Malian Air Force
The Mali Air Force, or Armée de l'air du Mali, is the air arm of Mali’s armed forces. It was established in 1961 with help from France.
In the 1960s and 1970s the Soviet Union supplied many aircraft and training. Mali flew fighters, transports and helicopters and even fought in the Agacher Strip War with Burkina Faso in 1974 and again in 1985.
In recent years Mali has been modernizing its air power. In 2015 it ordered Embraer Super Tucano light attack aircraft, with four delivered in 2018. One of these crashed in 2020, killing the pilots. In 2021 Mali received four Mi-171 helicopters from Russia.
The force has also flown a mix of aircraft over time, including MiG-21 fighters in the past. In September 2023 Mali lost its last Su-25 after a crash caused by a missile from Azawad rebels; the pilot ejected safely.
Today the Mali Air Force operates a combination of light attack planes, transport aircraft, helicopters and drones such as Bayraktar TB2. The current Chief of Air Staff is General Alou Boi Diarra, and the Deputy Chief is Lieutenant Colonel Adama Bagayoko.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 09:18 (CET).