# Tanzania Air Force Command

The Tanzania Air Force Command (Swahili: Kamandi ya Jeshi la Anga) is the aerial service branch of the Tanzania People's Defence Force (TPDF). The current commander of the Tanzania Air Force Command is Major General Shaban Mani, who replaced major general Ingram upon the latter's retirement in 2021.

## History

Tanzania established its air force as the "Air Wing" (Kiswahili: Usafirashaji wa Anga) of the Tanzania People's Defence Force's (TPDF) Air Defence Command in 1965. An autonomous branch, its purposes were to support the TPDF ground forces and ensure air links between the government and distant areas of the country.
The Tanzania Air Defence Command defeated the nominally stronger Uganda Army Air Force during the air campaign of the Uganda–Tanzania War (1978–79).
A few of the Tanzanian air wing's transport remain serviceable. However, its Shenyang F-5s, and Chengdu F-7s are reported to fly only on rare occasions because of airworthiness problems. Tanzania's long coastline means that transports are also used for patrol flights.
In 1980, an order for 10 F-7Bs and two TF-7s was issued to China, and in 1997 also two F-7Ns were purchased from Iran, together with four ex-Iraqi Air Force transports of an unknown type. Today, no Russian-supplied MiG-21s remain in service with the TPDF/AW, and only three or four F-7s remain operational. The TPDF/AW MiG-21MFs are now confirmed to have carried serials - in black or green - underneath the cockpit, but no details about these are known.
On 14 November 2013, Helmoed-Römer Heitman reported for Jane's Defence Weekly that a 'usually reliable source' had informed Jane's that the TPDF had replaced its 12 old CAC J-7 fighters with 14 new J-7s, twelve single-seat and two dual-seat. Deliveries were completed in 2011. Heitman also reported that the aircraft were fully operational at Dar es Salaam and Mwanza air bases.
Recent estimates (2014) suggest that Tanzania's air force command operates 32 aircraft in three different types. It is believed they are operating 14 fighters, 11 fixed-wing attack aircraft and 7 transport aircraft. On October 1, 2015, a K-8 trainer jet of Tanzania Air Force Command crashed into the sea killing both pilots.

## Aircraft

| Aircraft | Origin | Type | Variant | In service | Notes |
| Combat aircraft ||||||
| Chengdu F-7 | China | Fighter | | 11 | Licensed built MiG-21 |
| Shenyang J-6 | China | Fighter | F-6 | 3 | |
| Transport ||||||
| Cessna 402 | United States | Transport | | 1 | |
| Shaanxi Y-8 | China | Transport | | 2 | |
| Harbin Y-12 | China | Transport | | 2 | |
| Antonov An-28 | Poland / Soviet Union | Transport | | 1 | |
| Alenia C-27J Spartan | Italy | Transport | | 1 Delivered | 1 on order |
| Helicopters ||||||
| Bell 412 | United States | Utility | | 2 | |
| Airbus H155 | France | Utility | | 2 | |
| Airbus H225M | France | Utility | | 2 | |
| Airbus H215M | France | Utility | | 1 | 1 on order |
| Airbus H125M | France | Utility | | 2 | 1 on order |
| Trainer aircraft ||||||
| Hongdu JL-8 | China | Jet trainer | K-8 | 5 | |
| Chengdu J-7 | China | Conversion trainer | FT-7 | 2 | |
| Shenyang J-6 | China | Conversion trainer | FT-6 | 1 | |

### Bases

* Ukonga Air Base, Dar es Salaam
* Mwanza Air Base, Mwanza
* Ngerengere Air Force Base, Morogoro

## Commanding officer

| Name (birth–death) | Term of office | Term of office | Term of office |
| Name (birth–death) | Took office | Left office | Time in office |
| Brigadier General Robert Mboma | February 15, 1982 | March 28, 1994 | 12 years, 41 days |
| Major General Jumanne Omari Mwakitosi | March 29, 1994 | July 1, 2003 | 8 years, 100 days |
| Brigadier General Geofrey Dahal | July 1, 2003 | April 25, 2005 | 1 year, 298 days |
| Brigadier General Charles Makakala | July 2, 2005 | October 16, 2007 | 2 years, 174 days |
| Brigadier General Festo Ulomi | October 17, 2007 | March 19, 2012 | 4 years, 154 days |
| Brigadier General Joseph Kapwani | March 20, 2012 | January 31, 2016 | 3 years, 317 days |
| Brigadier General George Ingram | February 1, 2016 | August 22, 2016 | 203 days |
| Major General Shabani Mani | August 23, 2016 | Incumbent | 8 years, 167 days |