Força Aérea do Níger
The Niger Air Force (armée de l’Air nigérienne) grew from a small national escadrille formed in 1961 into a separate service only in December 2003, spent a decade as host to French and American drone bases at Niamey and Agadez, and since the July 2023 coup has turned to Turkish drones, Russian advisers and Algerian helicopters — while losing five aircraft on its own main base to an Islamic State raid in January 2026.
The Niger Air Force story: a transport escadrille, a decade of foreign drone bases and Turkish drones after 2023
1961–2003: an escadrille, a few transports and two Hercules
Niger’s military flying began in 1961, the year after independence, with a small national escadrille; Wikipedia, the main finding aid for its early years, says it was reorganised as the Groupement aérien national in 1989. For most of its life it was a transport and liaison arm for a vast, landlocked country with very few paved runways. Its largest aircraft were two new Lockheed C-130H Hercules bought in 1979, according to defenceWeb. One of them crashed in April 1997 at Air Base 201, Agadez, killing 14 people. Which other types the escadrille flew in its first three decades could not be confirmed from sources reachable for this page, and they are left out rather than guessed. What is clear is that, until the 2000s, Niger’s air arm had no combat aircraft at all.
2003–2019: an independent service and a combat arm at last
On 17 December 2003 the air wing became a separate branch of the armed forces, the Force aérienne du Niger, according to Wikipedia. Real combat capability came only after the 2012 crisis in neighbouring Mali and the collapse of Libya. In March 2013 two Sukhoi Su-25 attack aircraft arrived; the UN Register of Conventional Arms records them as a Ukrainian export, defenceWeb reports they were originally destined for Mali, and French Wikipedia says France helped pay for them. Three armed ex-French Army Gazelles came the same month, and the United States supplied four Cessna 208 Caravans between 2013 and 2015, two equipped for surveillance. Mi-35 gunships and Mi-17 transports were added, and two Mi-171Sh bought from Russia for about US$47 million arrived by An-124 on 24 February 2020. Two Diamond DA 42 MPP surveillance aircraft rounded out a small, mixed fleet.
Niamey and Agadez: hosting other people’s air wars
For a decade the most powerful aircraft at Niamey were not Niger’s. Air Base 101, beside Diori Hamani airport, became a permanent drone hub for French and US forces from 2013, Wikipedia notes, and the first 100 US personnel arrived that year, according to defenceWeb. The United States then built Air Base 201 at Agadez for more than US$100 million; its intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance flights officially began on 1 November 2019. Niger’s own airmen gained from the partnership. Washington put about US$80 million into air mobility, handing over three refurbished ex-US C-130Hs (5U-MBH on 4 January 2021, 5U-MMS in December 2021 and 5U-MTU on 4 January 2023), and trained crews in the United States; the first female Nigerien air force pilot finished C-130 training in April 2020. Italy gave two AB 412 helicopters in October 2022.
2021–2024: Turkish drones, the coup and the American exit
In November 2021 President Erdoğan announced that Niger would buy Turkish TB2 drones, Hurkus turboprops and armoured vehicles. Six Bayraktar TB2s reached Niamey on 20–21 May 2022, and two Hurkus were due from the end of that year. Then, on 26 July 2023, the presidential guard under General Abdourahamane Tiani detained President Mohamed Bazoum, and the military National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland (CNSP) took power. An air force officer, Colonel-Major Amadou Abdramane, read the announcement on television. President Macron announced the French withdrawal on 24 September, and French Wikipedia dates the closure of France’s base at Niamey to 22 December 2023. Niger ended its military agreement with the United States on 16 March 2024; American forces handed over Air Base 101 in July and finished leaving Air Base 201 on 5 August 2024.
2025–2026: strikes, a raid on Air Base 101 and a mutiny
The new partners were Turkey, Russia and Niger’s neighbours in the Alliance of Sahel States (AES). The CNSP announced five Turkish Karayel-SU drones in October 2024, and Human Rights Watch cites reports that Niger also acquired Aksungurs. The drones brought a familiar problem. HRW found that a strike on the Kokoloko market in Tillabéri on 6 January 2026 killed 17 civilians, and it lists media reports of earlier civilian deaths at Tiawa in January 2024 and Injar in September 2025; the authorities did not reply to HRW. On the night of 28–29 January 2026 Islamic State fighters raided Air Base 101 and destroyed five aircraft, according to defenceWeb. Algeria donated two Mi-24 Super Hinds and two Mi-171s on 9 August 2026. Three weeks later, a mutiny centred on Air Base 101 was put down with help from Russia’s Africa Corps.
The Niger Air Force in numbers
Serviço
- Nome nativo
- Armée de l’Air nigérienneThe form used by the state news agency ANP in 2026. Wikipedia gives the name adopted on 17 December 2003 as Force aérienne du Niger. French is the official language; no official armed forces website could be reached to confirm the current formal title
- Fundada
- 1961 (national escadrille)Groupement aérien national from 1989; a separate service, the Force aérienne du Niger, from 17 December 2003, per Wikipedia. The exact day in 1961 was not found
- Parte de
- Niger Armed Forces (FAN)Niger has been ruled since 26 July 2023 by the military National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland (CNSP), whose leader, General Abdourahamane Tiani, is head of state
- Sede
- Niamey, Air Base 101Air Base 101 beside Diori Hamani International Airport is the main base; it also hosts the integrated headquarters of the unified AES force and, according to defenceWeb, the Russian Africa Corps
- Chefe de Gabinete
- Gen. Salifou MainassaraIn post by 9 August 2026; appointment date not found
- Aliança
- Aliança dos Estados do Sahel (AES)With Mali and Burkina Faso. In December 2025 the AES put its air and anti-aircraft defences on maximum alert after a Nigerian Air Force C-130 landed in Burkina Faso without clearance
Força
- Pessoal
- About 100 (IISS, 2021)The figure German Wikipedia attributes to IISS The Military Balance 2021. It looks low for a service flying C-130s, helicopters and drones and could not be checked against a later edition
- Aeronaves de combate
-
- Sukhoi Su-25 — 2 (2013)
- TAI Hurkus — 1 after one was destroyed in January 2026
Serviceability of the Su-25s is not published
- Drones armados
-
- Bayraktar TB2 — 6 (May 2022)
- Karayel-SU — 5 announced October 2024
- Aksungur — reported, number unknown
Niger does not publish drone numbers. No source checked for this page confirms an Akıncı for Niger
- Transporte e vigilância
-
- C-130H Hércules — 3
- Cessna 208 Caravan — about 2 after two were destroyed in 2026
- Diamond DA 42 MPP — 1 after one was destroyed in 2026
- Beechcraft King Air 350 — 1
- Dornier Do 228 — 1
- Boeing 737 — 1
Counts from the fleet list published by defenceWeb in February 2026, less the aircraft it reported destroyed
- Helicópteros
-
- Mi-24/Mi-35 — 4 Mi-35P before 2026, plus 2 Super Hind Mk III from Algeria
- Mi-8/Mi-17/Mi-171 family — about 8
- AB 412/Bell 412 — 4–5
- SA342 Gazelle — 3–5
Sources disagree on most helicopter numbers; see the fleet table
Infraestrutura
- Bases principais
-
- Air Base 101, Niamey
- Air Base 201, Agadez
Air Base 201 was built by the United States and returned to Niger in August 2024
- Forças estrangeiras
- Corpo Russo da ÁfricadefenceWeb puts it at 200–300 personnel, headquartered at Air Base 101. French forces left in December 2023 and US forces in August 2024
- Treinamento
- Abroad and at homeOfficers, pilots and mechanics have trained in France, the United States, Morocco and Algeria; Turkey trained the first Hurkus pilots. An air force school at Agadez was announced in 2021
How the Niger Air Force is organised
A small service of the Niger Armed Forces, about 100 strong in the IISS figure of 2021 that German Wikipedia cites, with its headquarters at Air Base 101, Niamey, and numbered air bases at Agadez, Tahoua and Diffa. Its striking power is two Su-25s, Mi-35P and Super Hind gunships and Turkish drones — six TB2s delivered in 2022, five Karayel-SU announced in 2024 and reported Aksungurs — and Niger publishes no squadron structure. Most fleet numbers differ between Wikipedia and defenceWeb, and serviceability is unknown.
Força Aérea do Níger
One of the services of the Niger Armed Forces, separate since 17 December 2003 according to Wikipedia. defenceWeb named Gen Salifou Mainassara as chief of staff when he received Algeria’s helicopter donation on 9 August 2026, and ANP called him a brigadier general in September; his appointment date was not found, and Wikipedia still names Colonel Abdoul Kader Amirou. Niger has been governed since 26 July 2023 by the military National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland (CNSP) under General Abdourahamane Tiani.
Su-25s, Hurkus and gunships
Two Su-25s that arrived in March 2013, recorded by the UN Register as a Ukrainian export, were Niger’s first jet combat aircraft; how often they fly is not published. One of two Turkish Hurkus survived the January 2026 raid. The Mi-35P count runs from one to four depending on the source, and Algeria added two Mi-24 Super Hind Mk IIIs on 9 August 2026. Squadron structure is not published.
TB2, Karayel-SU and Aksungur drones
Six Bayraktar TB2s were delivered to Niamey on 20–21 May 2022. The CNSP announced five Karayel-SU drones in October 2024, with no delivery confirmed, and Human Rights Watch cites reports of Aksungurs; Niger publishes no drone numbers. HRW found that a strike on the Kokoloko market on 6 January 2026 killed 17 civilians and could not identify the drone; the authorities did not respond. ANP describes Air Base 401 at Tahoua as a drone base, without naming the types.
Helicópteros de transporte e utilitários
About eight Mi-8/Mi-17/Mi-171s, among them two Mi-171Sh bought from Russia in 2020 and two Mi-171s from Algeria in 2026, four or five AB 412s, two of them given by Italy in October 2022, and three to five SA342 Gazelles, the first three ex-French Army aircraft of March 2013. Sources disagree on most of these numbers.
Frota de transporte e ISR
Three ex-US C-130H Hercules, 5U-MBH, 5U-MMS and 5U-MTU, delivered to Air Base 101 from January 2021 to January 2023, with a King Air 350, a Do 228 and a Boeing 737. The surveillance fleet lost a DA 42 and two ISR Cessna Caravans to the Islamic State raid on Air Base 101 in January 2026, leaving one DA 42 and about two Caravans, according to defenceWeb.
Air Bases 201, 401 and 501
Air Base 201 at Agadez, built up by the United States and returned to Niger in August 2024, has been commanded by Colonel Ali Boubacar since 17 September 2026; which Nigerien aircraft use it has not been published. Air Base 401 at Tahoua is a drone base, and the air force has been present at Air Base 501, Diffa, since 2014. Pilots and mechanics train abroad; an air force school at Agadez was announced in 2021.
What the Niger Air Force flies today
Cada tipo de cobrança, com link para sua página no Livro das Feras, quando houver. Os números indicam as aeronaves registradas, não as aeronaves disponíveis em um determinado dia.
| Tipo | Papel | Em serviço | Desde | Unidades | Notas | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sukhoi Su-25 FrogfootEm serviço | Ataque terrestre | 2 | 2013 | Two delivered in March 2013; the UN Register records them as a Ukrainian export for 2013. Still listed as two in February 2026. | ||
| Baykar Bayraktar TB2Em serviço | drone armado | 6 | 2022 | Six delivered to Niamey on 20–21 May 2022; no later deliveries confirmed. | ||
| TUSAŞ AksungurEm serviço | Armed drone (MALE) | Reported, not confirmed: HRW cites a 2025 Army Recognition report that Niger acquired Aksungurs. Number unknown. | ||||
| TAI HurkusEm serviço | Treinador e ataque leve | 1 | 2022 | Two ordered in 2021 and delivered from the end of 2022; one destroyed at Air Base 101 in January 2026. | ||
| Mil Mi-24 / Mi-35PEm serviço | Helicóptero de ataque | 1–4: Wikipedia lists one Mi-35 with two on order (2024); German Wikipedia, citing IISS 2021, gives two; defenceWeb’s February 2026 list gives four Mi-35P. | ||||
| ATE Mi-24 Super Hind Mk IIIEm serviço | Helicóptero de ataque | 2 | 2026 | Two donated by Algeria and handed over in Niamey on 9 August 2026. | ||
| Mil Mi-8 / Mi-17 / Mi-171Em serviço | helicóptero de transporte | 2020 | About 8: defenceWeb listed two Mi-171s, two Mi-17s and three Mi-8s before January 2026; one Mi-171 was destroyed then and two more Mi-171s came from Algeria in August 2026. | |||
| Agusta-Bell AB 412 / Bell 412Em serviço | helicóptero utilitário | 2022 | 4–5: Wikipedia gives four, defenceWeb’s 2026 list five. Two ex-Italian aircraft delivered on 18 October 2022 and two more expected in 2023. | |||
| Aérospatiale SA342 GazelleEm serviço | helicóptero de reconhecimento armado | 2013 | 3–5: three ex-French Army Gazelles with 20 mm cannon arrived in March 2013 (defenceWeb, 2020); Wikipedia and defenceWeb’s 2026 list give five. | |||
| Lockheed C-130H HerculesEm serviço | Transporte tático | 3 | 2021 | Three ex-US aircraft: 5U-MBH (4 January 2021), 5U-MMS (December 2021) and 5U-MTU (4 January 2023), all overhauled before delivery. | ||
| Cessna 208 CaravanEm serviço | Utilidade e vigilância | 2013 | About 2: four delivered by the US in 2013–2015 (two for surveillance); two ISR Caravans were destroyed at Air Base 101 in January 2026. | |||
| Diamond DA 42 MPP GuardianEm serviço | Vigilância | 1 | Two in service before January 2026; one destroyed in the Air Base 101 raid. | |||
| Beechcraft King Air 350Em serviço | Transporte e vigilância | 1 | ||||
| Dornier Do 228Em serviço | Transporte leve | 1 | ||||
| Dornier Do 28Em serviço | Transporte leve | 1 | Listed by defenceWeb in 2020–2023; not in its February 2026 list, so it may have been withdrawn. | |||
| Boeing 737-200Em serviço | Transporte governamental | 1 |
Sob encomenda
| Tipo | Encomendado | Primeira entrega | Notas | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vestel Karayel-SUSob encomenda | 5 | Five announced by the CNSP on 15 October 2024 for US$87.5 million (Military Africa names the builder as Lentatek).
MaisHRW lists the Karayel-SU among drones Niger has reportedly acquired; no delivery was confirmed. |
||
| Mil Mi-35Sob encomenda | 2 | Wikipedia lists two on order from 2024; not confirmed elsewhere. |
Every type the Niger Air Force has retired
2 types, from the Lockheed C-130H Hercules (first pair) to the Air Création Tétras. Os números máximos representam as aeronaves incorporadas à frota ao longo de toda a sua vida útil, e não a força total da frota em uma data específica.
| Tipo | Papel | Pico | Servido | Substituído por | Notas | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Création Tétras | Microlight trainer | 3 | Three listed by defenceWeb in 2020 (as Humbert Tetras); absent from its 2026 list. Retirement date not known. | |||
| Lockheed C-130H Hercules (first pair) | Transporte tático | 2 | 1979– | Two bought new in 1979; one crashed in April 1997 at Air Base 201, killing 14. The fate of the other was not found. |
Where the Niger Air Force flies from
Os pinos pretos são bases ativas. Air Base 101 at Niamey, beside Diori Hamani International Airport, is the main base and headquarters; it was a French and American drone hub from 2013 until December 2023 and July 2024, and Air Base 201 at Agadez was built up by the United States and returned to Niger in August 2024. All four bases share their runways with civil airports. Air Base 401 at Tahoua is published as a drone base; no aircraft have been published for Agadez or Diffa.
| Base | OACI | Status | Pista | Unidades e aeronaves |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Base 101 NiameyNiamey Capital District | DRRN | Ativo | 09L/27R3.200 mconcreto betuminoso09R/27L3.800 mconcreto betuminoso |
|
| Base Aérea 201 AgadezRegião de Agadez | DRZA | Ativo | 07L/25R3.000 mconcreto betuminoso07R/25L2,070 mconcreto betuminoso |
|
| Air Base 401 TahouaTahoua Region | DRRT | Ativo | 06/242.150 mconcreto betuminoso |
|
| Air Base 501 DiffaDiffa Region | DRZF | Ativo | 09/273.000 mconcreto betuminoso |
Nenhuma base aérea corresponde a essa busca.
Who is stationed where in the Niger Air Force
Unidades por base, unidades atuais primeiro. Niger does not publish its squadron structure, so only the aircraft the press has placed at a base are listed: the TB2s, C-130Hs, Super Hinds and Mi-171s at Niamey and unnamed drones at Tahoua. The French Barkhane detachment and the US drone units at Niamey and Agadez are listed and marked as not Nigerien.
- Niger Air Force flying units at Air Base 101Air base flying units (not publicly itemised) · active
- Baykar Bayraktar TB2, Lockheed C-130H Hercules, Mi-24 Super Hind Mk III, Mil Mi-171
- French Air and Space Force detachment (Opération Barkhane)2013–2023
- General Atomics MQ-9A Reaper, Dassault Mirage 2000D
- US Air Force drone detachment2013–2024
- General Atomics MQ-1 Predator, General Atomics MQ-9A Reaper
- Air Base 201 (Base 201)Air base command · active
- 409th Air Expeditionary Group (US Air Force)2019–2024
- General Atomics MQ-9A Reaper
- Drone unit, Air Base 401Drone unit · active
- Drones
Nenhuma unidade corresponde a essa pesquisa.
Niger Air Force milestones, 1914 to today
A small national escadrille is formed, the first military air arm of independent Niger.
Two new Lockheed C-130H Hercules are delivered.
The escadrille is reorganised as the Groupement aérien national, according to Wikipedia.
April: a C-130H crashes at Air Base 201, Agadez, killing 14.
17 December: the air arm becomes a separate service, the Force aérienne du Niger.
March: two Su-25s and three ex-French Gazelles arrive; the first US personnel deploy, and Niamey becomes a French and US drone hub.
1 November: US ISR flights from Air Base 201 at Agadez officially begin.
24 February: two Mi-171Sh helicopters bought from Russia arrive by An-124.
4 January: the first ex-US C-130H, 5U-MBH, arrives; a second follows in December. November: the Turkish TB2 and Hurkus order is announced.
20–21 May: six Bayraktar TB2 drones are delivered. 18 October: two AB 412s from Italy.
4 January: the third ex-US C-130H. 26 July: the presidential guard detains President Bazoum and the CNSP takes power. 22 December: France’s base at Niamey closes.
16 March: Niger ends military cooperation with the US. July: US forces hand over Air Base 101; 5 August: they complete their withdrawal from Air Base 201. 15 October: five Karayel-SU drones announced.
September: media report an air strike on the Injar market that killed more than 30 civilians. 8 December: the AES puts its air defences on maximum alert.
6 January: HRW finds a drone strike at Kokoloko killed 17 civilians. 28–29 January: Islamic State raid on Air Base 101 destroys five aircraft.
9 August: Algeria donates two Mi-24 Super Hinds and two Mi-171s. 28–30 August: a mutiny centred on Air Base 101 is put down with Africa Corps support.
Todas as guerras em que a Força Aérea do Níger lutou.
Missões e perdas onde constam nos registros, e um espaço em branco honesto onde não constam.
- Contrainsurgência no oeste do Níger e no Sahel central 2013–presente Close air support, armed reconnaissance and strikes with Su-25s, Mi-35s and, from 2022, TB2 drones; helicopter transport and casualty evacuation
- Ataque do Estado Islâmico à Base Aérea 101 2026 Base defence, with Russian Africa Corps personnel
Who built the Niger Air Force fleet
Cada empresa responsável pelas aeronaves desta página tem sua própria página: a história, cada tipo que construiu, os números e as outras forças aéreas que as operam.
Frota atual e encomendas
Mil, Dornier, Aeroespacial Turca (TAI / TUSAŞ), Aerospatiale, Tecnologias Avançadas e Engenharia (ATE), Agusta, Baykar, Beechcraft, Sino, Boeing, Cessna, Aeronaves Diamond, Lockheed, Sukhoi, Vestel Defence
Antiga frota
Niger Air Force news from Afterburner
Everything MiGFlug’s magazine has published on the Niger Air Force and the aircraft it flies. Esta lista é atualizada automaticamente — novas histórias do Afterburner aparecem aqui.
Everything people ask about the Niger Air Force
What is the Niger Air Force called in French?
What aircraft does the Niger Air Force fly in 2026?
When was the Niger Air Force founded?
Does Niger fly Bayraktar TB2 or Akinci drones?
What happened to the US drone base in Agadez?
What role did the air force play in the 2023 coup?
What happened at Air Base 101 in January 2026?
Have Nigerien drone strikes killed civilians?
Are Russian forces in Niger?
Where did Niger get its Su-25s?
Read the aircraft the Niger Air Force flew
Cada tipo com uma página no Livro das Feras, primeiro em serviço e depois pelo ano em que deixou a frota.
Todos os fatos foram verificados.
- defenceWeb: Países europeus foram os principais fornecedores de armas para a África em 2013 (Guy Martin, 15 de outubro de 2014)Do Registro de Armas Convencionais da ONU de 2013: a Ucrânia exportou dois Su-25 para o Níger.
- defenceWeb: Niger receives Mi-171Sh helicopters (13 July 2020, updated 2022)Two Mi-171Sh for about US$47 million, delivered by An-124 on 24 February 2020; 30 pilots and technicians trained in Russia. Fleet then: two Su-25 delivered March 2013, originally destined for Mali; three ex-French Army Gazelles from March 2013; two DA 42 MPP; three Tetras; four Cessna 208 (2013–2015); Boeing 737-200, Do 28, Do 228.
- defenceWeb: Nigerien C-130 arrives home from the United States (Guy Martin, 11 January 2021)C-130H 5U-MBH delivered to Air Base 101 on 4 January 2021. Niger bought two new C-130H in 1979; one crashed in April 1997 at Air Base 201, killing 14. US support of more than US$30 million 2015–2021 including a US$7 million hangar at Agadez; first female Nigerien air force pilot completed C-130 training in April 2020.
- defenceWeb: Niger gets another C-130 Hercules from the United States (Guy Martin, 11 January 2023)Third ex-US C-130H, 5U-MTU (ex-WC-130H), delivered 4 January 2023 after four years of overhaul by Sabena Aerospace; second, 5U-MMS, in December 2021. US air mobility support put at US$80 million.
- defenceWeb: Niger acquiring Hurkus trainers, TB2 UAVs (Guy Martin, 23 November 2021)President Erdoğan announced in November 2021 that Niger would buy TB2 UCAVs, Hurkus aircraft and armoured vehicles from Turkey.
- defenceWeb: Começam as entregas do Bayraktar TB2 no Níger (8 de junho de 2022)Seis TB2 foram entregues a Niamey entre 20 e 21 de maio de 2022; declaração da presidência do Níger; munições Roketsan e Hurkus também foram encomendadas.
- defenceWeb: Chad and Niger to receive Hurkus aircraft from Turkey (27 October 2022)Two Hurkus for Niger from the end of 2022, variant unclear; Roketsan MAM, MAM-L and UMTAS munitions for Hurkus and TB2.
- defenceWeb: Niger receives AB 412 helicopters from Italy (Guy Martin, 25 October 2022)Two ex-Italian AB 412 handed over at Air Base 101 on 18 October 2022, two more expected in 2023; for transport, medevac and border work.
- defenceWeb: US military completes exit from Air Base 101 in Niger (11 July 2024)Joint US-Niger statement: handover of Air Base 101 on 8 July 2024; withdrawal began 19 May 2024; Air Base 201 to follow by 15 September.
- defenceWeb: US military completes withdrawal from Air Base 201 in Niger (6 August 2024)Joint statement: withdrawal from Air Base 201 completed 5 August 2024; nearly 1,000 US personnel; base built for UAVs at a cost of US$100 million; first US deployment in 2013 with 100 personnel.
- Military Africa: Niger to acquire Turkish Karayel combat drones (Ekene Lionel, 15 October 2024)CNSP announced five Karayel-SU drones for US$87.5 million; recalls six TB2 by end 2022 and two Hurkus.
- ANP: Panne técnica à l'atterrissage d'un hélicoptère nigérien (7 de janeiro de 2024)Um helicóptero Mi-171 da Força Aérea do Níger sofreu danos ao pousar em Kantchari, Burkina Faso, durante uma missão conjunta com forças burquinenses e russas; uma pessoa ficou ferida; comunicado do Ministério da Defesa.
- ANP: Violation de l’espace AES (communiqué, 8 December 2025)AES presidency put the confederation’s air and anti-aircraft defences on maximum alert after a Nigerian Air Force C-130 landed at Bobo-Dioulasso without overflight clearance.
- ANP: Le Premier ministre visite la base 101 de l’armée de l’Air nigérienne (26 March 2026)State news agency usage "armée de l’Air nigérienne"; the integrated general headquarters of the unified AES force is at Base 101.
- ANP: Bientôt une école de l’Armée de l’Air à Agadez (16 October 2021)President Bazoum announced an air force school at Agadez.
- defenceWeb: Várias aeronaves destruídas pelo Estado Islâmico durante ataque ousado à base aérea do Níger (Guy Martin, 4 de fevereiro de 2026)Ataque de 28/29 de janeiro de 2026 à Base Aérea 101 e ao aeroporto de Diori Hamani; aeronaves destruídas; números oficiais e não oficiais de vítimas; declarações do Ministério das Relações Exteriores da Rússia e da televisão estatal; lista da frota pré-ataque.
- Human Rights Watch: Níger: Ataque com drone militar mata 17 civis (9 de fevereiro de 2026)Ataque de 6 de janeiro de 2026 ao mercado de Kokoloko, em Tillabéri: 17 civis mortos e 13 feridos, três combatentes islamitas mortos; nenhuma resposta das autoridades; relatos anteriores na mídia sobre Tiawa (janeiro de 2024) e Injar (setembro de 2025); drones turcos supostamente adquiridos.
- ACLED: O que o ataque ao aeroporto de Niamey significa para a segurança do Níger? (Héni Nsaibia, 19 de junho de 2026)O JNIM reivindicou um ataque ao aeroporto de Niamey; o terceiro ataque a um aeroporto no Níger em seis meses.
- ACLED: Niger’s capital rocked by failed mutiny attempt (Héni Nsaibia, 1 September 2026)Mutiny of 28–29 August 2026 centred on Air Base 101; put down with Africa Corps support; Algeria sent four Su-30s and a tanker on 30 August.
- defenceWeb: Argélia doa helicópteros Mi-24 e Mi-171 ao Níger (Guy Martin, 25 de agosto de 2026)Dois caças Mi-24 Super Hind Mk III e dois Mi-171 foram entregues em Niamey, no dia 9 de agosto de 2026, ao General Salifou Mainassara, chefe do Estado-Maior da Força Aérea.
- defenceWeb: Niger’s junta survives mutiny with Russian support (Armand Liebenberg, 31 August 2026)Mutiny from about midnight on 28 August 2026, fighting at the presidency and Air Base 101, order restored early on 30 August; Africa Corps (200–300 personnel believed in Niger, headquartered at Air Base 101) intervened on request.
- defenceWeb / The Conversation: Failed Niger coup a warning to Sahel military leaders (Salah Ben Hammou, 10 September 2026)Describes the 29 August 2026 events as a failed coup: soldiers clashed with loyal forces across Niamey for several hours.
- defenceWeb: Analysis: Bought, not built – the Turkish defence model in Africa (Babatunde Fatai, 29 July 2026)Niger among the African states that acquired TB2 since 2021; Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger expelled French forces.
- AIP ASECNA, AD 2 DRRN Niamey / Diori Hamani, valid from 16 April 2026Reference point, elevation (223 m), runways 09L/27R and 09R/27L; notes that military aircraft use the aerodrome.
- AIP ASECNA, AD 2 DRZA Agadez / Mano Dayak, valid from 22 January 2026Reference point, elevation (506 m), runways 07L/25R and 07R/25L; a military ground frequency ("Kaocen Ground") for runway 07R/25L.
- AIP ASECNA, AD 2 DRRT Tahoua, valid from 22 January 2026Reference point, elevation (388 m), runway 06/24. No military facilities are listed.
- AIP ASECNA, AD 2 DRZF Diffa / Aéroport Mamadou Tandja, valid from 22 January 2026Reference point, elevation (302 m), runway 09/27; apron M and taxiway A reserved for military use; military barracks and hangars listed among aerodrome obstacles.
- U.S. Air Force: US completes withdrawal from AB 201 (Staff Sgt. Charles Welty, 406th Air Expeditionary Wing, 6 August 2024)Withdrawal from Air Base 201 completed on 5 August 2024, ahead of the 15 September deadline; the Air Base 101 withdrawal began on 7 June 2024 and took a month; quote from Maj. Gen. Kenneth Ekman.
- US Department of Defense Inspector General: Evaluation of Niger Air Base 201 Military Construction (DODIG-2020-077, 31 March 2020)US$50 million authorised in November 2015; construction tasked in October 2013; airfield and camp finished in May 2019, nearly three years late; runway shoulders built without congressional authorisation; compaction and drainage problems; safety and security standards not met; temporary waivers for ISR operations in June 2019.
- Military.com: US Begins Drone Operations Out of New Niger Air Base (Oriana Pawlyk, 1 November 2019)ISR operations announced; limited flights since August 2019; runway of 6,200 ft; cost US$110 million; supports US and Nigerien aircraft; Niger approved armed US drone flights in November 2017 after the Tongo Tongo ambush of 4 October 2017.
- The Intercept: Drones in the Sahara (Joe Penney, 18 February 2018)Base on the south-east edge of Agadez airport, about 6 km², on land formerly used by Tuareg herders; US$110 million to build and about US$15 million a year to run; technically owned by Niger’s military but funded, built and operated by the US; opponents argued it needed parliamentary approval under the constitution.
- USAFE-AFAFRICA: RED HORSE tests materials, equipment for future flight line (Tech. Sgt. Rachelle Coleman, October 2018)31st Expeditionary RED HORSE Squadron engineers laid an asphalt test strip at Nigerien Air Base 201 before building the runway.
- U.S. Air Force: Nigerien Air Base 201 Airmen, Soldiers host bazaar for local vendors (Devin Boyer, 8 July 2019)Bazaar on 30 June 2019 with 43 vendors from Agadez; 409th Air Expeditionary Group and 411th Civil Affairs Battalion on the base.
- ANP: Agadez : Le Colonel Ali Boubacar prend désormais le commandement de la Base 201 (17 September 2026)Change of command presided over by Brigadier General Salifou Mainassara, chief of staff of the air force; Colonel Alka Mahaman Sani handed over to Colonel Ali Boubacar.
- ANP: Attaque terroriste contre la base aérienne 401 de Tahoua : Le Gouverneur sur place (9 March 2026)Attack at about 03:05 on 9 March 2026 by armed men on motorcycles; drone hangars damaged; light wounds among the defenders; five attackers killed and five suspects arrested, according to the governor, Colonel-Major Souleymane Amadou Moussa.
- ANP: Attaque terroriste de la Base Aérienne 401 de Tahoua : la coordination régionale ACM exprime sa solidarité (13 March 2026)Civil society statement after the night attack of 9 March 2026 on Base aérienne 401.
- ANP: Sports de masse à Diffa : l’Armée de l’Air et l’Aviation civile organisent l’édition du mois d’avril à la base Aérienne 501 (20 April 2024)Base aérienne 501 at Diffa beside Mamadou Tandja airport, commanded by Colonel Amadou Tchousso, who said the air force had been present in the Diffa region since 2014.
- ANP: Attaque de l’aéroport de Niamey : 20 assaillants tués, 11 autres grièvement blessés arrêtés et 4 militaires blessés (bilan officiel) (29 January 2026)Defence Minister Salifou Mody’s statement: attack on Air Base 101 at about 00:20 on the night of 28–29 January 2026; 20 attackers killed, 11 arrested, four soldiers wounded; an ammunition store caught fire; three civil aircraft fired on.
- Aviation Safety Network: Niger (5U) accident listLists the loss of Niger Air Force C-130H 5U-MBD on 16 April 1997 with 14 fatalities, located "near Niamey Airport".
- OurAirports: Diori Hamani International Airport (DRRN) runwaysChecked 2 October 2026: 09L/27R 3,200 x 30 m; 09R/27L 3,000 x 45 m (the ASECNA AIP gives 3,800 m for 09R/27L).
Dados verificados em 01/10/2026. As páginas da Ordem de Batalha são geradas a partir de um único conjunto de dados; se algum número aqui divergir de uma página do Livro das Feras, esta página será considerada a mais recente.
Photographs: Photo: Wikimedia Commons (Public domain) · Photo: Bayhaluk / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Photo: Ibex73 / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Photo: PK-REN / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0) · Photo: Bob Adams from George, South Africa / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0) · Photo: MARINA DE GUERRA DEL PERÚ – OFICIAL / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Photo: Piergiuliano Chesi / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 3.0) · Photo: Gordon Leggett / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Photo: Matti Blume / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Photo: Huhu Uet / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 3.0)