The Royal Jordanian Air Force (RJAF) سلاح الجو الملكي الأردني, Silāḥ ul-Jawu al-Malakī 'al-Urdunī. The weaponry and aircraft consist almost entirely of Western equipment and training.
The first batch of F-5Es arrived 1975, while Shah of Iran donated 31 F-5A's and B's to Jordan The transport fleet consists of the Air Lift Wing (formed in 1971), the Royal Squadron and Police Wing, individually operate a selection of fixed wing aircraft and helicopters. The Air Lift Wing had the initial version of Lockheed C-130Bs entering the service, which was later replace with six Lockheed C130H and currently remain in active RJAF service. Deemed critical in supporting Jordan's peacekeeping efforts. In 1987 the RJAF received CASA C-101s to replace the T-37 in the training role.
Following the 1994 Israel-Jordan peace treaty, US donated sixteen F-16 Fighting Falcons. Deliveries commenced in 1997 and completed by 1998. Another seventeen (17) units procured together with six (6) ex-Royal Netherlands Air Force F-16BMs and fourteen (14) ex-Belgian F-16A/B in MLU standard (Mid Life Update). Six ex-Spanish Mirage F1CE/EE aircraft were procured to complement its existing Mirage inventory.
The F-5s should have been officially out of service by 2010, while the F-16MLU and Mirage F1CJ/EJ will remain the RJAF's core combat aircraft. While many sources cite the RJAF is seeking additional F-16s.
Program |
Model |
Qty. |
Serials |
Delivered |
Peace Falcon I |
F-16A (Block 15 ADF) |
12 |
220/231 |
1997-1998 |
F-16B (Block 15 ADF) |
4 |
232/235 |
Peace Falcon II |
F-16A (Block 15 ADF) |
16 |
671/686 |
2003 |
F-16B (Block 15 ADF) |
1 |
670 |
2003 |
Peace Falcon III |
F-16A (Block 20MLU) |
12 |
140/150, 152 |
2008-2009 |
F-16B (Block 20MLU) |
4 |
136/139 |
2008-2009 |
Peace Falcon IV |
F-16B (Block 20MLU) |
6 |
133/138 |
2009 |
Peace Falcon V |
F-16A (Block 20MLU) |
6 |
153/158 |
2011 |
F-16B (Block 20MLU) |
3 |
159/161 |
2011 |
According to Jane's Sentinel Security Assessment - Eastern Mediterranean (dated: Aug 12, 2011) is Royal Jordanian Air Force:
Well-trained for a variety of roles and is believed to have a good standard of adaptability for various tasks. Has suffered from a lack of adequate funding over the years.
Commander of the Air Force: Major General Mansor Al Jobour (since 2013)
Air Force Personnel Strength: 12,000
Inventory Summary:
- Combat: 101 (total), 83 (in service)
- Transport: 18 (total), 18 (in service)
- Helicopters: 82 (total), 82 (in service)
Royal Jordanian Air Force Website
Aircraft |
Type |
Versions |
In service |
Notes |
Combat Capable |
Lockheed F-16 Fighting Falcon |
Fighter
Trainer |
F-16A
B |
10
4 |
ADF Block 15. In a first phase all Peace Falcon II airframes (which hadn't flown awaiting the MLU upgrade) were to be upgraded with all Peace Falcon I airframes. |
Lockheed F-16 Fighting Falcon |
Multirole Fighter
Trainer |
F-16AM
BM |
34
14 |
MLU Block 40/50
17 F-16A/B upgraded by Turkish Aerospace Industries to MLU standard & an additional 9 F-16AM/BM MLU (6 F-16AM, 3 F-16BM) delivered in July/Aug 2011 from Belgium. |
Northrop F-5E/F Tiger II |
Fighter
Trainer |
F-5E
F-5F |
30
10 |
Dassault Mirage F1 |
Trainer
Fighter
Trainer
Fighter |
Mirage F1BJ
Mirage F1CJ
Mirage F1DJ
Mirage F1EJ |
1
12
2
15 |
Combat Helicopter |
Bell AH-1 Cobra |
Attack Helicopter |
AH-1F
AH-1S |
28 |
Trainer |
CASA C-101 Aviojet |
Trainer |
C-101CC |
15 |
Planned phased out and possible replaced by 20 Aero L-159 Alca |
Slingsby T-67 Firefly |
Trainer |
T-67M-260 |
14 |
From Sixteen delivered, the figure what remained in service. |
BAe Bulldog |
Trainer |
Mk.125/A |
16 |
From 22 delivered, the figure what remained in service. |
Eurocopter AS350 |
Light utility helicopter |
AS 350 B3 |
3 |
Donated by the UAE Air Force. |
MD Helicopters MD 500 |
Trainer Helicopter |
MD 500D |
6 |
Transport |
Ilyushin Il-76 |
Heavy-Lift Transport |
IL-76MF |
2 |
Delivered in 2011, (payload 60 tons each aircraft) plus one on order |
Lockheed C-130 Hercules |
Tactical Transport |
C-130H
C-130E |
4
2 |
One more C-130E on order planned delivery first quarter of 2012, part of a US$ 45 million grant. |
CASA C-295 |
Tactical Transport |
CN-295 |
2 |
Eurocopter AS332 |
Transport Helicopter |
AS 332M |
10 |
Bell UH-1 Iroquois |
Transport Helicopter |
UH-1H |
18 |
The figure what remained in service, while 16 previously with the RJAF were delivered to Iraqi Air Force, |
Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk |
Transport Helicopter |
S-70A-11 |
10 |
Two S-70A-11 VIP utilized by the Royal Flight for VIP transport |
Eurocopter EC 635 |
Utility Helicopter |
EC-635 |
13 |
Prince Hashem Bin Abdulah II brigade (Special Operations Command) |
Antonov An-32 |
SOCOM |
AN-32 |
3 |
CASA CN-235 |
SOCOM Gunship |
CN-235 |
2 |
Modified by ATK (USA) into gunship's carrying weaponry (Hellfire II, Hydra 70, M230 link-fed 30mm chain gun) for special operation. Contracted by King Abdullah II Design and Development Bureau (KADDB) |
Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk |
Transport Helicopter |
UH-60L |
8 |
Reconnaissance |
MD Helicopters MD 500 |
Scout Helicopter |
MD 500E |
9 |
Cessna 208 Caravan |
Reconnaissance |
Cessna 208(Recce) |
5 |
Seabird Seeker |
Reconnaissance |
SB7L-360A |
6 |
Utility |
Kamov Ka-226 |
Light utility |
Ka-226 |
* |
* Six ordered and to be assembled in Jordan by Jordanian Russian joint venture, "OPK Oboronprom Middle East" in a US$ 25 million dollar deal. |
Socata TB |
Utility |
TB 20 Trinidad |
2 |