List Of Aircraft Losses Of The Tigray War (2020-2021)

Oryx Saturday, September 04, 2021 Aircraft,C-130 1

By Stijn Mitzer and Joost Oliemans
A war that broke out between the Ethiopian government and its northern Tigray region has thrown the country into turmoil. Armed conflict has been raging since November 2020, killing thousands and displacing millions. The escalation came after months of tensions between the Ethiopian government and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) political party. For nearly three decades, the TPLF was at the centre of power in Ethiopia after defeating the communist-socialist state that existed in Ethiopia from 1974 to 1991. Tigrayan officials were able to dominate the government despite only accounting for some five per cent of the Ethiopian population. After a wave of anti-government protests from 2014 to 2016, a new government led by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed took office in 2018. Abiy pressed reforms that sought to curb the power of the TPLF, much to the dismay of the Tigrayans. In response, Tigray, held its own regional elections and tensions increased to the point of open hostilities. The political crisis erupted into war when TPLF forces attacked Ethiopian Army bases in Tigray in November 2020. In response, the Ethiopian Army launched an invasion of the Tigray Region. After sucessfully regaining control over the region, a TDF counterattack drove Ethiopian forces out of Tigray, and the TDF continues to press on its offensives into Ethiopia. The Ethiopian Air Force (ETAF) has seen heavy action during all stages of the conflict, flying close air support missions with MiG-23BN fighter-bombers and Mi-35 helicopters and hauling manpower and equipment through the embattled region using transport aircraft and helicopters. The Eritrean Air Force is also frequently reported to have participated in the conflict with its MiG-29 fighter aircraft, although no evidence has ever been presented that support these claims. Tigray forces on the other hand came in the possession of several weapon systems that could be used to target aircraft, including at least three S-125 and one S-75 SAM sites, numerous Igla-1 MANPADS and more than a dozen of 23mm ZU-23 anti-aircraft guns. [1]

A Tigray fighter aims his 9K310 Igla-1 MANPADS. Igla-1s are believed to have been responsible for shooting down at least two Ethiopian Air Force aircraft.

A S-125 SAM site under Tigray ownership

As with most conflicts, propaganda is rampant, with false claims of downings published by the Tigray side on a regular basis.

Claims like these are frequently posted with no evidence to back them up

This list aims to catalogue visually confirmed Ethiopian aircraft losses during the Tigray War. This list will be updated as new downings occur.

Destroyed Aircraft (3)

2x MiG-23BN fighter-bomber: (1, on 29/11/2020) (2, on 6/12/2020)
1x L-100-30 Hercules transport aircraft: (1, on 23/6/2021)

Destroyed Helicopters (1)

1x Mi-35 attack helicopter: (1, on 20/4/2021)

1x MiG-23BN fighter-bomber on the 29th of November 2020. The pilot ejected and was captured alive.

1x MiG-23BN fighter-bomber on the 6th of December 2020. Crashed short of the runway of Shire (Indaselassie) Airport, Tigray Region, while attempting an emergency landing.

1x L-100-30 Hercules transport aircraft. Believed to have been shot down by MANPADS near Gijet, Tigray Region, on the 23rd of June 2021. The aircraft was previously in service with Ethiopian Airlines. Footage of the crash can be viewed here.