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The Ethiopian Air Force celebrated its 90th anniversary with the ‘Black Lion Airshow 2026’ in Bishoftu Air Base featuring acrobatic displays by African crews and guest aviation teams from Russia and the United Arab Emirates.
At the Bishoftu Air Base, aircraft executed dramatic aerial displays before Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali and the cheering crowds.
Displaying Fire power
Visitors also toured an aviation expo showcasing cutting-edge aircraft, drones, and armoured vehicles from global manufacturers, including China, the UAE, and others.
“We showed the rest of the audience the level of our cooperation with the Emirati, the level of our cooperation with Russia. The performance of the machines, the performance of our pilots, the performance of the show teams, the show teams from Ethiopian Air Force, the show teams from Ethiopian pilots, and the show teams from the United Arab Emirates,” remarked General Meseret Getachew, Deputy Chief of Ethiopian Air Force Aviation.
In the words of Teklu Abate Aga, a former Ethiopian Air Force Serviceman , “It’s really a very impressive show; it brings many countries together in Africa. And Ethiopia is really one of the biggest in aviation, and this event is really making a platform and bringing Ethiopia, and of course, the other partner countries together, and really showing the upcoming generations how interesting the aviation industry is” .
This year marks the second edition of the event, with the aerial programme featuring groundbreaking fighter jet models from multiple countries, including France, Russia, the UAE and the US.
Future Africa Air Force Forum
Aside from the Airshow and the aviation exhibition, the agenda also includes other activities such as a ‘Future Africa Air Forces Forum 2026‘, as well as a panel discussion honouring the legacy of Ethiopia’s Air Force.
The event celebrates nine decades of the Ethiopian Air Force while sending a message of Ethiopia’s ambition to become a regional hub for aviation technology.
The Ethiopian Air Force (ETAF) Ahmaric: የኢትዮጵያ አየር ኃይል, Roman : Ye-Ītyōṗṗyā āyer ḫayil) is the air service branch of the Ethiopian Air Force . The ETAF is tasked with protecting the national air space, providing support to ground forces, as well as assisting civil operations during war.
The origins of the Ethiopian Air Force has been traced to (then Ras) Haile Selassie witnessing a show of the British Royal Air Force in November 1922, in Aden .
Having never seen an airplane before, he was captivated by this demonstration of their power and abilities, and spontaneously asked if he could go up in one of the biplanes, proclaiming that it was “very fitting that he, as regent of Abyssinia should be the first Abyssinian to take flight in an aeroplane.” As a result of this experience, he advocated the development of the Imperial Ethiopian Air Force.
This small air arm began with the delivery of a Potez 25-A2 to the capital Addis Abba on 18 August 1929.
A Junkers 33wc followed on 5 September. The Ethiopian Air Force was organized by Michaf Babatchief the first Ethiopian pilot, who was of Russian descent.
Source – Viory & YouTube
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