prologue
In the mid-1990s, the rebellion in the eastern part of Zaire, a central African country (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kinshasa as the capital, Congo (DRC) for short, and the corresponding Republic of Congo with Brazzaville as the capital, Congo (Brazzaville) for short) intensified and gradually escalated into a war. After the integration of the anti-government forces, a political organization, the Alliance of Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Congo (ADFL), led by Laurent-Dé siré Kabila was formed, and it was supported by Major General Paul Kagame, the defense minister of neighboring Rwanda.
In the summer of 1996, Kagame sent his most capable commander, Jam Kabarebe, to lead several battalions of the country’s regular army, the Rwandan Patriotic Army (RPA), and led ADFL’s troops to attack the capital Kinshasa from the eastern region. In just two months, Zaire’s territory east of Congo River has been basically under the control of RPA and ADFL troops.
In the face of the fierce offensive of the rebels, the then Zairian President Mobutu’s response was very slow. It was not until that autumn that he began to recruit mercenaries from France, Belgium and Serbia to fight for him. Among them, the personnel recruited from Serbia formed a unit called "Blanco Corps", which was responsible for flying fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters purchased by the Zairian government, providing close air support for ground troops, guarding supply lines and two major airports, and also training Zairian troops. At that time, the aviation equipment used by Blanco Corps included six MiG -21 fighters, three Soco J-21 jet attack planes and a G-2 Seagull jet trainer made in the former Yugoslavia, a PC-6B turboporter multi-purpose aircraft made by Piratus of Switzerland, and an Andover twin-engine transport aircraft made by Hawke Siddeley of Britain. In addition, at least four Mi -24 helicopter gunships from Ukraine via France are also under the control of the "Blanco Corps".
On paper, the aviation power mastered by the "Blanco Corps" has been considerable in central Africa, but the actual situation is far from it. MiG fighters purchased by Zaire government have never been completely assembled since they were transported to Badoret airport in the north of the country. However, the three jet planes made in the former Yugoslavia have not been used for a long time. One of them, the Soko J-21, accidentally hit the lamppost with its wing while flying at an ultra-low altitude by a Serbian pilot. As a result, the plane plunged into the queue of Zairian government troops on the ground, killing more than ten soldiers. PC-6B and a Mi -24 were also damaged in the accident. The above situation made Zaire government dissatisfied with the hired Serbs, so within a few weeks, all the members of the "Blanco Corps" were sent back to the country. Shortly thereafter, French and Belgian mercenaries also went home.
The Mobutu regime, which lost its mercenaries, struggled for several months and finally came to an end. Government troops have been constantly turning to Kabila’s side On May 15th, 1997, Mobutu left Kinshasa and fled to Gbadolite. There, with the help of Russian-Tajik arms dealer Victor Bout, he left his country for many years on an Il -76 transport plane.
Smoke rises again.
Kabila, who took power, found that he was facing a country full of holes. The domestic infrastructure has been destroyed, the traffic has been almost completely interrupted, all industries have withered, and the people are in dire straits. Moreover, although Kabila has been sworn in as the president of the new Democratic Republic of Congo, he and the ADFL forces actually control only a few large cities in China, and a large area of the country is still under the occupation of Rwandan and Ugandan troops. Before seizing power, Kabila, who had a weak domestic political foundation, relied heavily on the political and military support of the two countries. An important motive for the two countries to send troops is to control the mineral-rich areas in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, but Kabila did not want these wealth to fall into the hands of others, so Rwanda and Uganda expressed their dissatisfaction with Kabila’s regime after their common rivals disappeared. In addition, Kabila did not want to share power with his allies in ADFL, and he took some measures to make the domestic people start to oppose ADFL. As a result, his former friends began to plan to oust him.
Laurent-Dé siré Kabila, President of the Democratic Republic of Congo
On July 27, 1998, Kabila issued an order demanding that all Rwandan and Ugandan military personnel leave the country immediately. Kabila accused the military personnel of the two countries of being involved in an attempted murder against him, and also criticized the Rwandan Patriotic Army for genocide against Hutu refugees. The contradiction that has accumulated for a long time broke out. On August 2, thousands of soldiers of the 10th Brigade of the Congolese Army stationed in Goma, the eastern city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, launched a mutiny. These soldiers are basically Banyamulenge, belonging to Tutsi, and have very close ties with the Rwandan authorities. When the troops loyal to Kabila came to suppress, fierce conflicts broke out between the two sides, and most areas of Goma were destroyed and robbed. The mutiny soon spread throughout the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and troops stationed in Uvira and Bukavu joined the rebels one after another. The anti-Kabila forces within ADFL also took advantage of the situation. Congo (DRC) has essentially plunged into civil war again.
Schematic diagram of the situation of the second Congo war
This Congolese civil war is also called the second Congo war. In fact, many countries around the Democratic Republic of the Congo are involved, and Rwanda and Uganda are the first to bear the brunt. As early as August 2, Rwandan special forces took over Goma airport, taking control of a Boeing 707 belonging to Congo Air Cargo Company and a Boeing 727 belonging to Blue Airlines. These two planes were immediately used to transport troops from Kigali, the capital of Rwanda, into the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
In the western part of the Democratic Republic of Congo, two ministers in the former Kabila government, Bizima Karaha and Diogratias Boughera, have become allies of Rwandan Defense Minister Kagame. The two men used their influence to control Kitona Airport, an important military base of Congo (DRC) along the Atlantic coast. Kagame decided to make full use of this advantage. He ordered the requisition of passenger airliners and deployed a brigade of the Rwandan Patriotic Army to Kitona, so that he could launch a bold attack on Kinshasa nearby.
On August 4th, Boeing -727 and Boeing -707 planes carrying Rwandan troops began to take off from Goma for Kitona. According to Congo (DRC) records, these planes have flown a total of eight sorties. When Rwandan troops arrived in Kitona, they joined a local rebel brigade and marched on the nearby seaside town of Muanda. The requisitioned plane was then transported to a battalion of Uganda’s special forces. Within a few days, the rebels of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, who received strong foreign aid, approached the strategic town of Matadi, threatening the supply line of the capital Kinshasa. Encouraged by the smooth operation, Rwandan commander Kabarebe was determined to seize Ngjili International Airport, about 15 kilometers from Kinshasa, on August 19th. Kabarebe believes that once the operation is successful, Kinshasa’s defense will automatically collapse.
In order to win as soon as possible, Kabarebe took out the infiltration tactics that were tried and tested when he fought against Mobutu’s regime. He planned to infiltrate the airport with the vanguard troops of a battalion disguised as civilians when they approached the target to a certain distance, and secretly gathered at a designated place to stand by and cooperate with the main force to launch a surprise attack on the airport from the rear. Once the airport is occupied, reinforcements and supplies can be delivered continuously, while the defenders are bound to panic. Kabarebe estimates that the opponent’s defense will collapse in a few hours. However, it turned out that his plan was too optimistic …
reinforcements
Kabila, who seized power from Mobutu, did not repeat the mistakes of his predecessor, and his response to the rebellion was very rapid. As early as August 4, Kabila signed an agreement with the Zimbabwean government led by Mugabe in exchange for concessions in the exploitation of its mineral resources in exchange for the latter’s military assistance. On August 8, an advance team of Zimbabwe Defence Force arrived in Kinshasa. Two days later, according to the preliminary report on the situation provided by the advance team, Zimbabwe’s Defence Forces carried out a military operation codenamed "Sovereignty and Legality", using the Il -76 transport plane piloted by Russian and Ukrainian pilots and the requisitioned passenger airliner, and began to transport and deploy its own troops to Njili Airport. By August 12, more than 800 Zimbabwean soldiers (including special air force soldiers) had been deployed. At the same time, with the permission of the Zambian government, a large number of Zimbabwean ground troops have been stationed in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, about 1000 kilometers away from the capital, by land.
But at this time, the rebel forces have approached Kinshasa, and the tension in the city is getting worse. In order to stabilize the situation as soon as possible, Zimbabwe decided to use the air force to participate in the operation. In fact, in 1998, the situation of Zimbabwe Air Force was not suitable for actual combat. Its equipment is old, and the supply of spare parts can’t meet the demand because of financial constraints. However, Zimbabwe is experienced in dealing with this situation, and Zimbabwe Air Force is one of the most effective air forces in sub-Saharan Africa. Its personnel are well-trained and have rich experience, and its safety record and daily operation standards are maintained at a high level.
Appendix: Overview of Zimbabwe Air Force in 1998
At that time, Zimbabwe Air Force had eight squadrons, namely:
The 1st Squadron is equipped with six Hawk Hunter FGA.9 fighters. These planes are second-hand, five of them are from Kenya Air Force and one is from former Rhodesian Air Force. There are also two "hunter" T.81 two-seat coaches, but they are no longer able to fly. In fact, all the "hunters" have entered the retirement process at this time, and later they were replaced by several MiG -23 fighters purchased from Libya.
The 2nd Squadron is equipped with 10 British BAe Eagle MK.60/60A jet trainers. These planes were purchased in 1982 and 1992 respectively, totaling 13, two of which were sealed as backup. Compared with the early Eagle, the Eagle MK.60 is equipped with a Rolls-Royce/Toubomeika Adoul 861 turbofan engine with increased thrust (the maximum thrust is 25.35 kN). The maximum take-off weight of the aircraft reaches 8.6 tons, and there are five fixed external points under the wing and fuselage, which can be used to hang MK.82 series aviation bombs, BL755 cluster bombs and multi-barrel rockets. When these planes were first delivered for use, they had pre-laid circuits for using American AIM-9B Sidewinder air-to-air missiles, but later they were actually equipped with PL-5 and PL-7 missiles made in China.
The Eagle trainer parked at Zimbabwe’s domestic airport has a Hunter trainer in the background.
The 3rd Squadron is the main air transport force of Zimbabwe Air Force, equipped with 12 Spanish CASA C.212-200 and five British Briton Norman BN-2A "Islander" light transport aircraft.
The 4th Squadron, equipped with Cessna FTB 337G (production authorized by Reims Company of France), has 15 light multi-purpose aircraft. This type of aircraft is also called "Bobcat" in Tianjin Air Force.
The 5th Squadron, stationed at Sanhir base near Guilu, a city in central Zimbabwe, is the main force of Zimbabwe’s air defense, equipped with seven F-7II/IIN single-seat fighters and two FT-7BZ combat trainers.
The 6th Squadron is equipped with 27 Italian SF.260 primary trainers.
The 7th Squadron and the 8th Squadron are both helicopter squadrons, equipped with legal SA.316B Lark III helicopters (mostly second-hand from Portuguese Air Force, the rest are Romanian imitations) and Italian agusta-Bell 412SP helicopters, which are responsible for transportation and communication.
On August 19th, all squadrons of Zimbabwe Air Force were put on alert. A day later, Tianjin Air Force planes began to fly to Kinshasa. Cessna 337 of the 4th Squadron, which has the slowest flight speed, is the first to set out. The aircraft is equipped with a Matra rocket launcher under the wing and a Browning 12.7 mm machine gun fixed on the upper surface of the wing, which can perform reconnaissance and ground attack tasks. Then, on August 21st, Eagle of the 2nd Squadron was also sent to Congo (DRC). At the same time, the equipment of two helicopter squadrons also set off for Congo (DRC) by air. However, the AB412 of the 8th Squadron could not be transported directly by the Il -76, so it had to be disassembled and put on the transport plane. Also involved in the airlift are the C.212 of Tianjin Air Force and several requisitioned old DC-3 transport planes, which are mainly used to transport troops and various materials.
Zimbabwean Air Force agusta Bell 412 helicopter and its crew participating in the war.
Bobcat multi-purpose aircraft equipped by Zimbabwe Air Force
At the same time that Zimbabwean troops are rapidly moving into Ngjili Airport, the rebels of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and troops from Rwanda and Uganda are constantly advancing on Kinshasa. On August 13th, rebels occupied the important town of Matadi. Seven days later, a rebel battalion occupied Mbanza-Ngungu, about 120 kilometers southwest of Kinshasa, and Kabarebe’s infiltration attack plan was ready for implementation. But just then, the situation began to change against the rebels. On August 20th, a Zimbabwean army of 400 men was delivered to Kinshasa, which strengthened the strength of the defenders. Then on August 22nd, Angola, which supported the DRC government, sent armored troops across the border from Cabinda along the Atlantic coast, attacked the rear of the rebels, and quickly seized Kitona, making it impossible for Rwandan, Ugandan troops and Congolese rebels who were attacking Kinshasa to get reinforcements and supplies by air. This change forced Kabarebe to take Ngjili airport intact as soon as possible, otherwise, the troops under his command would soon be in a desperate situation.
The advancing Rwandan army
At 14: 00 on August 22nd, four Eagle trainers of Zimbabwe Air Force were fully prepared at Ngjili Airport. All pilots of F-7 fighters of Zimbabwe Air Force have been trained on Eagle, so the Air Force immediately transferred personnel from experienced F-7 pilots after receiving the order to go to Congo (DRC). The pilots selected were Captain Nkube, Captain Brooks, Captain Enslin and Captain Jaya. This afternoon, the four pilots carried out an air raid on the rebel forces in Cerro-Zonggu. Because the situation is very urgent, the ground crew are on standby by the runway to ensure that the plane can be ready to take off again in a very short time after returning. Throughout the afternoon, Eagle planes carried out many air strikes against the rebels. On the same night, the rebels had advanced to Kisantu, about 100 kilometers southwest of Kinshasa, and claimed to have shot down two Zimbabwean MiG fighters.
Zimbabwean air force pilots fighting at Ngjili airport
In fact, Zimbabwe’s air force did not suffer any losses that day, but the rebels and Rwanda and Uganda did not expect to encounter air strikes. The army was not equipped with any effective air defense weapons, so it suffered heavy losses under the attack of Zimbabwe’s Eagle and Bobcat aircraft. On August 24th, when a Bobcat was on a reconnaissance mission, it found a marching column composed of about a company of T-55 and 69 tanks and a large number of trucks in Kasangulu, about 40km southwest of Kinshasa. After reporting to the headquarters, the pilot immediately fired with the Matera F2 68 mm rocket launcher carried by the aircraft, destroying a tank. After the attack, the rebels changed their marching direction, but Zimbabwe immediately dispatched paratroopers and took a "lark" helicopter to quickly ambush in front of the enemy’s route. With the support of Eagle and Bobcat aircraft, many rebel tanks were destroyed by RPG-7 anti-tank rockets, and the rest were captured. Kabarebe’s armored forces were wiped out.
However, although Zimbabwe’s troops won a great victory in the ambush, the crisis did not disappear. Kabarebe found that the offensive was frustrated and immediately adjusted the plan. He knew that Zimbabwe’s troops were at a disadvantage in numbers, so it was impossible to fortify everywhere in a wide front. So he planned to send troops to avoid the place where Zimbabwe’s troops were already holed up and go straight to the most important target, Ngjili Airport, and occupied it on August 26. Seizing the airport will enable the rebels to get support and supplies by air. At the same time, they also hope to quickly disintegrate the defense of Zimbabwean troops south of Kinshasa by going deep behind their opponents’ defense lines and going straight to their command center. In order to speed up the operation, the rebels also plundered many civilian trucks and train wagons during their March. Obviously, the fierce competition for Njili Airport is inevitable, and its outcome will determine the fate of Kinshasa.
Battle of Ngjili Airport
As Kabarebe judged, Zimbabwe’s troops are not strong enough to establish a coherent defense line, so it is difficult to prevent their opponents from infiltrating through the defense gap. In view of this situation, Major General Mike Nyambuya, commander of Zimbabwe’s ground forces, is determined to deploy troops flexibly. On the morning of August 25, Major General’s special forces set up a number of fan-shaped blocking positions about 40 kilometers outside Kinshasa. Despite their limited strength and unfamiliarity with the environment, these special forces successfully ambushed several rebel columns, causing considerable losses to their opponents. At the same time, Zimbabwe Air Force planes also attacked several rebel forces and severely damaged a train looted by rebels. However, these actions are not enough to stop the opponent. Kabareba commanded the Rwandan Patriotic Army and rebel forces to continue to advance simultaneously from multiple directions, gradually forming a flank of Zimbabwe’s troops.
Different from the usual practice of taking Rwandan or Ugandan troops as the vanguard when marching in the past, Kabarebe took a rebel battalion as the vanguard in the final attack on Ngjili airport this time. On the morning of August 26th, this rebel vanguard battalion was mistaken for a retreating Congolese government army, and easily bypassed the stronghold of Zimbabwean troops and advanced to a place only a few miles away from Kinshasa.
Kabarebe’s strategy is almost working. When more than 300 rebel soldiers approached less than 100 meters from the periphery of the airport, they were stopped by an EE-9 "Rattlesnake" wheeled armored vehicle of Zimbabwe Defence Forces stationed next to the airport. But the rebels who followed up quickly occupied the stronghold at the west entrance of the airport. Just a few minutes later, Rwandan troops also rushed to the airport and began to approach the control tower.
Kabila was shocked by the sudden appearance of rebels with considerable strength at Ngjili airport. But for Zimbabwe’s troops, the situation did not exceed their expectations. Thanks to the active actions of Tianjin Air Force planes and special forces, Zimbabwean commanders have accurately grasped the enemy’s movements in recent days. When Rwandan troops arrived at Ngjili airport, Zimbabwean troops were already ready. The plane of Tianjin Air Force was fully fueled and armed the night before. At 5 o’clock in the morning, the Tianjin Air Force plane launched its first air strike. Within a few minutes, all the planes that could fight were launched and put into battle, trying to stop the enemy troops swarming to the airport.
Tianjin Air Force’s ground attack continued. Even in the sweltering noon, when the ground combat stopped slightly, the ground crew of Tianjin Air Force continued to work, so that the aircraft could continue to take off. At the same time of air strikes against the enemy, on the afternoon of August 26th, Zimbabwe’s Special Air Force also took two Skylark III helicopters to take Kabila from the Presidential Palace in Kinshasa to Ngjili Airport. Kabila immediately took his special plane and flew to Lubumbashi, the capital of Katanga province, an important town in the southeast of the Democratic Republic of Congo. The troops loyal to Kabila (mainly from the southeastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo) are still fighting fiercely with the rebels around Kinshasa.
Eagle with AIM-9B and cannon pod mounted.
In the early morning of August 27th, the rebels occupied a road bridge between Ngjili Airport and Kinshasa, and the connection between the two places was cut off. The Zimbabwean troops defending the airport could not get any reinforcements and supplies from Kinshasa, so they had to rely on planes flying directly from Zimbabwe.
During this day, rebel forces approached the buildings in the west of the airport and the west end of the runway many times, but they failed to make greater progress under the attack of Tianjin Air Force aircraft. Because the ground forces of both sides are almost intertwined, the accuracy of ground attack is very important. Tianjin Air Force pilots showed superb combat skills at this time, and the accuracy of bombing and shooting was extremely high, which caused great damage to the rebels.
During the two-day battle, the Eagle and Bobcat planes of Tianjin Air Force flew more than 100 sorties in total, and most pilots flew four or five sorties in one day. Tianjin military aircraft dropped a large number of napalm bombs and cluster bombs on the enemy around the airport, and fired thousands of rockets and 30 mm artillery shells.
Kabarebe neglected an important detail when planning to seize the airport: the runway of Ngjili Airport is 4700 meters long. Therefore, although the rebels sometimes control the western end of the runway, there is still a runway long enough for Zimbabwe Air Force planes to take off or land to the east. All Zimbabwe Air Force planes are parked on the military apron in the northeast of the airport, about 3 kilometers away from the nearest war zone. Because the rebels must take the airport in good condition before they can use it, they can’t destroy the runway and apron, which makes Tianjin Air Force planes safely carry out refueling, bomb hanging and other operations. When the plane attacked, it first taxied southwest into the runway, then turned 180 degrees and took off northeast. After liftoff, the plane turned 180 degrees again over the Congo River, aiming at the rebel positions for bombing and strafing.
Schematic diagram of the defense of Ngjili airport
Of all the planes that participated in the battle to defend Njili Airport, the Eagle trainer made the greatest contribution. Although some areas of the airport have always been in a tug-of-war during the whole defense war, the Eagle aircraft has always maintained a good fighting state. Eagle pilots of Zimbabwe Air Force called the combat flight at Ngjili Airport "the best time of Eagle". Because the enemy is very close, it takes no more than 10 minutes to carry out an attack mission, so the plane doesn’t even have to refuel between missions, and it can mount bombs and rockets to the maximum extent. In this case, "Eagle" can mount up to eight 250kg bombs under the wing, and at the same time mount an Ardennes 30mm cannon pod with 120 rounds on the belly center line. The weapons actually used by the aircraft include Matera six-or nineteen-tube 68mm rocket launchers, 250kg and 454kg cluster bombs, among which the latter is particularly effective in anti-personnel and light vehicles. The "Eagle" equipped with these weapons is no less powerful than the professional attack aircraft.
Eagle aircraft and its weapons
The intense fighting prompted the ground technicians of Zimbabwe Air Force to work around the clock to ensure that every plane was in a normal state. They created a miracle in the battle: the time for each plane to complete the preparation for taking off again is about five minutes. Of course, under such high-intensity use, the aircraft will inevitably have technical failures, so maintenance and repair work will be carried out all night. Before the end of the day’s combat operation, the commander will directly report to the country what parts are needed. And these needed things will be delivered in a few hours. During the whole battle, no plane of Tianjin Air Force could not be put into operation because of lack of spare parts.
During this period, the only foreign aid Zimbabwe’s Air Force received was two Mi -24 helicopter gunships piloted by South African mercenaries. These two helicopters were left over by Mobutu regime. One of them is Mi -24P, numbered 9T-HM1, equipped with GSh-30-2 double-tube 30mm fixed machine gun, and the other is Mi -24V, numbered 9T-HM2, equipped with a standard 12.7mm Gatling machine gun turret. Both helicopters acted alone and were injured in fierce fighting, but they were both repaired by Zimbabwean technicians.
Mi -24V helicopter gunship fighting in Ngjili airport.
In fact, apart from the Mi -24, Zimbabwean Air Force personnel also found three Italian-made Maki MB-326K jet trainers from Zaire Air Force at Ngjili Airport. Tianjin technicians repaired one of them, and it was piloted by a Congolese pilot, who took off with four Eagle aircraft. However, this MB-326K was separated from the formation of the Eagle aircraft during the flight, and failed to find the attack target. When landing, it was accidentally turned over, resulting in serious damage to the fuselage, and ultimately nothing was done, but a plane was lost in vain.
In addition to MB-326K aircraft, Zimbabwe Air Force personnel found three SF.260 primary trainers in the airport and repaired two of them. These two planes came in handy. Pilots from Congo (DRC) and Zimbabwe respectively carried out many reconnaissance missions. One of them, SF.260, crashed in Cerro-Zongo, about 136 kilometers south of Kinshasa, due to bad weather. However, with the help of Zimbabwe’s ground forces, Tianjin Air Force Major Ranga led eleven technicians to repair the plane.
SF.260 trainer equipped by Zimbabwe Air Force
For Zimbabwe’s air force, the trouble is not limited to equipment. Because the Congolese government forces have been deeply infiltrated by the rebels, during the war, Colonel Biltim Chingno of Tianjin Air Force had to keep a careful eye when communicating and coordinating with the Congolese government forces to prevent his own information from being leaked.
During the two days from August 28 to 29, the fighting basically took place in the early morning and dusk. Although the rebels repeatedly launched large-scale attacks relying on their military superiority, and the defensive Zimbabwean ground forces, including the special air force, paratroopers battalion and an assault brigade, were once pushed to the brink of collapse, with the full support of the air force’s Eagle, Bobcat and helicopter gunships, they finally withstood the joint attack of Rwanda, Uganda’s regular army and Congo (DRC) rebels. According to Tianjin paratroopers, the loss ratio between the enemy and us is as high as 26: 1.
On the morning of August 29, the last attack of two Rwandan battalions was defeated and the troops were badly hurt. At this point, the situation south of Kinshasa has finally stabilized. Due to the lack of ammunition and supplies, Ugandan troops and Congolese rebels are unable to continue their offensive. Later that afternoon, the battlefield situation changed fundamentally. Zimbabwe troops launched a counterattack for the first time, and launched a close-range fierce exchange of fire with Rwandan, Ugandan troops and Congolese rebels in the south of Ngjili airport, and approached a slum controlled by rebels on the west side of the airport.
By the morning of August 30th, two battalions in Rwanda had completely lost their fighting capacity and had to withdraw from the battlefield. The rebels who succeeded them could not hold their ground at all. Realizing that their foreign allies are no longer invincible, the Congolese rebels began to surrender to their opponents in batches. According to Kabarebe’s orders, some Rwandan troops crossed the Congo River northward and entered the Republic of Congo, while most of them fled south to the northern part of Angola.
Throughout August, the rebels and Rwanda announced more than 30 times that they had shot down each other’s planes in battle. The models that were shot down included a Zimbabwean MIG, MIG -17 fighter, Mi -3, Mi -35 helicopter, South African Mirage F1 fighter and even a US Air Force B-52 bomber! In fact, although Zimbabwe Air Force flew hundreds of sorties during the war in Kinshasa, the actual losses were very slight. Many planes were only injured by light weapons, but no plane was shot down. Captains Nkube and Enslin who took part in the war were later promoted to commanders of the 5th squadron of Tianjin Air Force.
flap
After the rebel threat to Kinshasa was lifted, the civil war in Congo (DRC) did not end there, and military conflicts continued all over the country for quite a long time. After entering September, the fighting mainly started in Kisangani in the north, Kindu in the middle and Kalemie in the south-central. During this period, the Zimbabwean air force aircraft that participated in the war suffered war damage. On September 4th, a SF.260 trainer piloted by Zimbabwean Air Force pilot Major Scharruhn Ga was shot down by Rwandan army’s portable air defense missile in Siro-Zonggu, and Scharruhn Ga was killed on the spot. Nine days later, an armed Skylark III helicopter of Tianjin Air Force was shot down by ground fire in the central and eastern Congo (DRC). Major Vindra, the pilot and Colonel Kufa, the passenger on board, were killed, and Captain Sander, the shooter, was captured by the rebels.
At the end of September, Zimbabwe Air Force transferred the Eagle aircraft deployed at Ngjili Airport to Kamina in the south of Congo (DRC). One of the advantages here is that Zaire Air Force stored a large number of aviation bombs and rockets here during Mobutu period, and the ammunition supply was very convenient. At the beginning of October, Rwandan, Ugandan troops and Congolese rebels successively launched offensives against Kindu, Mbuji-Mayi and Lubumbashi, and Zimbabwe immediately sent more troops to the Democratic Republic of the Congo by land and air. At this time, the weapons of the rebels have been improved and equipped with portable air defense missiles that have just been purchased from Eastern Europe. On October 11th, an Il -76 transport plane carrying Zimbabwean troops was shot down by missiles, killing all 40 Zimbabwean soldiers on board.
In late October, after being reinforced by troops from Namibia and other countries, Zimbabwe launched a counterattack in the southeastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The "Eagle" fleet in Kamina took the lead in attacking the airports in Gobadole and Dongo. After entering November, the scope of air strikes was further expanded to the stations and warehouses of rebels and Rwandan troops near Kisangani. On November 22nd, Tianjin Air Force dispatched six Eagle planes, mounted MK.82 aerial bombs and Matra 155 18-tube 68mm rocket launchers, and flew over Lake Tanganyika in the eastern border area of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, launching a surprise attack on the ships transporting Rwandan and Burundian troops into the Democratic Republic of the Congo. According to Zimbabwe’s report, the attack was a great success. Unsuspecting opponents could only fight back with light weapons such as machine guns. As a result, six transport ships were sunk, and the number of Rwandan and Burundian troops lost was about 600.
On November 23rd, the Eagle attacked again and carried out an air raid on Kalemie. In this operation, a Lockheed L-188 "electra" transport plane parked on the ground was destroyed by an Eagle-type 30mm cannon.
At the end of November, a Zimbabwean infantry company was surrounded by rebels near Ikela, a city in the north-central Democratic Republic of Congo. The company immediately cleared an open space in the middle of the defense zone as a temporary airport. Helicopters of Zimbabwe Air Force used this airport to supply the defenders. In order to provide air support to the company, Zimbabwe Air Force also modified several C.212 transport planes to enable them to drop bombs. It was with the support of this crude "bomber" that the company miraculously persisted for more than two years until it was successfully cleared in 2001.
C.212 light transport aircraft of Zimbabwe Air Force
On March 23, 1999, rebels supported by two Rwandan brigades launched a surprise attack on a government barracks in kongolo, a city in the east-central Democratic Republic of Congo. The Rwandan troops participating in the war were equipped with Russian-made BM-21 rockets and other artillery, and their firepower was very strong. More than 2,000 inexperienced government soldiers scattered under the sudden heavy artillery fire, which quickly isolated a Zimbabwe Defence Force battalion stationed in nearby Kitanda. In order to avoid losing contact with the outside world, the Jin army fought back resolutely, trying to keep a 10-kilometer highway open, but in the face of the enemy forces with superior strength, this effort eventually failed, and seven soldiers were killed in the counterattack. The battalion soon sank into the dense forest behind the enemy lines.
Zimbabwe’s air force immediately dispatched when it heard the news, and launched intensive air strikes against the rebels with Eagle aircraft and newly delivered Mi -35 helicopter gunships, which caused heavy casualties to the opponents. Skylark III and AB412 helicopters delivered supplies to the Tianjin army trapped behind enemy lines and evacuated the wounded. However, with the increasingly fierce fighting in this area, the airlift of helicopters will soon be impossible. The Eagle, which carried out the mission of attacking the ground, also suffered the only battle damage in the whole war. Near Kakuyu, two Eagle planes that were diving bombing ground targets were attacked by portable surface-to-air missiles. The first missile passed between two planes, causing no harm. But then two missiles came straight to the Eagle behind the house. One of them missed the target, but the other hit the tail of the plane. Captain Michael Enslin, the pilot, immediately abandoned the plane and parachuted. The captain’s left leg was injured during skydiving. After landing, Enslin found himself behind enemy lines. Rwandan troops and rebels immediately launched a large-scale search. Due to the war, the local people have already fled their homes. Enslin couldn’t get anyone’s help. It took him three weeks to get to the Zimbabwean camp. After that, the captain broke through the opponent’s defense line with the battalion and returned to his own control area.
Captain Enslin (left) returned to the army after his injury, and in August 2000, he won the "Jungle Trash Shooting Trophy" of Tianjin Air Force.
Afterwards, through the inquiry of the captured Rwandan soldiers, Zimbabwe learned that the missile launcher that shot down the Eagle plane was "installed on the support", so it was inferred that the opponent might have used the legal "Northwest Wind" portable air defense missile. The missile shooter is said to be a "white mercenary", and Zimbabwe believes that mercenaries from Israel or South Africa may be assisting the Rwandan army in fighting. Later captured Rwandan soldiers also claimed that there were about 18 white mercenaries fighting in Kakuyu area, who were responsible for operating portable air defense missiles and mortars.
coda
After the year 2000, the battlefronts of the warring parties in the Democratic Republic of the Congo tend to be stable, but small-scale fighting continues. The Eagle aircraft of Zimbabwe Air Force still undertakes the task of attacking the enemy’s deep targets. During this period, there have been rumors that Uganda will deploy MiG -21 fighters in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In order to prevent accidents, when the "Eagle" aircraft attacks, an aircraft will mount PL-7 air-to-air missiles and machine gun pods for accompanying escort. However, in the end, the scene of "Eagle" vs. MiG did not appear. However, the Tianjin Air Force gave the Eagle an air combat mission, which was not entirely to deal with the threat of MIG -21, but another intention was to intercept enemy transport planes and helicopters. However, air combat needs a perfect radar intelligence network to provide timely and accurate air information support, which is obviously not available in the vast Democratic Republic of Congo, so it is not surprising that Eagle has got nothing in this respect.
Eagle mounted PL-7 air-to-air missile
Contrary to general rumors, the F-7 fighter jets of the 5th Squadron of Zimbabwe Air Force were not deployed to Congo (DRC) or Zambia, its neighboring country, during the whole civil war in DRC. In January 2001, five F-7s were ordered to go to the Democratic Republic of Congo, but their mission was only to show off in formation at the funeral of President Kabila who was assassinated that month. However, this pure performance task did not go well. Due to the limited endurance of the F-7, it was necessary to land and refuel on the way to Kinshasa, so it was inevitable to fly at night. As a result, a pilot who lacked night flight experience got lost on the way and finally had to abandon the plane and parachute. However, things are not over here. When landing to refuel on the way back, a pilot crashed into the ground due to misjudgment, and the airport was forced to close immediately. An F-7, which followed closely, had to find another landing site, but eventually had to make an emergency landing at an airstrip near Lubumbashi because the fuel was about to run out. The plane skidded off the runway during the landing and crashed into a tree. The pilots in these two accidents were safe and sound, but it is really embarrassing for Zimbabwe Air Force to end its operations in Congo (DRC) for several years with such unnecessary losses.
F-7 fighter of Zimbabwe Air Force
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After the assassination of the elder Kabila in January 2001, his son Joseph Kabila succeeded the President of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Little Kabila quickly accepted the mediation of the United Nations, which made this war, which involved many African countries and was called "African World War" by the outside world, really come to an end. It was also during this period that Zimbabwe had conflicts with western countries due to domestic land reform, and the relationship became increasingly tense. In March 2002, Britain began to impose a series of sanctions on Zimbabwe, which directly led to the loss of spare parts for the Eagle aircraft of Tianjin Air Force. This fighter aircraft, which performed well in the Congo (DRC) civil war, soon had to be grounded. In order to get out of trouble, Zimbabwe ordered six K-8 jet trainers from China in 2005. At this point, together with the equipped F-7 fighters, the main combat aircraft of the Zimbabwean Air Force have all been made in China. For Zimbabwe Air Force, the end of the civil war in Congo (DRC) undoubtedly marks the end of an old era and the beginning of a new era …
K-8 coach of Zimbabwe Air Force