As of mid-1985, the centrepiece of the Angolan fighter-bomber operations remained the 9th Fighter Aviation Regiment (Regimento Aéreo de Caҫa, RAC). Established on 23 July 1984, and headquartered at Lubango AB, this regiment consisted of one operational conversion unit equipped with MiG21UMs, one flying older MiG-21PFMs, two equipped with MiG-21bis, a flight of two MiG-21Rs, and a flight of Mi-17 helicopters used for search and rescue purposes,
