Calling it the "birth of our air force," Afghan President Hamid Karzai opened a new $22 million U.S.-funded military hangar on Thursday to house a fleet that is expected to triple in the next three years.
Standing in the cavernous hangar opposite Kabul's international airport, Karzai thanked the U.S. for helping to buy six refurbished Mi-17 transport helicopters and six refurbished Mi-35 helicopter gunships from the Czech Republic, as well as four An-32 transport planes from Ukraine.
The newly acquired aircraft will help transport Afghan troops — who are taking on an increasing role in the battle against the Taliban — on missions around the country.
The new aircraft and upgraded flight facilities are part of a $183 million U.S.-funded program to bolster the Afghan air force...
Images via AP - (Scroll 1/2 page)
H/T Major Alberdeston
Comments
I had the privilege of working with MPRI in Kabul last year as a mentor to the Ministry of Defense. One of the MPRI teams that I became familiar with was the ANA Air Corps mentor group, and I came to know several of the ANAAC senior leaders. The combined efforts of US military personnel assigned to the US Army-led Combined Security Transition Command-Afghanistan, the ANAAC leaders, officers and emerging NCO corps, and MPRI professionals moved the Air Corps from being a pitiful collection of broken-down, non-airworthy aircraft and brave, but ill-trained pilots & crews toward being a first-class combat aviation organization.
When I left Kabul in May 2007, only one hangar in the complex had been completed; few aircraft were safe to fly, and pilot/crew training was still not satisfactory -- although everyone in the organization was working hard to reach some pretty lofty goals and were making good progress.
Seeing this article confirms my belief that the Afghans are (1) committed to victory over the jihadis, and (2) worthy of our investment of blood & treasure. The team the US has put in place is doing a magnificent job of helping some good people overcome truly daunting obstacles.
In terms of 'bang for the Buck,' the money and effort we're putting into the ANA is one of the best investments America has ever made in an ally.