Page 78 - Royal Jordanian Air Force Book
P. 78
HISTORY OF THE ROYAL
JORDANIAN AIR FORCE
Air power has always been important in the After the war, the two stations no longer had
dynamics of the Middle East. Emir Abdullah operational squadrons but remained as important
recognized this at the start of the Arab Revolt staging posts between Cyprus, Palestine, Egypt, Iraq
in 1916, when the Hashemite army soldiers and the Arabian Gulf.
were facing many difficulties. He commented
from Medina that Bedouin encampments were When Britain gave up the Palestine Mandate in May
being bombed by Turkish aircraft (which were 1948, RAF Amman was reinforced. The Arab Legion
flying unopposed in the skies of the Hejaz) and crossed over the River Jordan on May 15 and held
this was having a demoralizing effect on the East Jerusalem and the West Bank from the Israelis,
tribesmen. He said that both he and Emir Faisal although it had no air support.
felt strongly that without air support, they would
have difficulties with the loyalty of their troops On June 1, 1948 Amman Airport was attacked by
who were unaccustomed to this type of warfare. Israeli twin-engined aircraft. Two Anson aircraft
were damaged as a result of a direct hit on the main
These events stayed in the memory of Emir hanger. One of the results of this raid was that King
Abdullah and were the prime motivation in his Abdullah I was even more determined that an air
struggle to form an air force in Jordan. force should be formed so that Jordan would not be
in the position of relying on the British RAF for all
Until 1922, the British Royal Air Force (RAF) air support. The King wanted Jordan to be able to
activity in Transjordan was controlled from defend itself in the air as well as on land.
Palestine, but subsequently moved to Amman
with No 14 Squadron formed to assist the new The Jordanian Government had proposed to the
Emirate. The air bases of RAF Amman and RAF British Government the establishment of a small
Mafraq were established in 1931, but Amman air force but it was not until 1948 that Glubb Pasha
airfield was too small for large aircraft so Mafraq (Lieutenant General Sir John Glubb, Commander
was the major base for international flights. of the Arab Legion, from 1939 to 1956) received a
response. The British suggested that a Jordanian
During World War II, RAF stations at Amman be trained in flying, so in July of that year planning
and Mafraq remained fully mantled and combat for the new Air Force began with recruitment and
ready but were only needed as staging posts. training of pilots and engineers.
ROYAL JORDANIAN AIR FORCE 771
