The Myanmar Air Force is a military service with a long history, established in 1947, and has participated in many wars and conflicts at home and abroad. However, the equipment level of the Myanmar Air Force has been unsatisfactory, especially in recent years, when various types of fighters imported from China and Russia have repeatedly failed or crashed, which has aroused doubts and concerns from the outside world.
The main fighters of the Myanmar Air Force are Chinese-made J-7 and Qiang-5 and the Sino-Pakistani cooperation "Thunder", as well as Russian-made MiG-29 and Su-30. These fighters have a certain combat capability in theory, but in the hands of the Myanmar Air Force, they have not performed as well as they should. There are many reasons for this, including the level of training, maintenance and support, and tactical use of the Myanmar Air Force.
The J-7 and Qiang-5 are the earliest Chinese fighters introduced by the Myanmar Air Force, which are imitations of the MiG-21 and MiG-19 respectively, which have been in service for decades, with backward technology and aging performance, making it difficult to adapt to the needs of modern warfare. The Myanmar Air Force has tried to upgrade the J-7 by introducing Israeli radars and missiles, but the effect has not been obvious. The J-7 and J-5 have a low sortie rate and reliability, and often break down or crash, resulting in losses of personnel and equipment. The J-7 and J-5 of the Myanmar Air Force can no longer compete with the advanced fighters of neighboring countries, and can only be used against domestic armed forces.
The "Thunder" is the latest Chinese fighter introduced by the Myanmar Air Force, and it is also the only Chinese fighter that has not had an accident. The Myanmar Air Force currently has 7 "Thunder" fighters, all of which are the lowest equipped Block 2 type, with average performance, but more advanced than the J-7 and Qiang-5. The Burmese Air Force once used "Thunder" fighters to carry out the task of bombing India's rebels across the border, showing a certain combat effectiveness, but it was also strongly attacked by India. The Myanmar Air Force also plans to purchase 16 more Thunder fighters to enhance its air capabilities, but they have not yet been delivered.
The MiG-29 and Su-30 are the most important Russian fighters of the Myanmar Air Force and their only heavy fighters. The Myanmar Air Force has purchased 31 MiG-29 fighters from Russia, 10 of which have been upgraded to the SM type, which can use guidance**, making it one of the most powerful fighters in the Myanmar Air Force. The Myanmar Air Force has also ordered six Su-30SME fighters from Russia, which are the first twin-engine multi-role fighters equipped by the Myanmar Air Force, with strong air combat and ground strike capabilities, and are the ace fighters of the Myanmar Air Force. However, the Myanmar Air Force's MiG-29 and Su-30 fighters are rare, and the frequency of sorties is very low, and it seems that they lack sufficient maintenance and guided munitions to play their due role.
In addition to warplanes, the Myanmar Air Force is also equipped with a number of trainer aircraft, transport aircraft and *** mainly for training, transport and support missions. In terms of trainers, the Myanmar Air Force has 62 K Yak-130 and 6 FTC-2000G, which can perform certain ground attack missions, but are also often hit by opposition fire, and sometimes even shot down. In terms of transport aircraft, the Myanmar Air Force has four Y-12 and 20 other types of light transport aircraft, which are often used to deliver supplies and personnel to the front line, but also pose safety risks, sometimes causing accidents or being intercepted by the enemy. In terms of this, the Myanmar Air Force mainly uses the Mi series of armaments and transports, including 40 Mi-2, and 28 Bell series, which have certain advantages in dealing with ground targets, but also require a high level of operation and planning, otherwise they will also suffer a disaster.
To sum up, the issue of the equipment of the Myanmar Air Force is a complex issue, involving many aspects such as technology, economy, politics, and strategy. Although the Burmese Air Force has introduced many Chinese and Russian fighters, it has not formed an effective system, nor has it improved its combat capability and quality, but has led to some unnecessary losses and risks. The Myanmar Air Force needs to rationally plan and use its equipment according to its own actual situation in order to gain superiority in future air wars.