Chadian Air Force The Chadian Air Force , in French " Force Aérienne Tchadienne " , was formed in 1961 as the " Escadrille Nationale Tchadienne " ( Chadian National Flight / Squadron ) , and was given its current name in 1973 . It continues to be part of the Chadian Army . The force shares a base with French forces at N ' Djamena International Airport . 1960s . In the 1960s the Chadian Air Force consisted of one hundred men , one DC - 3 cargo aircraft , three light observation aircraft , and two helicopters . Enhancement . In 1973 , when its strength was increased to 200 men , the air force possessed three C - 47 medium transport aircraft ( increased to 13 in the mid - 1970s ) , three light transport planes , and one helicopter , all serviced at the local French air base in N ' Djamena . Nearly all of the pilots at the time were French . In 1976 , the Air Force obtained 7 Douglas AD Skyraiders from France , which were used in anti - guerrilla campaigns in the north until 1987 when they were deemed inoperable . ( C - 47 tail numbers included 100509 , 10307 and 10409 , and Skyraider 126959 ) . Safety Incidents . The Aviation Safety Network listed four incidents between 1976 and 1987 , one involving a Douglas DC - 3 , a Douglas DC - 4 that was shot down by a Surface - to - air missile and the remaining two with the C - 130 Hercules transports , one crashing during a routine takeoff , the other during a landing . Successful Combat . During the 1983 conflict with Libya , the Chad Air Force reported destroying eight Libyan Aermacchi SF - 260 s . Three were captured and served from 1987 . One crashed in 1989 and another was sold to the USA . Chad also acquired 24 Stinger shoulder launched SAMs in late 1987 . According to several news reports , the Chad Air Force was heavily involved in beating back a rebel invasion from neighboring Sudan in 2009 . Sudanese officials also claimed that Chad aircraft made several cross - border raids into Sudan during the conflict . However , media reports are unclear as to exactly what types of aircraft were used by Chad to fend off the rebels and to conduct the cross - border strikes . Command . As of 1987 , the Air Force was commanded by Lt . Mornadji Mbaissanabe . On November 15 , 2000 , an unidentified Chadian Air Force Chief of Operations applied for refugee status in Canada , claiming he had accused the Chadian government of human rights violations . Helicopters . Two ex - Dutch airforce Aloutte III helicopters were acquired in January 1995 In 2004 , while transporting journalists and UN officials to a tarmac meeting with Kofi Annan , one of the Chadian helicopters malfunctioned and made a rough landing in the desert . After its repair , it transported US Marines into Niger . Chad lost at least one helicopter during the Battle of Adre , on December 18 , 2005 . Aircraft Inventory . In addition to rotated French aircraft which are often operated by Chad , the Air Force operates 20 aircraft , including 8 helicopters . In July 2008 speculation rose about Chad ordering six ex - Ukrainian Su - 25 Frogfoot attack aircraft . Operational aircraft of the force may be far less than official figures represent . According to a report in Le Figaro in April , 2006 , the Chad Air Force consisted only of two Lockheed C - 130 Hercules transports , one working Mil Mi - 17 Hip - H helicopter , and two non - working Mil Mi - 24 Hind helicopters .