Soko G-2 Galeb

The Soko G-2 Galeb (English: Seagull) is a Yugoslav single engine, two-seater jet trainer and light ground-attack aircraft. The G-2 was developed during the 1950s by the Aeronautical Technical Institute at Žarkovo as a replacement for the Lockheed T-33 in service with the Yugoslav Air Force (Serbo-Croatian: Ratno vazduhoplovstvo i protivvazdušna odbrana – RV i PVO). Production started in 1965 at the Soko aircraft factory in Mostar, and ended in 1985 with 248 aircraft delivered. The G-2 had the distinction of being the first mass-produced jet aircraft in socialist Yugoslavia. It also served as a basis for the single-seat ground-attack J-21 Jastreb.

The RV i PVO took delivery of 128 aircraft that were used by the Air Force Academy for training new pilots. The second largest operator of the Galeb was Libya, which acquired over 100 aircraft during the 1970s. A small number were also acquired by Zaire, Zambia and Indonesia. During the breakup of Yugoslavia, the Galebs were used for ground attack sorties throughout Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina. By 1992, RV i PVO G-2s relocated to Serbia and Montenegro where they operated with the Air Force of the new FR Yugoslavia. The aircraft remained in service until 1999 when the majority of them were destroyed on ground during the NATO bombing of Yugoslavia.

Libyan G-2s are used by the Libyan Air Force as of late 2013. A single aircraft remains in service with the Technical Test Center of the Serbian Armed Forces. A number of aircraft are still flown by civilians as warbirds, including the private aerobatic team "Stars" from Novi Sad.

Variants

 * G-2A: Two-seat advanced jet trainer, light attack aircraft.
 * G-2A-E: Two-seat export version for Libya and Zambia.
 * G-2Š: Unarmed trainer
 * G-3 Galeb-3: Prototype of export version first flown August 19th, 1970, with BMB (Rolls-Royce/Bristol Siddeley) Viper Mk.532 Turbojet engine from J-21 Jastreb, modern cockpit, cameras in tip-tanks, weapon load doubled, JATO and other modifications.

Users

 * Bosnia-Herzegovina
 * Bosnia-Herzegovina Air Force
 * Croatia
 * Croatian Air Force
 * Indonesia
 * IPTN
 * Libya
 * Libyan Air Force
 * Serbia
 * Serbian Air Force
 * Yugoslavia
 * Yugoslav Air Force
 * Zaire
 * Zairean Air Force
 * Zambia
 * Zambian Air Force