Uganda’s Chief of Defence Forces, General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, officially commissioned a new LET L-410 transport aircraft into the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) Air Force on 10 July 2026, at Entebbe Air Base. The twin-engine turboprop was supplied by the Czech defence company OMNIPOL, which acquired the aircraft manufacturer’s assets, Aircraft Industries (formerly LET Kunovice), in 2022.
General Kainerugaba stated that the addition would enhance the UPDF’s capabilities in airlift, medical evacuation, and overall operational reach. “I urge the Air Force team to maintain these assets to the highest standards”, he emphasized to the attendees, noting that operational readiness is dependent as much on maintenance as on procurement. Additionally, he expressed gratitude to OMNIPOL for delivering the aircraft two months ahead of schedule.
The event was attended by Lieutenant General Charles Okidi, Commander of the Air Force and Air Force Chief of Staff, along with a delegation from OMNIPOL led by Chairman Ondrej Panenka.
THE VERSATILE AIRCRAFT
The L-410 is a design dating back to the 1960s, which has undergone several modernization phases. The version delivered to Uganda is based on the latest L-410 NG (New Generation) standard. It accommodates up to 19 passengers in its standard configuration within a spacious cabin that allows ground crews to reconfigure roles in under an hour, utilizing fold-up seats and quick-change kits.
As a cargo transport, the crew can rapidly clear the cabin and install a floor-mounted net restraint system in approximately 10 minutes. The NG variant has a maximum payload capacity of roughly 2,300 kg. When configured for medical evacuation, it can carry 6 stretcher patients along with 3 seated patients or attendants. The aircraft can also serve as an 8-seat VIP transport, fitted with a wide door and handrails for up to 18 paratroopers.
Equipped with 2 General Electric H85-200 engines and 5-blade AV-725 propellers, the NG variant achieves a cruise speed of approximately 417 km/h and a range of about 2,600 km, with a take-off runway of around 590 meters. Aircraft Industries also rates the aircraft for operation within a temperature range of -50°C to +50°C, providing ample margin for Uganda’s diverse climate.
Photo: UPDF
ADDRESSING A GAP IN AN EXPANDING FLEET
Alongside the Let 410 handover was at least one Diamond DA 62 MPP Guardian aircraft. Uganda acquired a single DA 42 MPP Guardian from the Austrian manufacturer a number of years ago, but it was destroyed in a crash in December 2023. Last year Africa Intelligence reported Uganda recently signed a contract with Diamond Aircraft for four DA 62 surveillance aircraft. Diamond Aircraft has sold its intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft across Africa, with customers including Nigeria, Rwanda, Ghana, and Niger. Most recently, Nigeria’s Oyo State Government this week received two DA 42 M-NG aircraft, which will be used for surveillance against bandits and other criminals.
Since 2022, when the UPDF became an operator of Mil Mi-28 attack helicopters, Uganda has been steadily updating and diversifying its aircraft fleet. In April 2023, President Yoweri Museveni commissioned the first locally overhauled Mi-24 gunship. In 2025, the UPDF received 4 Diamond DA62 aircraft for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions. That same year, General Kainerugaba inspected a demonstrator L-39 Skyfox light attack jet at Entebbe.
A UPDF Mi-24 helicopter deployed for the African Union mission in Somalia crashed at Mogadishu’s Aden Abdulle International Airport in July 2025, resulting in 5 fatalities. The L-410, being unarmed and primarily intended for transport and evacuation, is of a different category; however, its selection continues the effort to keep the fleet current and tailored to operational needs. Uganda is among the several countries that operate the L-410, with over 1,200 units of various versions built since the aircraft’s first flight in 1969.
Military officials quoted in Ugandan media indicate that the L-410 will augment flexibility in both security-aligned and humanitarian missions. The L-410 is designed for low maintenance and operating costs relative to its size. Its ability to operate from short, unpaved strips (Short Take-Off and Landing capabilities) reduces the need for costly airfield upgrades in remote operational areas.Its immediate value will be demonstrated through routine missions such as medical evacuations and resupply missions to units.