Royal Jordanian Air Force

The Royal Jordanian Air Force (RJAF;

Jordan gained independence in 1946, but its first air bases had been set up in 1931 by the

In the 1970s the RJAF was modernised.

In the 1980s, the RJAF supported Saddam Hussein and the Iraqi regime during the Iran-Iraq War, committing their aircraft for combat training alongside Iraqi aircraft squadrons with one joint aircraft squadron.[7] It remains unknown whether RJAF pilots took part in combat with Iran, although this seems unlikely. During the 1991 Gulf War, Jordan declared political support for the Iraqi regime, but the RJAF was never committed to combat in that war. The RJAF provided instruction for Iraqi pilots who also operated the similar Mirage F1.

Some six

Due to the economic ties between Jordan and Iraq, the fallout of Iraq meant that the RJAF was impacted upon but contrary to some reports, it did not lose its operational tempo and was not forced to cannibalize aircraft for shortages of spare parts. Despite this, the RJAF had to rationalise its existing resources due to a temporary downfall in spare parts and supplies. However, economic difficulties forced the RJAF to seek upgrades rather than the purchase of new equipment originally planned.[7]

Modernization schemes continued with seven F-5Es sold to Singapore and some funding used to upgrade most of the remaining others with the AN/APG-67 radar (found on the aborted

Two light

Between November 2015[13] and 3 March 2016, 8 UH-60A Black Hawks were delivered to Jordan from the United States under a no-cost lease arrangement. The delivery of 8 newly built UH-60M Black Hawks was completed in 2017 as part of a United States grant totaling US$200 million, with Sikorsky being contracted to the U.S. Army to build them.^[13][14]

Jordan assists the Air forces in the Middle East, training

On the morning of 16 April 2014, Jordanian air force fighter jets destroyed an undetermined number of vehicles trying to enter into Jordan by crossing the border from war-torn Syria during the

On 23 September 2014, Jordanian air force aircraft joined in US-led air strikes against terrorist targets in Syria that later became known as Operation Inherent Resolve.

On 24 December 2014, an RJAF F-16 crashed near Raqqa, Syria, and its pilot, Flight Lieutenant Moaz Youssef al-Kasasbeh, was captured by ISIS militants.^[16] On 30 December 2014, a member of the Jordanian parliament, Rula al-Hroob, told America's National Public Radio that the RJAF had suspended military operations over Syria in order to help secure al-Kasasbeh's release. An attempt by US special operations to rescue al-Kasasbeh from Raqqa on 1 January 2015 failed when their helicopters were driven off by heavy enemy fire.

Following unsuccessful negotiations about a prisoner exchange, on 3 February 2015 it was reported that ISIS had murdered al-Kasasbeh by burning him alive, something that was done in early January but not revealed.^[17]

On 5 February 2015, the RJAF resumed operations against ISIS targets. The whole daily target list was handed over to 20 Jordanian F-16s.^[18][19]

In February 2015 the US resupplied Jordan with munitions to be used in airstrikes against ISIS, including JDAM precision bombs. In the summer of 2015 Israel transferred 16 Bell AH-1E/F Cobras (4–6 to be used as spares) to be used by RJAF in the "border patrol" role, this is counter-insurgency role and in operations against terrorist State forces.^[20]

On 7 November 2015, The New York Times claimed that the RJAF had quietly suspended operations against targets in Syria, the last attack being in August, and instead diverted its aircraft to support Saudi-led operations against Houthi rebels in Yemen.^[21] This claim was contested by the Jordanian embassy in Washington, which told the paper that Jordan continued to conduct airstrikes on terrorist State targets.

Assisting US Airstrikes

In February 2024, after the

RJAF achieved more than 200 flying hours in support of the Jordanian Armed Forces participating in peace keeping operations in four continents.[23]

Organization

The Royal Jordanian Air Force has a strength of 14,000 active personnel.^[1] It contains six major airbases in addition to nineteen air squadrons, fourteen I-Hawk Batteries, and two training schools (a fighter aviation training school and a school of air combat). The Royal Jordanian Air Force Headquarters is at King Abdullah I Airbase in Amman.

Squadrons

• No. 1 Squadron RJAF – the Squadron was formed in 1958 with the Hawker Hunter and later equipped with F5s, the Mirage F1, and now the General Dynamics/Lockheed F-16.^[24] It has been based in Amman, Mafraq and now Azraq, with short periods at H5, and Habbaniya (Iraq).^[25]
• No. 2 Squadron RJAF – was first formed in 1958 with
  CASA C-101 as the advanced jet trainer.^[26] It is now at MSAB equipped with the F-16.^[24]
• No. 3 Squadron RJAF – was formed in 1959 and was a mixture of fixed-wing and helicopter until February 1973 when a helicopter squadron was formed. Its aircraft have included the
  Alouette III. The Squadron belongs to the Air Lift Wing and is based at KAAB, Amman (Amman Civil Airport).^[27] It is now equipped with the Lockheed C-130 Hercules and CASA 295.^[24]

• Royal Jordanian air defense is part of the Royal Jordanian Air Force is equipped with Surface-to-Air missiles and Anti-Aircraft guns and Radar stations, as well as modern Electronic Warfare center and electronic countermeasure which is linked to command and control (C2) centers.
• Jordan provided with an integrated, real-time air picture across multiple command centers and many remote sites to better protect the country's airspace. The system, known as Omnyx™, will combine sensor, voice and data communications to provide interoperability throughout the Royal Jordanian Air Force and other elements of Jordan's armed forces. With input from radars and other data links, the system will assist in detecting incoming air traffic and also provide the capabilities needed for airspace management, air sovereignty and air defense missions.[28]
• RJAF C2 and EW Capability
  • Omnyx™ System enabling Jordanian Air Force to track and identify aircraft, evaluate any threats, initiate or monitor airborne engagements and enhance situational awareness of Jordanian airspace at all times.^[28][29]
  • Jordan have a C4ISR subsystem capable of serving multiple internal services and agencies within Jordan and An Air Defense subsystem capable of early warning of air attack and real-time Command and Control (C2) of national air defense forces.^{[30][31][32][33]}
  • RADIANT C4I National EW network, connecting regional control centers, ground radars and AD assets.
  • Jordan has the ability to detect cruise missiles, aircraft and unmanned drones at long distances through the project linking five U.S. 3D radars (1 FPS-117, 4 TPS-77), QAIA Radar and Gap-filler radars with ADSI (Air Defence System Integrator),^[34] Airbases and all Fire Units to build air defence umbrella (IADS).
• Air Surveillance Radars
  • 1 AN/FPS-117 3D Radar ^[35]
  • 4 AN/TPS-77 3D Radar
  • 5 AN/TPS-63 Tactical 2D Radar
  • 5 Marconi S711 Radar (Upgraded by AMS UK in 2005)
  • Gap-filler & Border Surveillance radars
• Medium & Long Range Air Defence
  • 24 MIM-23B Phase III I-Hawk^[36] (upgraded in 2016)^{[citation needed]}
    • In the period from 2004 to 2012 the components of 8 Hawk Phase III batteries were acquired gradually and some old Hawk batteries were modernized to Phase III,^[37] Jordan received more than 400 MEI-23E missiles in 2014 and 2016.^{[citation needed]}

Equipment

Current inventory

Retired aircraft

Previous notable aircraft operated were

The Royal Jordanian Air Force has received new aircraft, and other types of use have been withdrawn and put up for sale. On 24 July 2019, The Royal Jordanian Air Force Commander, Major General Yousef Huneiti, was appointed to a senior position as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the Jordanian Armed Forces. The current Commander of the Royal Jordanian Air Force is brigadier general. Pilot Zaid Al-Najrish, who aims to continue in the footsteps of his predecessor in terms of more professionalism in the Royal Jordanian Air Force.

On the 3rd of March 2020, It was announced that instead of upgrading, Royal Jordanian Air Force is now looking to buy the latest

With addition to the latest upgrade of F-16 fighters to MLU level, it was announced on 14 November 2021, that the latest F-16 MLU 6.5 were upgraded with fighter aircraft painted with radar-absorbent paint GLASS V PAINT.[48]^[49]

On the 3rd of February 2022, The State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan of F-16 C/D Block 70 aircraft and related equipment for an estimated cost of $4.21 billion. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale that day.^[50][51][52] It is believed that Jordan aims to acquire 12 C models, and four D models, as well as 21 F100 engines (providing five spare engines) and associated weapon and system packages.^[53]

Personnel

Commanders

The Royal Jordanian Air Force is headed by the Commander. The chiefs of the RJAF are as follows:^[54]

1. 1956–1962 Major (Colonel) Ibrahim Osman
2. 1962 Major Jereis Musharbash
3. 1962 Major Sahal Hamzeh
4. 1962–1970 Major (Major-General) Saleh El Kurdi
5. 1971–1973 Brigadier Walid Sharafuddin
6. 1973–1976 Brigadier Abboud Salem Hassan
7. 1976–1980 Major (Major-General) Saleh El Kurdi
8. 1980–1982 Brigadier (Major-General) Tayseer Zarour
9. 1983–1993 Brigadier (Lieutenant-General) Ihsan Shurdom
10. 1993–1994 Brigadier (Major-General) Awni Bilal
11. 1994–1995 Brigadier (Major-General) Mohammed El Qudah
12. 1995–1999 Brigadier (Major-General) Mohammed Khair Ababneh
13. 1999–2002 Brigadier (Major-General) So'oud Nuseirat
14. 2002–2004 Brigadier (Major-General) His Royal Highness Prince Faisal bin Hussein
15. 2004–2006 Brigadier (Major-General) Hussein Al Biss
16. 2006–2010 Brigadier (Major-General) Hussein Shodash
17. 2010–2013 Brigadier (Major-General) Malek Al-Habashneh
18. 2013–2016 Brigadier (Major-General) Mansour Al-Jbour
19. 2016–2019 Brigadier (Major-General) Yousef Huneiti
20. 2019–2021 Brigadier (Major-General) Zaid Naqrash
21. 2021–Present Brigadier (Major-General) Mohammad Hyasat

Notable persons

• Amer Khammash, the first recognized Jordanian pilot and received his pilot training at RAF Middle Wallop in the United Kingdom in 1949, and received his wings in 1950 from the Late Founder of Jordan, King Abdullah I bin Al-Hussein.
• Terrorist group ISIL
  in 2015.

• List of air forces
• List of Lockheed F-104 Starfighter operators

References

• Griffin, David J., 60 Years of the Hawker Hunter, 1951 to 2011
• Pike, Richard. The Hunter Boys. UK: Grub Street Publishing, 2014.
  ISBN 978-1909808034
  .

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Royal Jordanian Air Force.

• Official Site of the Royal Jordanian Air Force
• Royal Jordanian Airforce courtesy of Scramble.nl
• Royal Jordanian Air Force F-16s