In 1982 the Air Force bought its first aircraft, the Hughes 500 - Model 369D helicopter, for patrolling missions, though it soon crashed in March of that year, killing all five crewmembers aboard the plane at the time (Major Henk Fernandes, second lieutenant Norman de Miranda, soldier Tjon a Kon and soldier Kowid and American pilot Foster Ford).

In 1986 anti-government guerrilla activity from the Jungle Commando prompted the government to acquire two Aérospatiale SA.316B Alouette III helicopters from the Portuguese Air Force, one of which later crashed.

[6] In addition to patrol and transport duties, the two aircraft were used to protect Suriname's fishing industry, and participated in governmental anti-narcotics activities.

[7] In 2009, the Suriname Air Force ordered three single-engined HAL Chetak helicopters from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited for approximately US$13.4 million, facilitated through a line of credit from India.

[11][12] In January 2015, the three helicopters were delivered to Suriname Air Force,[13][14][15] which assigned them to the cities of Paramaribo, Nickerie, and Albina.