89-779: Camp Marmal was an installation of the Afghan Armed Forces . It was adjacent to Maulana Jalaluddin Balkhi International Airport in Mazar-i-Sharif , Afghanistan , at the foot of the Hindu Kush mountains. The camp was opened in September 2005. The camp gets its name from the bordering Marmal Mountains. Prior to the withdrawal of German troops, it was the largest base of the Bundeswehr outside Germany . Camp Marmal hosted
178-639: A central force reported at six battalions strong, plus additional second tier units, "the bulk of the army, ..made up of regional battalions, subordinate to local commanders of the Supervisory Council." On 16 January 1993 Jane's Defence Weekly reported that "a special assembly of 1335 delegates elected from across Afghanistan" had both elected Professor Burhanuddin Rabbani as President of the Islamic State of Afghanistan for two years, and agreed to "establish
267-603: A despise for the Mujahedeen warlords who had not brought peace to the nation. With the breakdown of logistical systems, the cannibalization of surviving airframes was widespread. The US air campaign in the fall of 2001 destroyed most of the remaining Afghan aircraft. After the end of the Soviet war in 1989 and collapse of Najibullah 's government, the Taliban took over Kabul in 1996. Afghanistan faced substantial economic sanctions from
356-522: A dozen An-24 and An-32s , an IL-18 , and a Yakovlev. Their civil air service contained two Boeing 727 A/Bs, a Tu-154 , five An-24s , and a DHC-6 . On 3 August 1995, Taliban Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 fighters forced a Russian Ilyushin-76 cargo plane carrying arms from Albania to Afghanistan to land at Kandahar . Negotiations between the Russian government and the Taliban to free the men stalled for over
445-466: A few other aircraft for which it depended on assistance from neighboring Tajikistan. While the land forces, the army, changed fundamentally under the Taliban from 1996 to 2001 , the air force was an exception in that the old structures and chain of command were maintained. With its founding in 1994 the Taliban invited former Communist Pilots to join their ranks which many Khalqists and Pashtun Parchamites willingly accepted due to ethnic solidarity or
534-438: A few pilots have returned since the Taliban takeover. On 11 January 2022, Taliban's minister of Defence Mullah Yaqoob asked Uzbekistan and Tajikistan to return the aircraft that were used by Afghan pilots to flee the country and warned of repercussions if the aircraft are not returned. On 6 February 2022, Taliban's Ministry of Defence spokesperson Enayatullah Khwarizmi announced that around five Afghan pilots have returned to
623-570: A further four due before the end of 2016. Combat-ready Afghan Super Tucano pilots graduated from training at Moody AFB returned to Afghanistan, the first of a total of 30 pilots the USAF trained. By March 2018, the AAF had 12 Super Tucanos in service. On 22 March 2018, the Afghan Air Force dropped a GBU-58 Paveway II laser-guided bomb from a Super Tucano in combat, for the first time. The U.S. Navy equipped
712-585: A long history in Afghanistan. The aircraft was operated extensively during the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, mainly for attacking mujahideen fighters. Early in the war, the only anti-air weapons of the mujahideen were Soviet made shoulder-launched, heat-seeking SAMs and American Redeye, which had either been captured from the Soviets or their Afghan allies or were supplied from Western sources. Many of them came from stocks
801-600: A part of this two Indian Air Force teams visited Afghanistan and identified around 50 aircraft which could be serviced and brought back to active service. This included Mi-25/35, Mi-8 and An-32s aircraft. Twenty attack aircraft that could also be used for training and to provide the Army with close air support were desired. The two contenders were the Embraer A-29 Super Tucano and the Beechcraft AT-6 . Embraer won
890-616: A period where the entire fleet was grounded for over six months). The US military worked over the course of three years with Alenia North America to get the fleet fully operational. Part of the issues with supplying the C-27As came about from ownership. The C-27A program included an initial parts supply and training contract for the Afghan Air Force. Upon arrival of the first two aircraft in November 2009, Brig. Gen. Michael R. Boera, commanding general, Combined Air Power Transition Force and commander of
979-620: A regular army with soldiers mostly drawn from Mojahedin groups." Pakistan had offered training assistance. However, a Civil War started between the various warlords, including Ahmad Shah Massoud , Gulbuddin Hekmatyar , Abdul Rashid Dostum, Abdul Ali Mazari , Jalaluddin Haqqani , Ismail Khan , Atta Muhammad Nur , Abdul Rasul Sayyaf , Mohammad Nabi Mohammadi , Mohammad Yunus Khalis , Gul Agha Sherzai and many others. The Taliban movement arose around Kandahar in southern Afghanistan and defeated
SECTION 10
#17328513765191068-548: A year and efforts by American senator Hank Brown to mediate between the two parties broke down over a prisoner exchange. Brown was able to get the Taliban to agree that the Russian crew should be allowed to maintain their aircraft. This request paved the way for their escape. The army under the Taliban Islamic Movement was inaugurated on 8 November 2021 as the Army of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan , which
1157-676: Is also referred to as the Islamic National Army , the Islamic Emirate Army and the Afghan Army . The army itself relies heavily on captured hardware from the defeated Afghan National Army. Approximately 2,000 vehicles fell into Taliban hands after the Fall of Kabul , including the Humvee , M1117 Guardian , MaxxPro MRAP and Oshkosh ATV . In terms of infantry equipment, captured items include
1246-650: The 2021 Taliban offensive , Taliban fighters targeted Afghan Air Force pilots. Many pilots escaped to Uzbekistan and Tajikistan , bringing a number the AAF aircraft with them. Satellite pictures analysis of 16 August indicated that the Termez Airport held multiple AAF aircraft: including various Mi-17 , Mi-25 and UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters, as well some A-29s and C-208s airplanes. An Afghan A-29 Super Tucano crashed in Uzbekistan's Surxondaryo Region . Two pilots ejected and landed with parachutes. Initially it
1335-546: The 438th Air Expeditionary Wing announced that the aircraft were part of the Afghan National Army Air Corps in a ceremony at Kabul International Airport. The contract for the aircraft, a 14-month effort, had the U.S. government as the end user of the aircraft due to an Italian arms embargo with Afghanistan. The U.S. declaration that the C-27A was now an Afghan Air Force asset effectively violated international law and
1424-548: The Armed Forces of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan ( Pashto : د اسلامي امارت وسله وال ځواکونه , Dari : نیروهای مسلح امارت اسلامی افغانستان) and also referred to as the Islamic Emirate Armed Forces , is the military of Afghanistan , commanded by the Taliban government from 1997 to 2001 and since August 2021. According to Afghanistan's Ministry of Defense , its total manpower is 170,000. The Taliban created
1513-517: The Emirate of Afghanistan 's forces in 1919, during the Third Anglo-Afghan War . However, the aircraft he was given were not made into a separate air arm until 1924. For the next decade, Soviet pilots performed the bulk of the flying and equipping for the AAF, probably about one-half of the aircraft were Polikarpov R-1s , a Soviet copy of the de Havilland DH.9A. Most AAF aircraft were destroyed in
1602-591: The Islamic Emirate Air Force and the Afghan Air Force . The air force acquired UH-60 Black Hawks , Mil Mi-24s (most of them without engines), Mil Mi-8s / Mil Mi-17s , A-29 Super Tucanos , Cessna 208s , and C-130 Hercules . On 11 January 2022, the air force successfully repaired and flew unserviceable aircraft which were abandoned by the US Army and the former Afghan National Army after Kabul fell to
1691-515: The M4 carbine , M16 rifle , night-vision goggles, body armor suits, communication equipment and shoulder-mounted grenade launchers. These U.S. made firearms are reportedly replacing Russian made AK-47s and AK-74s carried by most Taliban fighters. From 1 September 2021 to 10 January 2022, 15,102 newly trained fighters were inducted into the Islamic Emirate Army as calculated on the official site,
1780-641: The NATO Air Training Command-Afghanistan in 2010, aimed to rebuild and modernize the Afghan Air Force. It served as the air component of the NATO Combined Security Transition Command-Afghanistan which was responsible for organising the Afghan Armed Forces. The AAF possessed 161 aircraft in 2021 and had in 2020 over 7,500 personnel. The Resolute Support Mission intended to raise the ranks of
1869-623: The Shuttleworth Collection . In 1947, the Air Force was redesignated the Royal Afghan Air Force (RAAF), a title it retained until further political upheaval in 1973. By 1960, the Royal Afghan Air Force consisted of approximately 100 combat aircraft including MiG-15 fighters, Il-28 light bombers, transports, and a few helicopters. Also by that time, a small number of Afghan pilots were undergoing undergraduate pilot training in
SECTION 20
#17328513765191958-575: The United States Department of Defense (DOD) aimed to procure 30 additional armed MD-530F helicopters and 6 additional A-29 attack aircraft to replace the Mil Mi-35 in service with the AAF. DOD asked for funds to add an additional five AC-208s to the fleet. The requested FY2017 Afghan Security Forces Fund (ASFF) budget, including the 23 additional funds for the first year of the planned procurement, went to Congress on 10 November 2016. As part of
2047-422: The 14th Flying Training Wing Commander said of the pilots, "The extraordinary dedication of these pilots and the sacrifices these graduates have made will help establish a secure, stable and unified country". The pilot graduates and the remaining 22 student pilots were to receive further, advisory support in Afghanistan. The first four aircraft arrived at Hamid Karzai International Airport on 15 January 2016, with
2136-475: The 1960s. During the 1980s, the Soviet Union built up the Afghan Air Force, first in an attempt to defeat the mujahideen and in hopes that strong Afghan airpower would preserve the pro-Soviet government of Mohammad Najibullah . When Najibullah eventually fell in 1992 the Afghan Air Force may have counted 350 aircraft. The collapse of Najibullah's government in 1992 and the continuation of a civil war throughout
2225-516: The 1990s reduced the number of Afghan aircraft to some 35–40. During Operation Enduring Freedom in late 2001, in which the Taliban government was ousted from power, all that remained of the AAF was a few helicopters. In 2006, the Afghan National Army Air Corps was established, and was renamed the Afghan Air Force in 2010 while remaining part of the Afghan National Army . Since 2007, the U.S.-led Combined Air Power Transition Force, renamed
2314-497: The AAF to 8,000 airmen and increase the number of aircraft, which were progressively getting more advanced. Following the withdrawal of NATO forces in the summer of 2021, in addition to a large-scale offensive by the Taliban , the mostly non-functional Air Force largely disintegrated. This culminated in the Fall of Kabul and President Ashraf Ghani fleeing to the United Arab Emirates . Large numbers of airmen either fled
2403-487: The Afghan Air Force and Gen. Abdul Fahim Ramin as the final Afghan Air Force Commander. Abdul Raziq Sherzai served as a major general and commander of the Kandahar Air Wing. Abdul Raziq Sherzai is the brother of Nangarhar Province province governor Gul Agha Sherzai . In 2013 Afghanistan sent India a large wish-list of equipment which included one An-32 and two squadrons of Mi-17 and Mi-35 helicopters. This deal
2492-727: The Afghan Air Force and had called on US-trained Afghan pilots to return to Afghanistan. In July 1921, the RSFSR promised to deliver aircraft free of charge to the Afghan government. In 1924 and 1925 the new air force first saw action when it fought against the Khost rebellion . From 1921, the Soviet Union and the United Kingdom provided a small number of aircraft to King Amanullah Khan ; who had been impressed with British India's use of aircraft against
2581-558: The Afghan Air Force to continue to train while the C-27A fleet was effectively out of service for over a year, making transition to the C-130 a feasible alternative. The Mi-17 was in service with the Afghan Air Force since the late 1970s (four were damaged or destroyed in combat as early as 1979). DOD purchased a number of new Mi-17s for the AAF from Russia, the Czech Republic and Slovakia. At least two Mi-17s were reported to have crashed during
2670-460: The Afghan Air Force with intent to turn over the asset in the future. This determination assumed that the Italian embargo would at some point be lifted, or that enough supplies could be stock piled to take the aircraft through its expected 10-year service life, but that determination was not immediate. This caused a delay of contracted goods beyond the time frame of the initial contract through no fault of
2759-584: The Afghan Air Force with refurbished An-32 transport aircraft during initial reconstruction efforts. These aircraft augmented an existing fleet of An-32 and An-26 aircraft. The An-32 was retired on 17 June 2011 in a push to move operations over to the C27 program but like the L-39, it is still kept in ready status by the Afghan Air Force. The United States purchased the C-27A to move the AAF away from Soviet aircraft. A total of 20 former Italian military C-27As were purchased with
Camp Marmal - Misplaced Pages Continue
2848-524: The Afghan Armed Forces depends heavily upon AAF fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft for airlift of soldiers and supplies between corps operating locations, medical and casualty evacuation, and transport of human remains. The Afghan government also relied on the AAF for transportation of election materials during the 2009 presidential election . It was announced in October 2011 that the Afghan Air Force would be provided with 145 multi-type aircraft and 21 helicopters. By
2937-765: The Afghan Armed Forces in 1985 were reduced to no more than about 47,000, the actual figure probably being lower. The Air Force had over 150 combat aircraft with about 7,000 officers who were supported by up to 5,000 Cuban Revolutionary Air and Air Defense Force and Czechoslovak Air Force advisers. Under the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan (1978–1992), weapon deliveries by the Soviets were increased and included Mi-24 helicopters, MiG-23 fighter aircraft, ZSU-23-4 Shilka and ZSU-57-2 anti-aircraft self-propelled mounts, MT-LB armored personnel carriers, BM-27 Uragan and BM-21 Grad multiple-launch rocket systems and 9K52 Luna-M and Scud missile launchers. Some of
3026-444: The Afghan National Army Air Corps (ANAAC) was renamed the Afghan Air Force (AAF) by order of Afghan President Hamid Karzai . Also in the same year, a number of female trainers completed their courses and were commissioned as lieutenants . More were being trained as the numbers of air force personnel increased. As of March 2011, the Afghan Air Force (AAF) had 44 rotary-wing and 13 fixed-wing aircraft in serviceable condition. By
3115-730: The Afghan government had also acquired transport helicopters and a number of Ukrainian military aircraft. The North Kabul International Airport cantonment area included the new headquarters for the Afghan Air Force and 201st Kabul Air Wing. The wing's three operational squadrons, one fixed-wing, one rotary-wing, and the Presidential Airlift Squadron, were housed there. The cantonment area includes state-of-the-art hangars as well as operations, logistics, billeting, dining, and recreational facilities. Extensive AAF facilities were also constructed at Kandahar International Airport . A number of Afghan pilots and pilot-candidates travelled to
3204-774: The Afghanistan GCPSU, which function under the Islamic Republic up until 2021 as a police tactical unit. The Taliban created and ran a small air force in from 1996 to 2001. In late 2001 Operation Crescent Wind was the initial series of U.S. air strikes on Afghanistan. Initial U.S. targets included command and control nodes , air defenses, as well as the modest Air Force, with the airports of Kabul , Herat , Kandahar , Zaranj and Mazar-i-Sharif being targeted. The Taliban were believed to have had 40 pilots capable of getting some 50 Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 ( ASCC "Fishbed") and Sukhoi Su-22s (ASCC "Fitter") airborne, though there
3293-760: The Afghanistan War. The most recent DOD acquisition of Mi-17s was for 21 airframes, spare parts and training. These all include western avionics. Eighteen of these were delivered in 2012. As part of the contract, there was also an option for another twelve Mi-17s, raising the contract to 33. They were modified in the UAE after being delivered to the US Army to fit Afghan Air Force requirements better before being sent to Afghanistan. The Afghan Air Force possessed two Mi-17v5 Flight Training Devices, one Mi-17v5 Basic Aircraft Training Device, and one Mi-17 Cockpit Procedure Trainer built by Fidelity Technologies Corporation. The Air Force
3382-605: The Afghans employed with devastating effect. In the first use of the Stinger in Afghanistan, mujahideen fighters downed three of eight unsuspecting Soviet Mi-24 Hinds as they approached the airfield at Jalalabad on a late September afternoon. Some scholars point to that event in 1986 as the turning point in the war. Moreover, for most of the remainder of the war when Stingers were known to be present, Soviet and Afghan aircraft elected to remain at higher altitudes where they were less vulnerable to
3471-665: The Air Force had at least 240 fixed-wing fighters, fighter-bombers and light bombers. Midway through the Soviet–Afghan War , one estimate listed the following inventory: Additionally, the Afghan Air Force probably operated some 40 or more transports, including the Antonov An-26 , Antonov An-24 , and Antonov An-2 . Another estimate in 1988 painted a more detailed picture of the Afghan Air Force: The Mil Mi-24 and Mi-35 (export model) attack helicopters have
3560-401: The Air Force lost four Mi-8s. Improvements in the early-to-mid-1970s notwithstanding, the Air Force remained relatively small until after the 1979–80 Soviet intervention in Afghanistan . While the Afghan Air Force was equipped with a large inventory – probably some 400 aircraft in the mid-1980s – many of them were manned and maintained by advisors from Czechoslovakia and Cuba . In many cases,
3649-470: The C-130 is that the cockpit and cargo compartment configurations of the C-27A are similar to that of a C-130H. The C-27A simulator program, contracted to Fidelity Technologies Corporation, produced three C-27A simulators: one Fuselage Load Trainer (cargo compartment), one Flight Training Device (cockpit), and one Basic Aircraft Training Device (cockpit). These training devices were built to FAA standards from two derelict U.S. Air Force C-27A aircraft and allowed
Camp Marmal - Misplaced Pages Continue
3738-606: The Israelis had captured during their wars with Soviet client states in the Middle East. Owing to a combination of the limited capabilities of these early types of missiles, poor training and poor material condition of the missiles, they were not particularly effective. Beginning in 1986, the US supplied the mujahideen with its state-of-the-art heat-seeking missile, the FIM-92 Stinger , which
3827-499: The Italian government enforced the embargo and stopped shipment of contracted supplies to Afghanistan. This put the U.S. government in a dilemma since the $ 290 million contract was funded through the Afghanistan Security Forces Fund (ASFF) which required, by U.S. law, that all military materials purchased be turned over to the Afghan government. The C-27A was eventually determined to be a U.S. owned asset utilized by
3916-605: The Middle East. According to people interviewed by the Los Angeles Times , Viktor Bout 's companies helped in running the airline. It was 2005 before a US-led, international effort began to rebuild the Afghan Air Force. Marion writes: In 2005, the Americans took the first tentative steps to reestablishing an Afghan presidential airlift capability in keeping with a directive from U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld . In May 2005, Afghan officials named Major General Dawran
4005-446: The Soviets were reluctant to entrust Afghan pilots with either the latest aircraft models or high priority missions and, indeed, a number of Afghan pilots were equally reluctant to conduct air strikes against their countrymen. The Afghan Air Force was at its strongest in the 1980s and early 1990s, producing some concern on the part of neighboring countries. The Air Force had at least 7,000 personnel plus 5,000 foreign advisors. At its peak,
4094-457: The Super Tucanos for $ 427 million. The first ten aircraft were to be stationed at Shindand Air Base , in western Afghanistan. The other 10 were to go to Kandahar Airfield . Pilot training was undertaken by the U.S. Air Force's 81st Fighter Squadron at Moody Air Force Base , Georgia . On 18 December 2015, the first Super Tucano pilots graduated at Moody AFB . USAF Colonel John Nichols,
4183-468: The Taliban . A new Taliban commander of the Afghan Air Force spoke as part of the announcement. According to the testimony of Guantanamo detainees before their Combatant Status Review Tribunals , the Taliban, in addition to conscripting men to serve as soldiers, also conscripted men to staff its civil service . According to a report from the University of Oxford , the Taliban made widespread use of
4272-572: The Taliban's victory in the War in Afghanistan on 15 August 2021 following the recapture of Kabul and the collapse of the U.S.-backed Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and its Afghan National Army as a whole, with the re-establishment of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan after being out of power for 20 years. In April 1978 there was a coup, known as the Saur Revolution , orchestrated by members of
4361-441: The Taliban. Afghan Air Force The General Command of the Air Force ( Pashto : د هوايي ځواک عمومي قومندان , Dari : فرماندهی کل نیروی هوایی ) also referred to as the Islamic Emirate Air Force and the Afghan Air Force , is the air force branch of the Afghan Armed Forces . The Royal Afghan Air Force was established in 1921 under the reign of King Amanullah and significantly modernized by King Zahir Shah in
4450-509: The United States beginning in May 2009 for English language training, to be followed by instrument training for the pilots and undergraduate pilot training for the pilot-candidates. This was the start of an initiative that, within the following years, was to produce a small cadre of seasoned, instrument-rated Afghan Air Force pilots as well as a larger number of younger, well-trained pilots to serve as
4539-479: The United States, while others attended training in the Soviet Union, India , and several European countries. In 1973 King Zahir Shah was deposed and Mohammed Daoud Khan became the country's president. During his five years in power, until the Saur Revolution of 1978, Daoud gained Soviet assistance to upgrade the capabilities and increase the size of the Afghan Air Force, introducing newer models of Soviet MiG-21 fighters and An-24 and An-26 transports. In 1979
SECTION 50
#17328513765194628-449: The average number of new soldiers inducted is 120 soldiers per week not counting paramilitaries. Currently the conventional land forces of the Islamic Emirate Army are subdivided into eight corps, mostly superseding the previous corps of the former Afghan National Army. The conventional land warfare corps of the Islamic Emirate Army were renamed in November 2021 by Mullah Yaqoob , Acting Minister of Defense . They are listed below. All
4717-578: The backbone of the Afghan Air Force for the next generation. Other NATC-A-led programs include English language and technical courses for AAF personnel in various specialties including aircraft maintenance, logistics, communications, and engineering. As of June 2009, the Air Force numbered about 2,400 airmen, with a planned strength of 7,400 airmen within several years. In late 2009, the AAF began receiving refurbished former Italian Air Force Aeritalia G.222 tactical transports , named C-27 in U.S. service, and Mi-17V5 Hip transport helicopters . In June 2010,
4806-871: The base was handed over to the Afghan Armed Forces and the last German troops left Afghanistan. On 15 August 2021, Taliban forces conquered the airbase from the Afghan Air Force during the Taliban's military offensive to take over the country. The German military hospital was completed in 2007. Its primary purpose was to provide emergency services to the RSM troops. German civilians in Afghanistan and aid workers were also served, either under contract or in cases of emergency. Local Afghans were also cared for, as capacity and means permitted. Along with two operating units, there were specialists, outpatient clinics, intensive and intermediate care stations. The hospital, pharmacy, and laboratory had approximately 80 military personnel. Afghan Armed Forces The Afghan Armed Forces , officially
4895-479: The city of Kabul. By 1992 the Afghan Army fragmented into regional militias under local warlords because of the fall of the Soviet Union which stopped supplying the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan's Armed Forces and later in 1992 when the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan government lost power. The fall of the Moscow-backed regime in 1992 disintegrated the state as well as the army. Bits and pieces of
4984-487: The civil war that began in December 1928, and it was not before 1937 that a serious rebuilding effort began. From the late 1930s until World War II, British Hawker Hind and Italian IMAM Ro.37 aircraft constituted the bulk of the Afghan Air Force, which by 1938 amounted to about 30 planes in service. The Hawker Hind remained in the Afghan inventory until 1957, and as of 2009 one former Afghan Air Force Hawker Hind still flew in
5073-896: The commander of the new Afghan Air Corps. Later that year, a small team led by Colonel John Hansen, U.S. Army, began working with Afghan airmen at Kabul International Airport. By mid-2006, Colonel Hansen had developed a plan for the Air Corps that became the basis for the Combined Air Power Transition Force (CAPTF) that began work the following year. For the first time in over two decades Afghanistan began training new pilots. In January 2008, President Hamid Karzai said that his country's Air Force had been reborn after inaugurating its new headquarters at Kabul International Airport freshly equipped with new aircraft. It had received 26 new and refurbished aircraft, including Czech-donated Mi-35 Hind helicopter gunships. With United States funding,
5162-527: The conscription of children in 1997, 1998 and 1999. During the civil war that preceded the Taliban regime, thousands of orphaned boys joined various militia for "employment, food, shelter, protection and economic opportunity." The report said that during its initial period the Taliban "long depended upon cohorts of youth". Witnesses stated that each land-owning family had to provide one young man and $ 500 in expenses. In August of 1999, approximately 5000 students aged between 15 and 35 left madrassas in Pakistan to join
5251-426: The contractor, and made it necessary for the U.S. government to enter into a second more costly maintenance contract with Alenia North America to get aircraft operational. Since the C-27A aircraft purchased still had Italian military air worthiness certificates controlled by the company, Alenia North America effectively monopolized the entire supply chain making fair competition non-existent. This second contract inflated
5340-511: The corps beyond Kabul can be definitively tied to previous Afghan National Army (ANA) formations. However the number '313' was not utilized by the ANA, in Kabul or beyond, and the only former Taliban unit with that number was the Badri 313 Battalion . Other reported units include the Victorious Force Unit and the Panipat unit . The Badri 313 Battalion , the Red Unit , and the " Yarmouk 60 Special Forces Battalion " may have some special forces capabilities. These are not to be confused with
5429-423: The country and resumed their work. As of July 2021, the Afghan Air Force had 161 aircraft with, as of May 2020, 7,505 personnel. There are four Afghan Air Force wings: The command center of the Afghan Air Force was located at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul. The Shindand Air Base in Herat Province served as the main training facility. Lt. Gen. Mohammad Dawran was the final Chief of Staff of
SECTION 60
#17328513765195518-408: The country or stood down in the face of the Taliban, with many fixed and rotary-wing aircraft being destroyed or captured by the Taliban. Many other fixed and rotary-wing aircraft had flown to neighboring countries. It was reported that 46 aircraft (22 fixed-wing and 24 helicopters) have so far ended up at Termez Airport in Uzbekistan . After the takeover, Taliban expressed their intention to rebuild
5607-416: The different mujahideen factions in the ongoing civil war. By the end of the 1990s, the Taliban maintained five supersonic MiG-21MF and 10 Sukhoi Su-22 fighter-bombers. They also held six Mil Mi-8 helicopters, five Mi-35s, five L-39Cs, six An-12s, 25 An-26s, a dozen An-24/32s, an IL-18, and a Yakovlev. The Afghan Northern Alliance /United Front operated a small number of helicopters and transports and
5696-403: The end of 2011, the AAF had 16 C-27As (on loan from the U.S. government) and 35 of the new Mi-8 Hips while continuing to operate the older Mi-17s and retiring the An-32 fleet. Further growth of the AAF depended on decisions regarding the size of the Afghan National Army which, in turn, determined AAF requirements. In a country of rugged terrain possessing limited ground transportation options,
5785-526: The end of 2011, the Afghan Air Force had a total of 4,900 airmen and personnel. By 2016 the Afghan Air Force was planned to expand to 8,000 airmen and 145 operational aircraft. To that end there was continuing expansion in infrastructure, training and maintenance facilities. The US also purchased modern equipment and aircraft including Russian Mi-17 helicopters. Significant investment went into purchasing modern training aircraft such as MD 500 helicopters and fixed-wing Cessna 182 and 208 planes. In 2016–17,
5874-417: The final Taliban offensive, the Taliban also deployed a secretive drone unit to attack high value targets such as government officials. On 1 September 2021, the Taliban flew a Black Hawk displaying the flag of the Taliban over Kabul. The top leadership of the Taliban announced their intentions to rebuild the Air Force. They have also encouraged US-trained Afghan pilots to return to Afghanistan. However, only
5963-404: The first iteration of the Emirate's armed forces in 1997 after taking over Afghanistan following the end of the Afghan Civil War which raged between 1992 and 1996 . However, the first iteration of the armed forces was dissolved in 2001 after the downfall of the first Taliban government following the United States invasion of Afghanistan . It was officially reestablished on 8 November 2021 after
6052-500: The fragmented military either disappeared or joined the warring factions that were locked in a drawn-out power struggle. The warring factions were composed of odd assortments of armed groups with varying levels of loyalties, political commitment, professional skills, and organizational integrity. After the fall of Mohammad Najibullah 's regime in 1992, the various Afghan political parties began to assemble their own more formal armed forces. By February 1992 Massoud's Jamiat-i-Islami had
6141-439: The government loyal to the People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan (PDPA). This led to a full-scale Soviet invasion in December 1979 by the 40th Army , plus the 103rd Guards Airborne Division . In 1981 the total strength of the Afghan Armed Forces was around 85,000 troops according to The New York Times . The Afghan Army had around 35–40,000 soldiers, mostly conscripts; the Afghan Air Force had around 7,000 personnel; and
6230-423: The intent of providing the Afghan Air Force a fleet that would last 10 years. However, the prime contractor in the refurbishment and supply of the planes, Alenia Aermacchi North America, a unit of Italian defense conglomerate Finmeccanica S.p.A., was unable to provide adequate maintenance support for the aircraft. As a result, the majority of the fleet at any time was grounded for safety of flight issues (including
6319-421: The international sector during the Taliban regime. The sanctions, along with the Taliban government's control of Ariana Afghan Airlines and the grounding of many of the carrier's international flights, had a devastating effect on the economic health of the company through the 1990s. The fleet was reduced to only a handful of Russian and Ukrainian built An-26s , Yak-40s and three Boeing 727s , which were used on
6408-402: The longest domestic routes and military transport roles. With no overseas assets, by 1999 Ariana's international operations consisted of flights to Dubai only; also, limited cargo flights continued into China 's western provinces. However, sanctions imposed by UN Security Council Resolution 1267 forced the airline to suspend overseas operations. In November 2001 ( 2001-11 ) , Ariana
6497-482: The missile, but also less effective in ground attacks. Although employed extensively throughout the war as a ground attack platform, the Hind suffered from a weak tail boom and was found to be underpowered for some missions it was called upon to perform in the mountains of Afghanistan, where high density altitude is especially problematic for rotary-wing aircraft. Overall, the Hind proved effective and very reliable, earning
6586-503: The mujahideen rebel attacks continued and grew in intensity. For several years the Afghan Armed Forces had actually increased their effectiveness past levels ever achieved during the Soviet military presence. The eleven-year Siege of Khost ended with the city's fall in March 1991. But the government was dealt a major blow when Abdul Rashid Dostum , a leading general, switched allegiances to the mujahideen forces in 1992 and together they captured
6675-467: The mujahideen, Turkey sold its World War II stockpiles, and the British and Swiss provided Blowpipe missiles and Oerlikon anti-aircraft guns respectively, after they were found to be poor models for their own forces. China provided the most relevant weapons, likely due to their own experience with guerrilla warfare , and kept meticulous record of all the shipments. Following the Soviet withdrawal in 1989
6764-457: The old regime, there is hardly any organizational or professional continuity from the past. But these units really exist in name only ... in fact only their military bases still exist, accommodating and supporting an assortment of militia groups. During the 1990s the Taliban's air force had five supersonic MiG-21MFs and 10 Sukhoi-22 fighter-bombers. They also had six Mil Mi-8 helicopters, five Mi-35s , five L-39Cs , six An-12s , 25 An-26s ,
6853-544: The political legitimacy or administrative efficiency of a state. The militia formations they command are composed of odd assortments of armed groups with varying level of loyalties, political commitment, professional skills, and organizational integrity. Many of them feel free to switch sides, shift loyalties, and join or leave the group spontaneously. The country suffers from the absence of a top political layer capable of controlling individual and group violence. ... Although both sides identify their units with military formations of
6942-581: The previous contract but the tendering process was cancelled after it was discovered that proper procedures were not followed. A winner for the new contract was expected in June 2013 with first deliveries expected to begin in the third quarter of 2014, about 15 months after originally planned. The Super Tucano was declared the winner of the contract again in 2013. The contract was to be completed by Sierra Nevada Corp. for 20 A-29 Super Tucanos with an expected delivery date of between December 2015 and 2018. DOD purchased
7031-464: The removal of the Taliban government in late 2001, private armies loyal to warlords gained more and more influence. In mid-2001, Ali Jalali wrote: The army (as a state institution, organized, armed, and commanded by the state) does not exist in Afghanistan today. Neither the Taliban-led "Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan" nor the "Islamic State of Afghanistan" headed by the ousted President Rabbani has
7120-529: The respect of both Soviet and Afghan pilots as well as ordinary Afghans throughout the country. The mujahideen nicknamed the Mi-24 the "Devil's Chariot" due to its notorious reputation. After the Soviet withdrawal and the departure of foreign advisors, the Air Force declined in terms of operational capability. With the collapse of the Najibullah Government in 1992, the Air Force splintered, breaking up amongst
7209-598: The total of all military personnel was around 87,000 in 1984. Throughout the 1980s, the Afghan Armed Forces was heavily involved in fighting against the mujahideen rebel groups who were largely backed by the United States and trained by the Pakistan Armed Forces . The rebel groups were fighting to force the Soviet Union to withdraw from Afghanistan as well as to remove the Soviet-backed government of President Mohammad Najibullah . Due to large number of defectors,
7298-435: The total program cost to over $ 600 million, and it would have cost over $ 1.2 billion had the U.S. opted to extend the contract up to 10 years. The contract with Alenia North America was eventually terminated. It was announced that the contractor had failed to meet their legal obligations, and that the Afghan Air Force would receive four Lockheed C-130 Hercules transport aircraft, expected in 2013. The G-222 program legacy to
7387-724: The troops of Train Advise Assist Command – North belonging to the NATO Resolute Support Mission which succeeded the International Security Assistance Force in 2014. The base had a large medical center for the German forces, their NATO allies, and local civilians. The base supported German combat operations in Afghanistan in early 2009 . Germany began building the site on 3 November 2005 and became operational on 2 August 2006. In June 2021,
7476-420: The various armed movements there that had squabbled since the dissolution of the previous Afghan Army and Afghan Air Force . They moved to confront Ahmed Shah Massoud 's forces by marching to the gates of Kabul in March 1995. During the 1990s the Taliban maintained 400 T-54/55 and T-62 tanks and more than 200 armoured personnel carriers. The Taliban also began training its own army and commanders. After
7565-405: The weapons that were not damaged during the decades of wars are still being used today. Weapons supplies were made available to the mujahideen rebel groups through numerous countries; the United States purchased all of Israel's captured Soviet weapons clandestinely, and then funnelled the weapons to the mujahideen rebels, while Egypt upgraded their own Army's weapons, and sent the older weapons to
7654-696: Was grounded completely. According to the Los Angeles Times : With the Taliban's blessing, Bin Laden effectively had hijacked Ariana, the national civilian airline of Afghanistan. For four years, according to former U.S. aides and exiled Afghan officials, Ariana's passenger and charter flights ferried Islamic militants, arms, cash and opium through the United Arab Emirates and Pakistan. Members of Bin Laden's Al Qaeda terrorist network were provided false Ariana identification that gave them free run of airports in
7743-430: Was initially put on hold due to fears of antagonizing India's regional rival Pakistan, but in 2014 India reached a compromise where instead of directly supplying the equipment it would instead pay Russia to deliver them. The deal included arms, ammunition and the refurbishment of weapon systems and aircraft left behind by the Soviets. India further agreed to help refurbish older Soviet-era aircraft in Afghan Air Force. As
7832-457: Was less concern about these as traditional interceptors as there was about them eventually being loaded with explosives and used to suicide bomb American encampments. After the re-establishment of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan and the fall of Kabul during the 2021 Taliban offensive , the Taliban established the Air Force of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan . This was also referred to as
7921-472: Was reported shot down by Uzbekistan air defenses, then the Prosecutor General's office in Uzbekistan issued a statement saying that an Afghan military plane had collided mid-air with an Uzbekistan Air Force MiG-29 , finally it also retracted the statement about the mid-air collision. Afghan pilots which escaped to Tajikistan were held in a sanitorium until they were freed in November 2021. During
#518481