Al Quwwat Al Jawwiya Al Malakiya Al Urduniya
Royal Jordanian Air Force
Arabic numerals
Map RJAF Air Bases
HISTORY
(up to 1996 the time of our visit)
Jordan, from its establishment as a separate mandated country in 1920, relied totally on the British for air support.Two air stations were constructed, one in Amman (RAF Amman) and one in Mafraq (RAF Mafraq), and were officially opened in 1931.
Soon Trans-Jordan set up her own flight for air operations. In the first place using only old and outdated aircraft, quite suitable for training and observation, but useless against modern, better equipped combat aircraft of the other states in the region. By 1950, the flight consisted of a D.H.Rapide, four Percival Proctors, two D.H Tiger Moths and two Auster Autocrats. In May 1950, the Jordan government proposed to established a small air force, limited in shape and size to a training flight, plus a small Air Observation Post (A.O.P) squadron to consist of six Austers with photographic capability.
King Hussein recognized the vital need for adequate air support and decided to expand and acquire fighter jet aircraft. On September 25th 1955, the Arab Legion Air Force was renamed the Royal Jordanian Air Force (RJAF) after the United Kingdom's decision to donate nine Vampire jet fighter-bombers to Jordan. In April 1956, the command of the RJAF was transferred from the British to the Jordanians whereby Major Ibrahim Othman became the first Jordanian Air Force Commander. By 31 May 1957, Mafraq and Amman Air stations had been evacuated by the British and handed over to the RJAF.
After the revolution in Iraq (1958), the RJAF embarked on an expansion program receiving the first batch of Hawker Hunter aircraft to form No.1 Fighter Squadron. Widgeon and Whirlwind helicopters joined the transport fleet, which included Doves, Herons, Rapides, and Austers. In 1959-60 joined by three Airspeed Ambassadors, which were swopped in 1963 for two HP Heralds, in the 1960s three Westland Scout helicopters were delivered. For training the Chipmunk equipped No. 4 squadron. In 1962, No.2 squadron was formed with Hunter aircraft to replace the aging Vampires, and the latter was taken out of service. December 1964 saw the first Jordanian air combat against the Israeli Air Force where four Hunters scrambled to fight against Israeli Mirage IIIs. One Israeli Mirage was downed and three damaged. This aerial battle is known in the RJAF as the battle of the Dead Sea. In 1966, Jordan signed a deal with the US to acquire a squadron of F-104s.
As Iran took delivery of F-5Es, Iran trasferred 20 F-5A and two F-5Bs to Jordan in December 1974. Followed by 10 F-5A and two F-5Bs in September 1975. These equipped No. 1 and No. 2 Squadron. 31 of the replaced Hunters were delivered to Oman. The first batch of F-5Es along with two new F-5Bs arrived at PHAB in 1975 and was attached to No.17 Squadron. Also in 1975 No. 6 Squadron received ex USAF T-37B training aircraft. Its F-5A/Bs replacing the Hunters of No. 2 Squadron, so becoming an OCU Squadron. On 1 July 1977 the remaining F-104s were withdrawn and replaced by F-5E/Fs, 11 Squadron became the 3rd F-5E/F unit in 1980. In total 61 F-5E and 12 F-5Fs were delivered, later followed by an ex Sudanese F-5F and an pair Ex IRIAF F-5Es via Iraq.
A new supplier was France in the form of the Mirage F1, 17 F1CJ air defence versions and two F1BJ two-seaters were delivered in 1981-82 for the newly formed 25 Squadron. Followed in in 1982-83 by 17 F1EJ Multi-role versions for No. 1 Squadron.
The venerable Chipmunk was replaced by the Bulldog.11 Mk.125 and were delivered in 1974-76, followed by nine Mk. 125As in 1981-82. For Helicopter training eight Hughes 500Ds were taken on charge by No. 5 Squadron from October 1980.
In 1985 No. 6 Squadron exchanged titles and equipment with No. 11 Squadron. In 1987, the Casa 101 Jet trainer came into service with No. 11 Squadron at King Hussein Air College replacing the T-37B, which were passed on to the Greek and Turkish Air Forces. No. 2 Squadron was disbanded, the OCU task was taken over by the CASA 101 and the F-5E/F squadrons.
The transport fleet consisting of the Airlift Wing, the Royal Squadron and the Air Police Wing, operates a selection of fixed wing and helicopter aircraft. The Airlift Wing was established in 1971 with four C-47s together with Alouette IIIs flown by No. 3 Squadron. Soon after its establishment, the wing set about a modernization programme with the C-47 being replaced in 1975/76 by four Casa 212A Aviocars. In 1972 three ex USAF C-119s arrived, a fourth crashed in France on its delivery flight. The C-119 was however soon withdrawn due to its limited reliability and replaced by ex USAF C-130Bs which in their turn were in 1979-82 replaced by new C-130Hs. Odd was the use of three Iraqi Air Force An-12s in 1982-84 for the ferry of Shenyang F-6s to Jafr were they were assembled.
The wing also had No. 7 Squadron which operated the Alouette IIIs ex No. 3 Squadron and the Sikorsky S-76. These helicopters were in 1987 replaced by Super Pumas. In 1994 the wing eactivated No. 8 and No. 14 Squadron, equipped with ex US Army UH-1Hs delivered in October 1994. The Attack Helicopter Wing was formed in 1986 with No. 10 and No. 12 Squadrons with the AH-1F Cobra.
Visits to RJAF bases in the period 30th of March - 2nd of April 1996
Al Matar Air Base, Amman/Marka
Mowafaq Al Salti Air Base, El Azraq
King Hussein Air College, Al Mafraq
Prince Hassan Air Base, H5
Operations Command
Al Matar Air Base, Amman/Marka
Date of visit: 30th of March 1996
Units
No. 3 Sqn - C-130B/H, Casa C.212-100
No. 7 Sqn - AS 332M-I Super Puma
No. 8 Sqn - UH-1H Iroquois
No. 10 Sqn - Bell AH-1F
No. 12 Sqn - Bell AH-1F
Mowafaq Al Salti Air Base, El Azraq
Date of visit: 31st of March 1996
Unit
No. 1 Sqn - Mirage F1CJ/EJ, F1BJ
Prince Hassan Air Base, H5
Date of visit: 2nd of April 1996
Units
No. 6 Sqn - F-5E/F Tiger II
No. 17 Sqn - F-5E/F Tiger II
At the time of our visit the final phase of their course is a mass flight of F-5Es and F-5Fs with all the participating pilots who graduated. In total circa twelve F-5E/F-5Fs participated in this flight.
Decoys at Prince Hassan Air Base, H5
The Royal Jordanian Air Force F-104s were replaced by the F-5E. The remaining F-104s were withdrawn on the 1st of July 1977, and the denote of an A was added to the serials. Eight ended up at H-5 as decoys, some were camouflaged like 905 to resemble an F-5. In 1971 a letter code was added on the fin of the F-104s in serial order, the C on the fin of 902A and the D on the 905.
Training Command
King Hussein Air College, Al Mafraq
Date of visit: 2nd of April 1996
Units
No. 4 Sqn - Bulldog Mk 125/125A
No. 5 Sqn - MD 500D
No. 11 Sqn - Casa C-101CC
Photo gallery
With thanks to the Dutch Embassy in Amman, the Royal Jordanian Air Force Commander Lieutenant General Mohammed Al Ababneh and to all the other individual persons at eatch base for their great suppot.
The authors: Volkert Jan van den Berg, Ron Damstra and Marinus Dirk Tabak.