Air Brigade

Mission:

Provides air support and transport of the Army units, observation of airspace of the Republic and air defence of the elements of combat arrangement of units, significant objects on small elevations, provides overall sovereignty of the state airspace and participates in peace support operations abroad. At the same time in times of natural disasters performs civil search and rescue, fire fighting and medical evacuation.

Tasks:

Plan coordination and control of the subordinate units;
Planning and implementation of measures, activities and procedures for raising the level of combat readiness in accordance with the estimated security situation and received orders;
Planning and implementation of activities and procedures to support central and local government in dealing with natural disasters;
Organization and implementation of monitoring, control and securing the sovereignty of airspace of the Republic;
Continuous monitoring of aircraft in the airspace above the Republic;
Navigation help to aircraft;
Identification of aircraft in the airspace above the Republic;
Distribution of knowledge on the state of air space to interested users;
Automatic digital exchange of data on the situation in the airspace at regional level;
Preparation for execution of mobilization;
Achieving and maintaining combat readiness;
Training of staff for participation in multinational operations and peace keeping missions and counter terrorism;
Participation in exercises with NATO and coalition partners.

Colonel Igorcho Stoimenovski

Colonel Igorcho Stoimenovski was born on the 12^th October, 1978 in Delchevo. He graduated elementary school “Cyril and Methodius” in Makedonska Kamenica and high school “Orce Nikolov” in Skopje. He continued studying as a cadet of the VII class at the Military Academy “General Mihailo Apostolski” in Skopje, service – infantry, and graduated in 2001. In 2002 he completed the specialization for the service – aviation at the Military Academy “General Mihailo Apostolski” in Skopje and was commissioned to an officer rank of Lieutenant. He graduated the Squadron Officer School in 2012 at the Air University, Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama, the USA. He completed the Staff Officer Course on the battalion level in 2014 at the Military Academy “General Mihailo Apostolski” in Skopje. He graduated at the Command and Staff Academy in 2018 at the Military Academy “General Mihailo Apostolski” in Skopje. He graduated at the National Defense School within the Military Academy “Rakovski” in Sofia, Bulgaria from 2021 to 2022. He completed one rotation in the peacekeeping mission ALTEA in Bosnia and Herzegovina from 2007 to 2008. Colonel Igorcho Stoimenovski is married, father of two children.

Previous appointments:

Platoon Commander in the Military Police, 2001-2002;
Pilot in the 1^st Helicopter Transport Platoon within the Helicopter Transport Company, 2002-2003;
Pilot in the 2^nd Helicopter Flight Combat Squadron, 2003-2004;
Pilot in the 1^st Helicopter Combat Flight in the Helicopter Transport Squadron, 2004-2005;
Pilot in the 1^st Flying Flight in the Helicopter Transport Squadron, 2005-2008;
Commander of the 1^st Flying Flight of the Helicopter Transport Squadron, 2008-2013;
Commander of the 1^st Flight of the Helicopter Transport Squadron, 2013-2014;
Deputy Commander of the Helicopter Transport Squadron, 2014;
Commander of the Helicopter Transport Squadron, 2014-2020;
In 2018, while being appointed to the duty of Commander of the Helicopter Transport Squadron his unit was awarded the Order of Military Merit by the President of the Republic of North Macedonia;
Deputy Commander of the Air Force WING, 2020-2021.

In his service he was awarded commendations, rewards and acknowledgements for his contribution to improvement and affirmation of the Army, including the The European Security Defense Policy Service Medal.

Colonel Igor Chkorov

Colonel Igor Chkorov was born on 24^th April 1974 in Zagreb, the Republic of Croatia. After finishing elementary school and electro-technical high school in Zagreb, he continued his education at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering in Skopje. In 2002 he completed an aviation officer course at the Military Academy “General Mihajlo Apostolski” in Skopje.

He started his military career as a pilot at the training squadron. In his career so far, he has had several command and staff duties on a flight, squadron and command level. He has been appointed Deputy Commander of the AF WING since 31^st December 2021.

He is a pilot of a Zlin 242 L and a pilot and instructor of Mi-24 helicopters.

He has participated in many military exercises, at home and abroad: Flash, Challenge, Logical Decision, Adriatic Strike and other. Upgrading his military education he has completed an instructor’s course, NVG training flight in France, Aviation Technical Terminology Course in Turkey, TACEVAL Evaluator Course in Germany, and Command and Staff School at the Military Academy “General Mihajlo Apostolski”.

He has been awarded and commended on numerous occasions. He is proficient in English. Colonel Igor Chkorov is married and a father of two.

Previous duties:

He has had the following duties:

Training Squadron Pilot, 2002-2004,
Combat Helicopter Squadron Pilot, 2004-2005,
Pilot-Flight Deputy Commander, at the Combat Helicopter Squadron, 2005-2008,
Flight Commander, at the Combat Helicopter Squadron, 2008-2011,
Operations Officer – Combat Helicopters Squadron Deputy Commander, 2011-2013,
Chief of Staff – Combat Helicopters Squadron Deputy Commander, 2013-2015,
Combat Helicopters Squadron Commander, 2015-2020,
Chief of Operations and Combat Readiness Section, at the AF WING Command, 2020-2021,
AF WING Deputy Commander, since December 2021.

Promotions:

Lieutenant 2002-2006,
Captain 2006-2011,
Major 2011-2016,
Lieutenant Colonel 2016,
Colonel 2023.

Chief Master Sergeant Toni Aleksikj

The Military Aviation Force of Republic of Macedonia was established on 10th of April 1992 with a decree issued by Kiro Gligorov, the first President of the Republic of Macedonia. Thus the first Macedonian Air Force and Air Defense Command with its Aviation Brigade composed of Aviation, Transport and Combat Helicopter Squadrons was established.

The 10th of June is celebrated as the day of the Macedonian Air Force and Air Defence, since it was the date of the first flight of the Macedonian Air Force with UTVA-75 plane.

The Air Force of the Republic of Macedonia developed since its founding:

Aviation Brigade, under the Joint Operations Command since 2012.
Air Force Wing, under the Joint Operations Command since 01st December 2005 (AF and AD Command was disbanded on 30th September 2005);
Air Force Wing, under AF and AD Command since 2002;
Aviation Battalion, under AF and AD Command since 2001;
Aviation Brigade, 1994;
Aviation Brigade, formed in 1992.

2012

In February the heavy snowfall and the bad weather conditions, like frequent precipitation and low temperatures, resulted in immobilization of many villages and towns in the Republic of Macedonia. The Wing delivered food, water, medicine and basic toiletries for those places that were isolated by the snow. The military helicopters were used to evacuate people with serious health problems from these areas. The helicopters also transported ETSOM and EVN teams to specific locations in order to check and repair the electric installations and networks;
The main goals of the second visit of the Deputy minister Emil Dimitriev and the Chief of the General Staff, Major General Gorancho Koteski of the Aviation Briagade in Petrovec, were the implementation of the new structure of the Wing following the transformation into Aviation Brigade, as well as the new candidates selection for the Pilot Training Center.

2011

As a result of an Agreement for Cooperation between the Republic of Macedonia and Republic of Montenegro, Wing service personnel attended the Air force Academy of Republic of Montenegro. Three Lieutenants attended the pilot training for Gazelle helicopter and the results they achieved confirmed the high quality of their training and the skills they have acquired in the Training Squadron;
The Air Defence Battalion and Aviation Wing service personnel together with the service personnel of the Air Force Brigade of the Armed Forces of Republic of Slovenia- participated in a bilateral military exercise Challenge 2011.

2010

During the exercise Balkan Flash 2010, self-evaluation level 2 of the declared Helicopter detachment was conducted;
Also two Mi-8/17 helicopters and two Mi-24 helicopters with 35 service personnel participated in the Live Ex multinational exercise Logical Decision 2010 in Papa, Republic of Hungary.

2009

On 26th November at the airport Aleksandar Veliki and the Military Training Area Krivolak there was a presentation and live firing exercise, which was yet another proof of the dedication of the Air Force service personnel.

2008

This was a tragic year for the Republic of Macedonia, the Air Force and the families of the victims. On 12th January 2008 in vicinity of Blace, Katlanovo the helicopter Mi-17 with construction number VAM-304 crashed. All eleven servicemen from the Helicopter Wing lost their lives in the crash;
There was a NATO evaluation level 1 of the declared helicopter detachment during the exercise Macedonian Flash 04, from 21st to 02 November.

2007

The first mandate of the Macedonian Helicopter Detachment ended in January 2007 and the service personnel were replaced with the second rotation;
On the 9th January at the barracks Strasho Pindjur in Petrovec there was ceremonial send off for the second Macedonian contingent.

2006

On 22th May 2006, the Assembly of the Republic of Macedonia adopted the resolution for sending ARM units in the European Union peacekeeping mission EUFOR ALHTEA in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Helicopter Detachment was composed of two Mi-8/17 helicopters and Aviation Wing service personnel.

2005

At the end of November, with the new transformation, the Wing was moved from AD and AFD Command and was now under the Joint Operations Command (JOC) in Kumanovo;
The second important international activity was the participation in the exercise Eagle SAR 05 with helicopters and service personnel, at the airfield Farka in the vicinity of Tirana in Albania;
High ranking officials of the Macedonian Ministry of Defence, ARM General Staff and representatives from the Israeli company Elbit Ltd. attended the official presentation of the first ARM pilot- instructors operating the night flight system (ANVIS/HUD-24). The systems were built into the helicopters Mi-24 and Mi-17 not long before the event.

2004

At the beginning of the year Training Squadron of the Wing received two more Zlin-242L aircraft and one four-seater Zlin -143L. The Civil Aviation Agency (CAA) lent the aircraft to the Wing, and with these additions it had a total of seven trainer aircraft;
In the meantime the declared units of the Helicopter Detachment began with their preparation for possible future participation in international peace missions. The units` aircrew and the technical personnel worked with two Mi-8/17;
The project for modernization of the unit’s aircraft with night flight systems started. The project manager was Major Dragan Nedelkovski.

2003

During this year AF and AD was composed of: AF and AD Command, Aviation Wing, 3rd AD Battalion, ARR Battalion, Security and Logistic Support Battalion and Parachute Diversion Detachment;
On 8th July the Ministry of Defence signed an agreement with aero club Done Bozinov from Kumanovo and the Wing received an An-2 aircraft;
The Wing service personnel participated in the exercise Cooperative Key-2003, as a part of the NATO and Partnership for Peace program. The exercise took place from 1st to 13th September at the military airfield, Graf Ignatievo near Plovdiv in Bulgaria. There were 45 Wing servicemen, two combat helicopters Mi-24 and one Transport Helicopter Mi-17.

2002

The Aviation Battalion was transformed into Aviation Wing;
The units finished with their preparation for the exercise Cooperative Key 02. The exercise took place in Saint-Dizier in France and it lasted from 20th September to 08th December. The unit participated with 42 servicemen and two Mi-17 helicopters.

2001

The contribution of the Macedonian Air force during the 2001 crisis is without a doubt of great significance. During the crisis the Air Force was represented by an Aviation Brigade under the command of AF and ADF;
The Aviation Brigade consisted of three Aviation Squadrons: 101st Aviation Squadron equipped with three Zlin-242L and four Su 25, 201st Combat Helicopter Squadron equipped with twelve MI-24 helicopters, and 301st Transport Helicopter Squadron with two UH-1X helicopters, three Mi-17 and four Mi-8MT helicopters;
The Aviation Battalion from 17th March to 04th September received four Mi-8 helicopters for the Transport Helicopter Unit, ten Mi-24 helicopters for the Combat Helicopter Company, two UH-1H helicopters and four SY-25 for the Aviation Combat Company. The records show that in a period of three months four different types of aircraft were acquired.

2000

Part of the Aviation Brigade service personnel participated in NATO and PfP exercise Cooperative Key in Constanta, Romania from 04the to 14th September, with two MI-17 helicopters.

1999

The Air Force participated in humanitarian mission’s delivering water, food and medical help for the camps with refugees from Kosovo;
The flying and technical service personnel had an air base drill and camped at the airport Sushevo in Shtip.

1998

During the year a part of the service personnel gained experience by participating in the following multinational exercises: Cooperative Zenith – USA, Strong Resolve – Italy, Cooperative Determination – Bulgaria, Olympia – Greece, Cooperative Best Endeavour – Bulgaria and Cooperative Key – Turkey.

1997

The aims of the units were defined during this year. The Aviation Squadron of the Aviation Brigade had to finish the ongoing training for Zlin 242L or all pilots. Transport Helicopter Squadron worked on maintaining the level of training in order to conduct tasks for basic and additional use of the helicopter Mi-17 exploiting all possible uses.

1996

Trainer aircraft Zlin-242 were acquired from the Czech Republic at the beginning of the year. The trainer aircraft Zlin -242L with a serial number VAM-102, Z3-DCN was the first out of the three acquired aircraft.

1995

Radar NARM -61 was acquired and put into service.

1994

On 28th June 1994 at 09.32, AF and AD units received the first Mi-17 helicopter. Later three more Mi-17 helicopters were acquired and thus Republic of Macedonia equipped its Air Force with four new, civilian, Mi-17 transport helicopters.

1993

The Aviation Brigade (ABde) was composed of: Command, two Aviation Squadrons (AS), and Anti -Armour Helicopter Squadron (AAHS), Transport Helicopter Squadron (THS) and Reconnaissance and Signals unit.

1992

On 10th April 1992 the first President of the Republic of Macedonia, Kiro Gligorov, signed decree number 60 establishing the founding of the Air Force and Air Defence Command;
Macedonian Air Force and Air Defence consisted of: Air Force and Air Defence Command, Aviation Brigade, AD Light Artillery Regiment, ARIRG air Regiment and an air base;
In accordance with the appropriate flight plan for 09th June 1992, the first Macedonian crew, Major Dane Ilijevski and Captain Aleksandar Manev, performed the first flight with UTVA-75 plane in the flight area Drachevo. The flight was conducted from 10.15 to 10.35. In honour of this historic event Macedonian Air Force celebrates 10th of June as the day of the unit.

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