Structure of the Egyptian Air Force

The structure of the Egyptian Air Force, sourced from scramble.nl, is described below.

By June 1940 at the beginning of the Western Desert Campaign, the Royal Egyptian Air Force comprised:

• 1 Squadron (Egypt) with Westland Lysander Mk. II
• 2 Squadron (Egypt) with Gloster Gladiator Mk. II
• 3 Squadron (Egypt) and 4 Squadron (Egypt) with Avro 626s and Avro 674s respectively
• 5 Squadron (Egypt) with Gloster Gladiator Mk. II

Air Bases

Source:

Abu Suweir

Mansoura

Alexandria/Intl

Aswan

Zagazig

Beni Suef

Bilbays

Birma/Tanta

Cairo/Almaza

Cairo/Intl

Cairo/West

Minya

Fayid

Gabal El Basur

Hurghada

Inshas

Gianaclis

Kom Awshim

Mersa Matruh

Jandali

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Air bases of the Egyptian Air Force
Egyptian Air Force bases

• Abu Suweir Air Base 30°34′22″N 032°05′47″E
• El Mansoura Air Base 30°58′03″N 031°26′03″E
• Borg al Arab Air Base 31°11′02″N 029°56′50″E
• Aswan Air Base 23°57′54″N 032°49′24″E
• Az Zagazig (Abu Hammad) Air Base 30°35′39″N 031°39′58″E
• Beni Sueif Air Base 29°12′43″N 031°00′57″E
• Bilbeis Air Base 30°23′42″N 031°36′05″E
• Birma/Tanta Air Base 30°50′13″N 030°56′11″E
• Almaza Air Base 30°05′33″N 031°21′35″E
• Cairo/Intl Air Base 30°07′19″N 031°24′20″E
• Cairo-West Air Base 30°06′59″N 030°54′56″E
• El Minya Air Base 28°05′56″N 030°43′44″E
• Fayid Air Base 30°20′04″N 032°15′50″E
• Gebel El Basur Air Base 30°32′24″N 030°33′38″E
• Hurghada Air Base 27°11′03″N 033°47′54″E
• Inshas Air Base 30°19′57″N 031°26′51″E
• Gianaclis New Air Base 30°49′18″N 030°11′35″E
• Kom Awshim Air Base 29°33′15″N 030°53′42″E
• Mersa Matruh Air Base 31°19′28″N 027°13′20″E
• Wadi El Gandali (Khatamia) Air Base 30°03′01″N 031°50′22″E

Order of battle

Data from

• 102 Tactical Fighter Wing (Mersa Matruh)
  • 25 Squadron - Inshas (EMB-312 Tucano)
  • 26 Squadron – Ismaïlia (+Milaz) (AT-802 Air Tractor)
  • 35 Squadron - Hurghada (EMB-312 Tucano)
• 104 Tactical Fighter Wing
  • 42 TFS - Wadi Abu Rish (MiG-29M2)
  • 44 TFS - Wadi Abu Rish (MiG-29M2)
  • Aviation Training Center (MiG-29M2)
• 252 Tactical Fighter Wing' (Gebel el Basur)
  • 82 Squadron - Gebel el Basur (Mirage 2000)
• 282 Tactical Fighter Wing (Fayid)
  • 86th TFS – Fayid (F-16C/D)
  • 88th TFS – Fayid (F-16C/D)
• 601 Air Wing (Cairo West Air Base)
  • 87 Squadron – Cairo/West (E-2C)
• 292 Tactical Fighter Wing
  • 95 TFS – Cairo West Air Base (F-16C/D B52)
  • 97 TFS – Cairo West Air Base (F-16C/D B52)
• .. 601 ECM Brigade
  • 80sq – Kom Awshim (Teledyne UAV)
• 53? Helicopter Brigade
  • 18sq – Kom Awshim (CH-47C)
• 272 Tactical Fighter Wing
  • 75th TFS – Gianaclis (F-16C/D)
  • 77th TFS – Gianaclis (F-16C/D)
  • 79th TFS – Gianaclis (F-16C/D)
• 232 Tact Fighter Wing
  • 72nd TFS – Mersa Matruh (F-16A/B)
  • 74th TFS – Mersa Matruh (F-16A/B)
• Navigation School
  • 2sq – Inshas (An-74)
• 544 ECM Brigade
  • 81sq – Inshas (Beech 1900)

• 252 Tactical Fighter Wing
  • 71sq – Gebel El Basur (Mir.5SDE)
  • 82sq – Gebel El Basur (Mir.2000)
• 203 Tactical Fighter Wing
  • 34sq – Gebel El Basur (Rafale)
• 242 Tact Fighter Wing
  • 68th TFS – Aswan (F-16C/D)
  • 70th TFS – Beni Sueif (F-16C/D)
  • 23sq – Beni Sueif (Mi-17)
• 262 Tact Fighter Wing
  • 60th TFS – Abu Suweir (F-16C/D)
• 308th Tactical Fighter Wing
  • 56 TFS – El Mansourah (Alpha Jet)
  • 57 TFS – El Mansourah (Alpha Jet)
• 544 Air Wing
  • 40sq -Almaza (UH-60)
  • 8sq – Almaza (Mi-8)
  • 9sq – Almaza (Mi-8)
• 533 Helicopter Brigade
  • 5sq – Almaza (Commando)
  • 6sq – Almaza (Commando)
• 548 Helicopter Brigade
  • 10 Squadron – Abu Sultan (SA-342)
  • 15 Squadron – Abu Sultan (SA-342)
  • 17 Squadron – Abu Sultan (SA-342)
• 5?? Helicopter Brigade
• ..sq – Quweisna (Mi-17)
• Government
  • Government Flight – Cairo/Almaza
• Flying Training Air Squadron
• 101 Air Brigade
  • 3 Squadron – Bilbeis (Grob 115EG)
  • 5 Squadron – Bilbeis (Grob 115EG)
• 550 Attack Heli Brigade
  • 51sq – Wadi el Jandali (AH-64)
  • 52sq – Az Zagaziq (AH-64)
  • 53sq – Az Zaqaziq (AH-64)
• 516 Transport Brigade
  • 4sq – Cairo/Intl (C-130H)
  • 16sq – Cairo/Intl (C-130H)
• 533 Air Wing
  • 2 Squadron - Cairo East (C-295M/An-74T-200)
  • 8 Squadron – Cairo East (C-295)
• Air Force Academy – Training Brigade
  • ..sq – Bilbeis (K-8E)
  • ..sq – Bilbeis (K-8E)
  • ..sq – Bilbeis (K-8E)
• Air Force Academy – Training Brigade
  • 83sq – Bilbays (EMB-312)
  • 84sq – Bilbays (EMB-312)
  • 85sq – Bilbays (EMB-312)
• Air Navigation School
  • ..sq – Bilbays
  • 2sq – Almaza (DHC-2)
• 770th Weapon Training Brigade
  • 89sq – El Minya (L-59)
  • 98sq – El Minya (K-8E)
  • 201sq – El Minya (K-8E)
• 312 Helicopter Training Brigade
  • ..sq – Daraw (Mi-8)
• 545th Tactical Helicopter Wing
  • 7sq – Borg al Arab (Sea King)
  • 11sq – Borg al Arab (SA-342)
  • 37sq – Borg al Arab (SH-2G)

Silver Stars Aerobatic Team

Egyptian K-8 Used by Silver Stars at the 2015 Malta International Airshow

Silver Stars is the Egyptian Air Force aerobatic display team flying 10 K-8E Karakorum jet trainer aircraft painted in white, red and black colors. All planes are equipped with red, white and black smoke generators. During the shows, the Silver Stars performs eight different formations along with several single aircraft passes. Aircraft #6325 (Star 1) carries the name "Sharaf" after the team leader. Another team's planes also carried the pilots names painted at the K-8 nose. All pilots are flying instructors at the Egyptian Air force Academy based in Belbeis Airport.

The Egyptian Air Force demonstration team "The Silver Stars" was formed in mid 1974 to participate in the "October War" anniversary. Pilots of the team were flying instructors at the Air force College and flew four L-29 planes painted in dark green and brown and yellow – standard color scheme. In 1984, the Silver Stars aerobatic team switched to six Alpha Jet training airplanes. In the following year, team's planes became nine. In 2003, the team made the switch to the K-8E Karakorum trainer and from 2005 was led by Group Captain Mostafa Fathi. Since 2010, the team is now flying ten aircraft – nine plus one solo.