National Air Force of Angola National Air Force of Angola The National Air Force of Angola or FANA (Portuguese: "Força Aérea Nacional de Angola") is the air branch of the Armed Forces of Angola. With an inventory of more than 300 aircraft, FANA is (on paper) one of the largest air forces of Africa. Angola became independent from Portugal on 11 November 1975. However, the foundations for the establishment of the air force were laid before independence when members of the then Flying Club of Angola ("Aeroclube de Angola") were assembled at Luanda in October 1975. These people and aircraft left behind by the Portuguese
Colonial history of Angola Colonial history of Angola The colonial history of Angola is usually considered to run from the appearance of the Portuguese under Diogo Cão in 1482 (Congo) or 1484 (Angolan coast) until the independence of Angola in November 1975. Settlement did not begin until Novais's establishment of São Paulo de Loanda (Luanda) in 1575, however, and the Portuguese government only formally incorporated Angola as a colony in 1655 or on May 12, 1886. Luanda was founded in 1576 with a hundred families of settlers and 400 soldiers. Benguela was founded as a fort in 1587. Luanda was granted the status of