2014 Yemen Civil War

Air Tractor AT-802 in the 2014 Yemen Civil War

Yemeni pilots trained by the UAE flew IOMAX-modified AT-802 light strike aircraft from Al-Anad Air Base in October 2015, with reported sorties and strikes in Taiz and Al-Bayda.

Weapon profileAir Tractor AT-802
SideYemeni government and Saudi-led coalition forcesRoleFire SupportInterdictionTraining & Foreign Aid
Air Tractor AT-802, Agricultural and armed multi-mission turboprop aircraft, Aircraft & UAVs - 2014 Yemen Civil War
Image source: Air tractor AT-802U arrive to Hurlburt Field 01.jpg - Wikimedia Commons

Evidence Map

ClaimSources
Yemeni pilots flew AT-802 light strike aircraft from Al-Anad Air Base during the Yemen war.

Sources: Yemeni pilots carry out airstrikes with AT-802 turboprops

UAE forces trained Yemeni pilots at Al-Anad under the Saudi-led coalition program.

Sources: UAE provides aviation training to Yemeni resistance, UAE trains Yemeni pilots

Reported sorties and strikes took place in Taiz and Al-Bayda against weapons depots, vehicles, and targets linked to Houthi and Saleh-aligned forces.

Sources: UAE provides aviation training to Yemeni resistance, UAE trains Yemeni pilots, Yemeni pilots carry out airstrikes with AT-802 turboprops

The aircraft were identified as IOMAX-modified AT-802 Block 1/2 Border Patrol Aircraft.

Sources: Yemeni pilots carry out airstrikes with AT-802 turboprops

The AT-802U configuration is an ISR and strike aircraft with wing and centerline hardpoints.

Sources: Aircraft Specifications - Air Tractor AT-802U

Timeline

Air Tractor AT-802 In 2014 Yemen Civil War

  1. UAE-backed training and sorties reported at Al-Anad

    WAM-derived reports said UAE forces were training Yemeni pilots at Al-Anad Air Base and that Yemeni pilots had flown sorties and strikes in Taiz and Al-Bayda.

    Sources: UAE provides aviation training to Yemeni resistance, UAE trains Yemeni pilots

  2. Jane's identifies AT-802 aircraft at Al-Anad

    Jane's reported that photographs and Abu Dhabi TV footage showed IOMAX-modified AT-802 aircraft at Al-Anad, including at least three aircraft visible in footage from the same period.

    Sources: Yemeni pilots carry out airstrikes with AT-802 turboprops

  3. Later reporting links AT-802U action to Yemen

    The War Zone reported in a Libya-focused article that the AT-802U had seen action in Yemen and described UAE training and donation of older Border Patrol Variant aircraft for the Yemen effort.

    Sources: UAE's AT-802Us And Chinese Drones Fly From This Shadowy Base In Libya

Documented Use

Direct proof of use

The Air Tractor AT-802 appears in the 2014 Yemen Civil War through reports from late October 2015 describing Yemeni pilots flying IOMAX AT-802 light strike aircraft from Al-Anad Air Base. Jane's, republished by Middle East Transparent, reported that a WAM photograph showed an AT-802 at Al-Anad on 28 October and that Yemeni pilots were operating AT-802s from the base.

WAM-derived reports in Emirates 24|7 and Khaleej Times said the UAE Armed Forces were training Yemeni pilots at Al-Anad as part of Saudi-led coalition programs. Those reports said the pilots flew sorties in Taiz and Al-Bayda and conducted strikes against weapons depots, vehicles, and other targets linked to Houthi and Saleh-aligned forces.

Sources: Yemeni pilots carry out airstrikes with AT-802 turboprops, UAE provides aviation training to Yemeni resistance, UAE trains Yemeni pilots

Timeline

On 28 October 2015, UAE state-linked reporting described a flight-training program at Al-Anad Air Base for Yemeni pilots. The reports placed the training inside the Saudi-led coalition effort and said the aircraft were being used to support operations in Taiz.

On 30 October 2015, Jane's identified the aircraft shown in the WAM material as IOMAX-modified AT-802 Border Patrol Aircraft. The same article reported that at least three AT-802s were visible at Al-Anad in Abu Dhabi TV footage from the same period.

Sources: UAE provides aviation training to Yemeni resistance, Yemeni pilots carry out airstrikes with AT-802 turboprops

Narrative

The documented Yemen use centers on a coalition-backed training and strike arrangement rather than a separately reported Yemeni procurement program. UAE forces trained Yemeni pilots at Al-Anad after coalition forces renovated the base, and the aircraft were reported in support of resistance and legitimacy forces fighting Houthi and Saleh-aligned forces.

The aircraft identified at Al-Anad were AT-802 airframes modified by IOMAX into the Block 1/2 Border Patrol Aircraft configuration. Jane's reported that the aircraft carried a centerline sensor pod and were armed with Roketsan Cirit laser-guided missile pods and guided bombs assessed as likely GBU-12 or GBU-58 Paveway II weapons. The manufacturer describes the AT-802U family as an austere-field ISR and strike platform with wing and centerline hardpoints, matching the type of light strike use reported in Yemen.

Later War Zone reporting on UAE AT-802U deployments in Libya also noted that both the AT-802U and Wing Loong had seen action in Yemen, and described the UAE as training local AT-802U pilots and donating older Border Patrol Variant aircraft for the Yemen effort.

Sources: Yemeni pilots carry out airstrikes with AT-802 turboprops, Aircraft Specifications - Air Tractor AT-802U, UAE's AT-802Us And Chinese Drones Fly From This Shadowy Base In Libya

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Sources