Affordable first class fixed wings
With the arrival of six A-29 Super Tucanos, the Lebanese Air Force (Al Quwwat al-Jawwiya al-Lubnaniyya) has added a potent ‘devil in disguise’ to its inventory. Combined with their AC-208 Combat Caravan the fixed wing component of the small air force has become relevant and up-to-date.
Recent fixed-wing developments
On 28 May 2018 four A-29B Super Tucanos arrived at Hamat Air Base. Their delivery marked the completion of the delivery of a group of six of such aircraft for the Lebanese Air Force. Operating from Hamat, 7 Squadron received its first two A-29s in October 2017. With an endurance of up to 90 minutes and flying from Hamat the aircraft can reach the furthest point in Lebanon. While offering low operating cost, the Super Tucano can pack a serious punch. With bolt-on armour plating and flare dispenser for self-defence, the aircraft can carry a payload of 1500 kilogrammes. They are able to employ M3M .50-inch machine guns, 70mm rocket pods, Mk81 and Mk82 unguided bombs and GBU-12 and GBU-58 laser guided bombs. The aircraft offers Lebanon state-of-the-art counterinsurgency (COIN) capabilities.
The A-29s have joined the three AC-208 Combat Caravans, operating from Beirut Air Base under 4 Squadron. The Cessnasare used for a variety of roles. Besides cargo and passenger transport, the more important roles are attack and ISR missions. For the latter two roles the crew consists of three, two pilots and a Mission System Operator (MSO). For attack mission the aircraft carries the AGM-114 Hellfire II missile.
Considering that the Lebanese Air Force withdrew its last Hawker Hunters in 2014, the A-29 and AC-208 can be considered as up-to-date fixed wing replacement aircraft. ThreeScottish Aviation Bulldogs are used for training purposes with 1 Squadron at Beirut AB.
Helicopters
The rotary wing element consists of several aircraft types. At Beirut Air Base 12 Squadron operatesthe UH-1H IIs, 16 Squadron flies S-61As (fire fighters, funded by the AkhdarDayem association) and the single presidential AW-139.Former UAE AF IAR330SM Puma are operated by 9 Squadron at Hamat. The Puma is used for medevac, ground attack, SAR and CSAR. Both Rayak and Kleyate Air Base are helicopter-only bases. Rayak is home to 8 Squadron (SA342L Gazelles in the attack role) and 15 Squadron is the training unit (operating the R44 Raven II and UH-1H), while 14 Squadron at Kleyate operates the UH-1H.
The Huey/Huey II are the most versatile choppers. They can be used for a long list of tasks (troop transport, VIP transport, crop spraying, firefighting, etc.).Six MD530G helicopters, supplied by the US (as were the UH-1s) will be added from 2020.
Puma gunship – Isolation, Ingenuity and I-beams
Being cash-strapped, on your own and challenged, gets one’s creativity stimulated. This is how this Puma gunship was developed. The local modification includes installing two ADEN 30mm cannons and two Matra SNEB 68mm rocket pods. The ADEN cannons originate from the Hunters, while the SNEB was used by the Mirage IIIs the country once owned. Instead of the cannons and rocket pods the Puma can carry two bombs (one 1000lb and one 500lb bomb) on each side. The Puma gunship was heavily involved in the 2017 operations.
Recent operations
Since the end of the civil war in Lebanon (1990), the Air Force has been seriously involved in two major operations. In 2007 fighting broke out between the Lebanese Armed Forces and the Islamist militant group Fatah al-Islam. Before the Lebanese government declared victory early September 2007, the Lebanese Air Force deployed Gazelles with HOT missiles and gunpods against hostile positions. More surprisingly, the UH-1H helicopters were modified to carry unguided bombs and rocket pods. The absence of fixed wing aircraft led to figuring out how to mount this on a standard UH-1, effectively turning them into bombers and attack helicopters.
In 2011 the Syrian civil war spilled over to Lebanon. Between 2011 and 2014 this led to several clashes and bombings within Lebanon and Syrian military action within Lebanese territory. The Lebanese Armed Forces managed to more or less keep out of the conflict, but this changed in August 2014 during the Battle of Arsal, where fighters from the al-Nusra Front and ISIL had taken control of the Lebanese town, while capturing nine Lebanese soldiers. From then LAF was involved in taking back control of Lebanese occupied areas. This culminated in the Qalamoun offensive in July/August 2017 when the Lebanese Armed Forces, Hezbollah and the Syrian Armed Forces all launched (non-coordinated) attacks on al-Qaida and ISIL on the Lebanon/Syria border, leading to a cease-fire between the LAF and ISIL on 27 August 2017.
The Air Force played a major role in the offensive. Attack helicopters were used (Gazelles and modified Pumas) and the three Combat Caravans were heavily involved. Both with firing AGM-114 Hellfires at targets and designating targets for the M712 Copperhead laser-guided artillery shells.
By Stefan Goossens / 4Aviation and Jim Walg
Hamat is a small air base about 60 kilometres North of Beirut. To accommodate the arrival of the six A-29 Super Tucanos new hangars were constructed. Photo: Frank Grealish
The bolt-on armour plating is clearly visible on the grey coloured Super Tucanos of the Lebanese Air Force. Photo: Arjen Weterings”
The Super Tucanos arrived in the country as the operations to remove ISIL from Lebanese territory had already ended. 7 Squadron is currently training hard to be ready to keep it that way. Photo: Anton Rutten
4 Squadron at Beirut Air Base was massively involved in the Qalamoun offensive. Their three Combat Caravans proved a valuable asset for the Lebanese Air Force. The AC-208 can carry two Hellfire missiles and is equipped with the high-tech equipment for its ISR missions. In addition it is being used as cargo and passenger transport aircraft. Photo: Stefan Goossens
When fixed wing aircraft were brought back to life, the LAF had a requirement for fixed wing training aircraft. Therefore, three Bulldog aircraft were taken into service again around 2008. Photo: Frank Grealish
The Gazelle attack helicopters are based at Rayak Air Base and operate with 8 Squadron. The Gazelle inventory consists of examples that were delivered in the early eighties, former UAE AF ones and recently delivered former French helicopters. Photo: Sonya Cooley
The facilities at Hamat Air Base are shared between 7 and 9 Squadron. 9 Squadron operates a number of IAR330SM choppers from the base. Photo: Anton Rutten
Although it resembles the Puma gunship in Rambo III a little, this Lebanese Air Force SA330 gunship is definitely for real. Armed with machine guns and rocket pods it was used against ISIL in 2017. The machine guns and rocketpods on either side of this Puma can be replaced by two 1000lb and two 500lb bombs. Local ingenuity lead to having firepower at hand when needed. Photo: Sonya Cooley
The Lebanese Air Force operates the UH-1H in Kleyate and the UH-1H II, as shown here, at Beirut Air Base. Beirut used to be home to 10 and 11 Squadron with the Huey. Both seem to have been disbanded and replaced by 12 Squadron. Photo: Arjen Weterings