page_title: Moldovan Air Force
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: Moldovan Air Force / History
caption_attribution_description: English: Сьогодні, 27 серпня, Міністр оборони України генерал армії України Степан Полторак взяв участь в урочистостях з нагоди відзначення 25 річниці незалежності Молдови
context_page_description: The Moldovan Air Force, known officially as Air Forces Command is the national air force of Moldova. It was formed following Moldova's independence from the Soviet Union in August 1991 and is part of the National Army of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Moldova.
context_section_description: On 18 March 1992, the 275th Guards Anti-Aircraft Rocket Brigade at Chișinău of the Soviet 60th Air Defense Corps, equipped with Surface-to-air missiles, became part of the Moldovan Air Force. Elements of the brigade served as air defense units in the Transnistria War.
  In April 1992, the Moldovan Air Force inherited the Mikoyan MiG-29-equipped 86th Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment at Mărculești Air Force Base from the Air Forces of the Black Sea Fleet. Most of the regiment's non-Moldovan personnel, including all of its pilots and its commander, departed for their home countries after its transfer. These were replaced by Moldovan personnel returning from service in the Soviet Armed Forces, among whom there were not many pilots, and even fewer pilots could fly MiG-29s. During the Transnistria War, on 22 June 1992, a flight of two MiG-29s bombed a bridge across the Dniester, connecting Bender and Parcani. None of the bombs directly hit the bridge, although the 14th Guards Army claimed that the bombs had caused civilian casualties and that their anti-aircraft fire downed one of the fighters. Moldova denied the loss, and Moldovan Air Force records show that all of the MiG-29s returned to the base after the mission.
  On 3 September 1993, the 275th Brigade was reorganized into the Dimitrie Cantemir Anti-Aircraft Rocket Brigade.
  In 1994 the Air Force consisted of 1,300 men organized into one fighter regiment, 1 helicopter squadron, and 1 missile brigade. They had 31 MiG-29 aircraft, 8 Mi-8 helicopters, 5 transport aircraft (including an Antonov An-72), and 25 SA-3/SA-5 Gammon surface-to-air missiles.
  On 23 December 1999, the mixed aviation brigade formed from the 86th Regiment in the late 1990s was reorganized into the Decebal Air Base.
  In 2002 the Air Force consisted of 1,400 men.
  In 2007 the Air Force had been reduced to a strength of 1,040 men organized into one helicopter squadron, and one missile battalion. They had 6 MiG-29S aircraft, upgraded in Ukraine and stationed in Mărculeşti Air Base, 8 Mi-8 helicopters, 5 transport aircraft (including an Antonov An-72), and 12 SA-3 surface-to-air missile.
  In March 2010, the Moldovan Air Force signed an agreement with the Romanian Air Force regarding the exchange of information about military aircraft flights near the border, the exchange of radar data, the obligation to provide mutual support to military aircraft in distress and future joint operations. By 2011, the Dimitrie Cantemir Brigade had become a regiment.
caption: Air force personnel on parade.
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