North Macedonian Air Force Report
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| North Macedonian Air Force Mil Mi-17 transport helicopter. |
The Air Force of North Macedonia has been estabilished on 10th April 1992 with a decree issued by President of the Republic of Macedonia, Mr. Kiro Gligorov. UTVA-66 and UTVA-75 were the first aircraft used by Macedonian Air Force and Air Defence Forces. After the full-scale conflict began in 1991 in the newly indipendent Republics of Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina, the Security Concil adopted resolution, requesting the immediate UN arms embargo to Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Federal Republic of Jugoslavia, Macedonia and Slovenia.
In 1994 the Macedonian Air Force acquired four Mi-17s from Ukraine, because of embargo they were registered with civilian codes. In 1996 the Security Council excluded Macedonia from the UN embargo and short after this, the four Mi-17s were painted in military camouflage scheme and they received military serials. One year later four Zlin 242L were acquired from Czech Republic for training of pilots.
During the Kosovo crisis in 1999, the North Macedonian Air Force relocated all its aircraft in safe places deep within Macedonian territory, while it monitored the borders with Jugoslavia and Albania.
In 2001 began a conflict with ethnic Albanian National Liberation Army (NLA), also known as Macedonian UCK, that launched a large scale frontal assaults at police stations, check-points and border points in southern Serbia and Macedonia. During the conflict the Air Force of North Macedonia and Air Defence Forces rapidly increased in numbers receiving an additional of 20 machines. On March 2001 Ukraine donated to Macedonia four Mi-8MT combat helicopters, that served with Ukrainian contingent of KFOR on Kosovo, and an additional two Mi-24V Hind combat helicopters. The solidarity from Greece was shown with the delivery of two UH-1H Huey combat helicopters. On April 2001 other eight Mi-24 and in June 2001 four Su-25 Frogfoot were donated by Ukraine. On December 2001 North Macedonia Air Force received other additional two Mi-24K with photo-reconnaissance and artillery spotting capabilities donated by Ukraine.
As response to the brutal assaults of NLA fighters on the town of Tetovo, on 25th March, Macedonian Security Forces launched a full scale offensive attack in order to neutralize the NLA fighters. In this operation, Macedonian armed forces used Mi 17 and Mi-8 and this had been the first time when Northen Macedonian air assets were used in real combat.
On 23rd June 2001 a Su-25 took off from Petrovec air base and took part in a reconnaissance mission over Arachinovo village where havy fighting were underway. This was the first time when a Macedonian fixed wing airplane perticipated in a combat operation. During the entire confict Macedonian Air Foirce lost only one Mi-17.
Since December 2001 the North Macedonian Air Force undergone a re-structuration: the new structure views the 101 Aviation Company equipped with Su 25, the 201 Anti-armour Helicoper Company equipped with Mi-24 and 301 Transport Helicopter Company equipped with Mi-8MT and Mi-17 and in 2010 a new Company was estebilished, the 401 Training Company which operated with Zlin 242L and Bell 206. The Su 25s were retired in 2004.
Nowadays, the main mission of the Air Brigade is to provide air support and transport of Army units, observation of airspace of the Republic of North Macedonia, provides overall sovereignty of the State air space and participates in peace support operations aboard. At the same time in times of natural disasters performs civil search and rescue, fire-fighting and medical evacuation.
As Lt Col Nastovski, commander of training centre, explains us, one of the milestone in the History of North Macedonian Air Force is the creation of the training centre in 2010, when North Macedonian Governament signed a contract with Israeli Elbit Systems for a training centre, equipped with four Zlin 242L and four Bell 206B and simulators full-motion for Mi-8/17/171 and for Mi-24. The centre was declared active in 2014 and it is structured in 180 hours of training for young pilots, such as 18 months, where there is a elementary step where pilots learn theory and fly on the Zlin 242 and then they pass to basic and advanced step flying on Bell 206 learning to fly in formation, night flight with NVG, low level flight and all tactics of combact operations. After this, they make more practice on the simulator and then they arrive to 301 Squadron where they start to flight on Mi-8/Mi-17. The training centre provide the certification even for the pilots of the Macedonia Police Aviation and also for the crew from Croatia, Poland, Bulgaria, Bosnia, Nigeria and Camerun.
North Mecedonia already took part in NATO exercise such as Adriatic Strike in Slovenia and as Maj Pilot Dusko Stevoski explains “these exercises are very useful because we can share our experience with other air forces and we can compare and learn our tactics and technics in the aim to improve consantly.”
North Macedonia Air Force participated in ISAF mission in Afghanistan from 2002 to 2014 and Resolute Support from 2014 to 2020, Iraqui Freedom and UNFIL mission in Lebanon in 2008 and also these operations provides important improvements in the air tactics. The helicopters participated only in EUFOR-ALTEA mission in Bosnia-Herzegovina with two Mi-8/17. On 12 January 2008 a tragic helicopter crash happened in the vicinity of the village Blace, Katlanovo, where 11 members of the ARM lost their lives on returning from a successfully completed mission in Bosnia-Herzegovina as part of the third rotation of the helicopter detachment.
According to the NATO supporting strategy to Ukraine, also the Republic of North Macedonia decided to donate part of its helicopter to Kiev.
The North Macedonian Air Force process of modernization in ongoing and five offers have been received by North Macedonian Air Force and they are under evaluation by a team in the Ministry.
Report by Mirco Bonato
In 2001 began a conflict with ethnic Albanian National Liberation Army (NLA), also known as Macedonian UCK, that launched a large scale frontal assaults at police stations, check-points and border points in southern Serbia and Macedonia. During the conflict the Air Force of North Macedonia and Air Defence Forces rapidly increased in numbers receiving an additional of 20 machines. On March 2001 Ukraine donated to Macedonia four Mi-8MT combat helicopters, that served with Ukrainian contingent of KFOR on Kosovo, and an additional two Mi-24V Hind combat helicopters. The solidarity from Greece was shown with the delivery of two UH-1H Huey combat helicopters. On April 2001 other eight Mi-24 and in June 2001 four Su-25 Frogfoot were donated by Ukraine. On December 2001 North Macedonia Air Force received other additional two Mi-24K with photo-reconnaissance and artillery spotting capabilities donated by Ukraine.
As response to the brutal assaults of NLA fighters on the town of Tetovo, on 25th March, Macedonian Security Forces launched a full scale offensive attack in order to neutralize the NLA fighters. In this operation, Macedonian armed forces used Mi 17 and Mi-8 and this had been the first time when Northen Macedonian air assets were used in real combat.
On 23rd June 2001 a Su-25 took off from Petrovec air base and took part in a reconnaissance mission over Arachinovo village where havy fighting were underway. This was the first time when a Macedonian fixed wing airplane perticipated in a combat operation. During the entire confict Macedonian Air Foirce lost only one Mi-17.
Since December 2001 the North Macedonian Air Force undergone a re-structuration: the new structure views the 101 Aviation Company equipped with Su 25, the 201 Anti-armour Helicoper Company equipped with Mi-24 and 301 Transport Helicopter Company equipped with Mi-8MT and Mi-17 and in 2010 a new Company was estebilished, the 401 Training Company which operated with Zlin 242L and Bell 206. The Su 25s were retired in 2004.
Nowadays, the main mission of the Air Brigade is to provide air support and transport of Army units, observation of airspace of the Republic of North Macedonia, provides overall sovereignty of the State air space and participates in peace support operations aboard. At the same time in times of natural disasters performs civil search and rescue, fire-fighting and medical evacuation.
As Lt Col Nastovski, commander of training centre, explains us, one of the milestone in the History of North Macedonian Air Force is the creation of the training centre in 2010, when North Macedonian Governament signed a contract with Israeli Elbit Systems for a training centre, equipped with four Zlin 242L and four Bell 206B and simulators full-motion for Mi-8/17/171 and for Mi-24. The centre was declared active in 2014 and it is structured in 180 hours of training for young pilots, such as 18 months, where there is a elementary step where pilots learn theory and fly on the Zlin 242 and then they pass to basic and advanced step flying on Bell 206 learning to fly in formation, night flight with NVG, low level flight and all tactics of combact operations. After this, they make more practice on the simulator and then they arrive to 301 Squadron where they start to flight on Mi-8/Mi-17. The training centre provide the certification even for the pilots of the Macedonia Police Aviation and also for the crew from Croatia, Poland, Bulgaria, Bosnia, Nigeria and Camerun.
After an upgrade program with the extension of operative life, in 2016, the Mi-24 fleet had been grounded in 2021 and nowadays the Air Force is organized on the 301 Squadron equipped with four Mi-8MT and two Mi-17 and 401 training centre.
In 2003 two Mi-17 and two Mi-24 had been upgraded by Elbist Systems with the introduction of the Aviatiors Night Vision Head-Up display (ANVIS/HUD-24). On 2005 Elbit upgraded other machines, two Mi-17, two MI-8MT and two Mi-24V with the installation of ANVIS/HUD-24, ILS and VOR/DME systems, IFF, improved comunication systems and NVG.
One of the problems of Republic of North Macedonia summers, such as for Greece and Italy, is the wildfires. In 2009 Republic of North Macedonia bought three Air Tractor AT-802 “Fire Boss”for the needs and under command of Center for Crisis Managment, not belonging to Air Force. The aircraft that become operational in 2010, but due to some maineinance problems, in the years there was the need to use also the Air Force with their MI-8 and Mi-17 to fight the fires. All the helicopters used the Bumbi-Backed with 3.000 liters of capacity. One of the main positive aspect that was highlighted during this crisis was the effectiveness of MI-8 and Mi-17 in carrying out not only fire-fighting activities, but also all the task that are needed in the Macedonian Air Force. After the last overhoul, the Mi-8 and Mi-17 can have other 7 years or 1500 flight hours before the replacement.
As Lt.Col. Ljumani explains, commander of 301 Squadron, “the Mi-8 is particularly good for fire fighting thanks to its power and capability to operate under high temperature and in extreme conditions, the engine is very powerful and reliable and able to fly in high altitude, such as when we have to bring the soldiers to Karab mountain at 2700 meters, where they provide the security of our borders.”
In 2003 two Mi-17 and two Mi-24 had been upgraded by Elbist Systems with the introduction of the Aviatiors Night Vision Head-Up display (ANVIS/HUD-24). On 2005 Elbit upgraded other machines, two Mi-17, two MI-8MT and two Mi-24V with the installation of ANVIS/HUD-24, ILS and VOR/DME systems, IFF, improved comunication systems and NVG.
One of the problems of Republic of North Macedonia summers, such as for Greece and Italy, is the wildfires. In 2009 Republic of North Macedonia bought three Air Tractor AT-802 “Fire Boss”for the needs and under command of Center for Crisis Managment, not belonging to Air Force. The aircraft that become operational in 2010, but due to some maineinance problems, in the years there was the need to use also the Air Force with their MI-8 and Mi-17 to fight the fires. All the helicopters used the Bumbi-Backed with 3.000 liters of capacity. One of the main positive aspect that was highlighted during this crisis was the effectiveness of MI-8 and Mi-17 in carrying out not only fire-fighting activities, but also all the task that are needed in the Macedonian Air Force. After the last overhoul, the Mi-8 and Mi-17 can have other 7 years or 1500 flight hours before the replacement.
As Lt.Col. Ljumani explains, commander of 301 Squadron, “the Mi-8 is particularly good for fire fighting thanks to its power and capability to operate under high temperature and in extreme conditions, the engine is very powerful and reliable and able to fly in high altitude, such as when we have to bring the soldiers to Karab mountain at 2700 meters, where they provide the security of our borders.”
On March 2020 North Macedonia joint NATO and it rapresented a new step in the Hisotry of the Air Force. The Ministy of Defence has the aim to modernize the Air Force in order to achive the NATO standard and at the moment all the air fleet is available for the needs of the Alleance.
North Mecedonia already took part in NATO exercise such as Adriatic Strike in Slovenia and as Maj Pilot Dusko Stevoski explains “these exercises are very useful because we can share our experience with other air forces and we can compare and learn our tactics and technics in the aim to improve consantly.”
North Macedonia Air Force participated in ISAF mission in Afghanistan from 2002 to 2014 and Resolute Support from 2014 to 2020, Iraqui Freedom and UNFIL mission in Lebanon in 2008 and also these operations provides important improvements in the air tactics. The helicopters participated only in EUFOR-ALTEA mission in Bosnia-Herzegovina with two Mi-8/17. On 12 January 2008 a tragic helicopter crash happened in the vicinity of the village Blace, Katlanovo, where 11 members of the ARM lost their lives on returning from a successfully completed mission in Bosnia-Herzegovina as part of the third rotation of the helicopter detachment.
According to the NATO supporting strategy to Ukraine, also the Republic of North Macedonia decided to donate part of its helicopter to Kiev.
The North Macedonian Air Force process of modernization in ongoing and five offers have been received by North Macedonian Air Force and they are under evaluation by a team in the Ministry.
Report by Mirco Bonato
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