After full-scale conflict began in 1991 in the newly independent republics of Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, the United Nations Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution, requesting an immediate UN arms embargo on Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Macedonia and Slovenia.

One Zlin 242L was lost on April 7, 1999 when it crashed about 1 kilometer west of Mantovo Accumulation Lake, near Radoviš, with the pilot escaping with minor injuries.

During the Kosovo crisis, the Macedonian Air Warfare and Air Defence Forces relocated all its aircraft to relatively safe locations, deep within Macedonian territory, from where it was actively involved in monitoring the troubled borders with Kosovo and Albania, as well as supplying a number of Kosovar Albanian refugee camps with food, water, and medical care.

Beginning in spring 2000, Albanian insurgents launched a large scale of frontal assaults on police stations, checkpoints, and border outposts in southern Serbia and Macedonia.

The first large-quantity delivery of new aircraft to the Macedonian Air Warfare and Air Defence Forces was made on March 23 with Ukraine donating four Mi-8MT combat helicopters, that served with Ukrainian contingent of KFOR on Kosovo, as well as an additional two Mi-24V Hind-E attack helicopters.

On the dawn of 25 March, as a response to assaults by Albanian insurgents on the town of Tetovo in northern Macedonia, government security forces launched a full-scale offensive in order to neutralize and eliminate them.

On June 23, one Su-25 took off from Petrovec Air base and conducted a reconnaissance over Arachinovo village where heavy fighting was underway.

The only loss of an aircraft incurred by the Macedonian Air Warfare and Air Defence Forces was the crash of the Mi-17 helicopter on March 17, after the helicopter's rotor blade struck a flag pole during takeoff at a hotel in the Popova Shapka ski resort.

This included the reports that Macedonia was attempting to acquire six J-21 Jastreb ground attack aircraft from Yugoslavia and ten Pilatus Britten-Norman BN2T-4S Defender 4000 multi-sensor surveillance from an unnamed country.

This was followed in early August by Greek media reports that Turkey was offering Macedonia a lease of two squadrons of F-16C/D Fighting Falcon fighter aircraft.

Additional rumours circulated in early August when the Sunday Times reported that Macedonia was contemplating purchasing the Su-25 Scorpion, a new "retrofit" version of the Frogfoot, complete with Israeli avionics fitted in the former Soviet republic of Georgia.

According to initial Macedonian media reports, the country, among others, would receive four G-4 Super Galeb jets, one An-26 transport aircraft, one Yak-40 transport aircraft, cabinets for pilot training for the Macedonian Military Academy "General Mihailo Apostolski", and surface-to-air missile systems.

As of today, there are no updates regarding the possibility of delivering Yugoslav weapons and equipment to Macedonia which raised doubts about the credibility of the reports.

The exercise activities of 501 Special Parachute Detachment" The "Falcons" encompassed a technical presentation of the equipment and the weaponry, combat search and rescue (CSAR) of pilots in hostile territory with a tactical operation called "Small Diamond.

The 501 Special Parachute Detachment" The "Falcons" also demonstrated the capability of directing Macedonian Air Warfare aircraft and cannon/rocket artillery fire towards enemy positions as a Joint Operations Terminal Attack Control (JOTAC) Team, marksmanship skills from Mi-8MT and Mi-24V helicopters, parachute jumps using static line and high-altitude low-opening (HALO) parachutes, and concluding with a simulated raid and capture of air base facilities.

PDO are all experienced professional soldiers who have participated in missions involving NATO and Partnership for Peace member states.

In December 2002 the Russian government proposed to pay off some old debts to Yugoslavia that were inherited by Macedonia with a transport aircraft (An-74?).

PDO uses Mi-24V, Mi-8MT, An-2R, and sometimes UH-1H aircraft North Macedonia was one of nine Central and Eastern European countries that are actively seeking membership in NATO.

North Macedonia has no intention of operating jet fighters in the future and will depend on its NATO allies for air cover.

These aircraft were out of service by 2004 and left outside in non-flyable condition at Skopje International Airport for several years.