On August 12, when three Ugandan Air Force Mi-24 combat helicopters crashed into Mount Kenya, questions were asked about the safety of the region’s military aircraft and the competence of their pilots.

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That the country was sending attack helicopters, for the first time, to the African Union Mission in Somalia (Amisom), also brought into play the quiet arms race between the region’s militaries.

Amisom is made up of troops from Kenya, Uganda, Burundi, Djibouti and Sierra Leone. Ethiopia is involved in the war against Al Shabaab but is not part of Amisom.

Sources at Amisom — which is short on air power — say the Ugandan helicopters were to be used in the battle for Al Shabaab’s remaining bastion, the port city of Kismayu.

While the countries involved in the war against Al Shabaab insist their intention is to drive the militants out of Somalia, the rivalry among troops is evident.

“Over the past year, there seems to have been an arms race with Ethiopia and Uganda re-equipping their militaries, especially their air forces,” Mohammed Ali, a Horn of Africa analyst said.

Last year, Uganda’s military expenditure surpassed that of East Africa’s largest military spender, Kenya, for the first time.

The land-locked nation spent $1.02 billion, almost double Kenya’s $735 military expenditure, on buying military assets including six Su-30MK Russian jets, and now has the most advanced combat aircraft squadrons in East and Central Africa.

Military might

According to information gathered by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, a Swedish organisation that handles conflict and co-operation for international peace and security, as well as US government sources, over the past two decades, countries in East and the Horn of Africa have been increasing their air power and replacing their ageing fleets.

Others have also been reorganising their air forces and training their pilots, buying new helicopters and jets as well as installing modern air control systems.

AfricaGlobe.net reported in June that the US Africa Command is likely to transfer aircraft with Intelligence Surveillance Reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities to various African countries, among them Uganda, Burundi and Djibouti.

ISR uses radar, optical and passive electronic sensors to gather intelligence. The deal is worth $51.5 million and with it, Uganda could become a regional defence and security power with the ability to spy on its neighbours.

Since the start of the 2000s, Uganda has bought one ex-Belarussian mi-24V combat helicopter (2010), two Y-12 light transporters from China (2008), three Mi-24P combat helicopters from Russia that were modernised to Mi-24Pn before delivery (2004) and ordered six Su-30MK FGA aircraft from Russia in a $635 million spending spree, four of which were delivered last year.

Uganda’s order

Six second-hand Bell-206 light helicopters were delivered to Uganda via a Germany company between 2009 and 2010, three Mi-24V combat helicopter probably ex-Belarusian were delivered in a $10 million deal probably after modernisation to Mi-24PN in Russia before delivery in 2004.

In 2008, Uganda made an order for four ex-Ukrainian S-125-2D SAM systems but only two were delivered in 2010 and 2011. The S-125 was rebuilt to S-125-2D.

Kenya has also spent colossal amounts over the same period with the expansion and modernisation of Laikipia Air Base by the Brits to handle modern jet fighters.

In 2007, Kenya received 15 second hand F-5E combat aircraft from Jordan, four Z-9WA helicopters from China and three Mi-171 helicopters from Russia.

The controversial ex-Jordanian jets that also included 2-3 F-5F tigers arrived in 2010 in a $23 million deal. Kenya bought three Mi-171E version helicopters from Russia in 2010. The country also obtained 12 Y-12 light transport between 1997 and 2000 from China.

Rwanda is reported to have re-armed its air force, which has about 10 attack helicopters. Between 1999 and 2000, Russia sold four Mi-8MT helicopters to Rwanda.

“In the region, only Somalia and Burundi have no air forces or air wings,” Major (Rtd) Imaana Laibuta, a security expert in the region, said. “South Sudan has only nine Mi75 utility choppers and one VIP type, which looks like an Mi172.”

The Burundi army operates four utility choppers including an ex-Ukrainian Mi-24V combat helicopter it bought in 2004.

Tanzania’s case

Tanzania, which has no air force to speak of,  bought from China two Y-8s in 2003, two K-8 Karakorum-8 trainer and combat aircraft in 2009, whose designation is still uncertain.

Also, four Bell helicopters were delivered to Tanzania from Italy between 2005 and 2006 in a $20 million deal, and in 2006, the country bought an ex-UAE Shorts-330 transporter aircraft.

Ethiopia, Amisom’s ally in the war against Al Shabaab, is said to have the third best air force in Africa after South Africa and Egypt.

“Although the Nigerian army has more helicopters and fighter planes, Ethiopia has well-trained and disciplined pilots,” Dr Abdillahi Jama, a political scientist says.

In 2000, Ethiopia bought two combat helicopters Mi-24/Hind-F formerly of the Belarussian military, five Ex-Bulgarian L-39C Albatros trainer aircraft in 2004, a ground attack ac Su-27s from Russia in 2000, 10 Mi-24 combat helicopters between 2003-2004 in a $25 million deal and eight Su-27S FGA aircraft between 2003 and 2004.

“Ethiopia and Eritrea remain the most dominant in the region with regard to equipment as far as the air force is concerned. While Uganda has the most advanced fighter jets, Kenya’s air force is superior in expertise,” Major (Rtd) Laibuta said.

Major (Rtd) Laibuta added that military strength depends largely on the quality of its human resource and equipment.

“A well-trained air force equipped with fairly good jets like the ones Kenya acquired recently can decimate the more advanced Ugandan jets due to their lack of pilot experience, poorly trained ground crew, lack of an integrated radar system and inferior tactical planning and execution,” he said.

The Kenyan air defence control is said to have some of the most accurate and advanced air defence missile systems, which can reduce the effectiveness of the better equipped Eritrean and Ethiopian air forces.