2 FKKR Garoua (valid from 6 August 2026)Reference point 09°20’10"N 013°22’12"E, elevation 242 m (793 ft), runway 09/27 3,401 x 45 m asphaltic concrete, PCN 71; operator Aéroports du Cameroun S.A.; no military entry.
- AIP ASECNA, Cameroun AD 2 FKKD Douala (valid from 1 October 2026)ASECNA eAIP, Cameroon is country part 03. Reference point 04°00’22"N 009°43’10"E, elevation 10 m (34 ft), runway 12/30 2,852 x 45 m asphaltic concrete; operator Aéroports du Cameroun S.A.; ground-handling equipment listed for the Cameroon air forces.
- AIP ASECNA, Cameroun AD 2 FKYS Yaoundé/Nsimalen (valid from 1 October 2026)Reference point 03°43’21"N 011°33’12"E, elevation 694 m, runway 01/19 3,402 x 45 m; a presidential apron (P); no military entry. Yaoundé-Ville (FKKY) has no page in the eAIP (404).
- AIP ASECNA, Cameroun AD 2 FKKL Maroua-Salak (valid from 16 April 2026)Reference point 10°27’17"N 014°15’11"E, elevation 424 m (1,391 ft), runway 13/31 2,100 x 45 m bituminous concrete, PCN 33; an obstacle listed as "ANTENNE BIR" (36 m) north-west of the field.
- defenceWeb / Reuters: Obama sends U.S. troops, drones to Cameroon in anti-Boko Haram fight (15 October 2015)About 90 personnel began deploying on Monday 12 October 2015, of up to 300; initially to Garoua, not far from the Nigerian border; Predator drones for surveillance; armed only for force protection.
- defenceWeb / AFRICOM: Small US Army post supports counterterrorism fight in Africa (14 December 2017)US outpost at the Cameroonian Air Force Base in Garoua since 2015; about 200 soldiers, airmen and contractors; task force led by the 101st Airborne Division, replaced by the 10th Mountain Division in October 2017; security and logistics for AFRICOM’s ISR drones; Cameroonian air base commander Col. Barthelemy Tsilla; quotes.
- defenceWeb: Familiar faces partner in Ex Unified Focus (3 April 2018)US Ambassador Peter Barlerin and Brig. Gen. Eugene J. LeBoeuf visited Contingency Location Garoua on 15 March 2018, during the exercise of 12–16 March 2018.
Cijfers geverifieerd op 1 oktober 2026. De pagina's van Order of Battle worden opnieuw gegenereerd vanuit één dataset; als een getal hier niet overeenkomt met een pagina in Book of Beasts, is deze pagina de meest recente van de twee.
Photographs: Photo: Bob Adams from George, South Africa / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0) · Photo: Filip.vidinovski / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Photo: Spc. Coty Kuhn / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain) · Photo: Piergiuliano Chesi / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 3.0) · Photo: Lubos Sramek / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0) · Photo: Carlos E. Perez S.L / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Photo: BAI73 / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Photo: Mfield – Matthew Field, http://www.photography.mattfield.com / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.5) · Photo: Cjp24 / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Photo: PizzaKing13 / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Photo: Alan Wilson from Peterborough, Cambs, UK / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0) · Photo: Col André Kritzinger / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0) · Photo: Balon Greyjoy / Wikimedia Commons (CC0) · Photo: Uli Elch / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Photo: MarcoPede / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)