Afghan Air Force
Encyclopedia
The Afghan Air Force formerly the Afghan National Army Air Corps and Afghan National Army Air Force (ANA Air Force), is one of seven "corps
" of the military of Afghanistan
, responsible for air defense and air warfare. It was officially established in 1924 and for most of its history has functioned as a small but separate air service. The major exception was the 1980s when the Soviets built up the "Democratic Republic of Afghanistan Air Force", first in an attempt to defeat the mujahideen
-led insurgency and, by the end of the decade, in hopes that a strong Afghan air arm would preserve the pro-Soviet government of Dr. Najibullah
.
In 1992, the collapse of Najibullah's government and the continuation of a civil war among several competing mujahideen factions throughout the remainder of the decade reduced the Afghan air arm to a very small force with minimal capabilities. In the fall of 2001, the US/Coalition bombing campaign neutralized most of what remained of Afghan air power. Rebuilding efforts began shortly thereafter but were extremely limited for several years. Especially since May 2007, the US-led, international Combined Air Power Transition Force (CAPTF) has worked to rebuild and modernize the Afghan air arm, now designated the ANA Air Force. The CAPTF serves as the air component of the US-led, international Combined Security Transition Command-Afghanistan which is responsible for rebuilding the Afghan armed forces. Major General Mohammad Dawran
is the current Commander of the Afghan National Army Air Corps. which in June 2010 was renamed to the Afghan Air Force.
and Great Britain
provided a small number of aircraft to Afghanistan's King Amanullah Khan
who had been impressed with the British use of aircraft against his government in 1919. For the next decade, Soviet pilots performed the bulk of the flying of Afghan aircraft, probably about one-half of which were Polikarpov R-1s
, a Soviet copy of the de Havilland DH.9A. Most Afghan aircraft were destroyed in the civil war that began in December 1928, and it was 1937 before a serious rebuilding effort began. From the late 1930s until World War Two, British Hawker Hind
and Italian IMAM Ro.37 aircraft constituted the bulk of the small Afghan air service, 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 the Shuttleworth Collection
. In 1947, the air arm was redesignated the Royal Afghan Air Force, a title it retained until further political upheaval in 1973.
By 1960, the 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 the United States; others attended training in the Soviet Union, India
, and several European countries. In the 1973 "bloodless" coup, King Zahir Shah was deposed and Mohammed Daoud Khan
became the country's president. During his five years in power, until the Communist coup of 1978, Daoud relied on Soviet assistance to upgrade the capabilities and increase the size of the Afghan air force, introducing newer-models of Soviet-built MiG-21
fighters and An-24
and An-26
transports. Improvements in the early-to-mid-1970s notwithstanding, the Afghan air arm remained relatively small until after the 1979-80 Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. While Afghanistan's 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, 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 service had at least 7,000 personnel plus 5,000 foreign advisors. At its peak, the air force had at least 240 fixed-wing combat aircraft (fighters, fighter-bombers, light bombers), 150 helicopters, and perhaps 40 or more Antonov
transports of various models. Midway through the Soviet-Afghan war, one estimate of Afghan air power listed the following inventory:
Additionally, the Afghan air force probably operated some 40 or more transports, including the An-26, An-24, and An-2.
Another estimate in 1988 painted a more detailed picture of the Afghan Air Force:
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 service ceased to be a single entity, instead breaking up amongst the different mujahideen factions in the ongoing civil war. By the end of the 1990s, the military of the Taliban
maintained five supersonic MIG-21MFs and 10 Sukhoi-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, a IL-18, and a Yakovlev.
The Afghan Northern Alliance/United Front operated a small number of helicopters and transports and a few other aircraft for which it depended on assistance from neighboring Tajikistan.
With the breakdown of logistical systems, the cannibalization of surviving airframes was widespread. The US/Coalition operations in the fall of 2001 destroyed most of the remaining Afghan aircraft. It was 2005 before a US-led, international effort began to rebuild the Afghan air service; since 2007, the pace has increased significantly under the auspices of the Combined Air Power Transition Force.
and Mi-35
(export model) attack helicopter
s have a long history in Afghanistan. The aircraft was operated extensively during the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, mainly for attacking Afghan
mujahideen
fighters. Early in the war, both Mi-8 and Mi-24 helicopters proved vulnerable to mujahideen ground fire, especially the SA-7, a Soviet-built, man-portable, heat-seeking, surface-to-air missile.
Beginning in 1986, the US supplied the mujahideen with its state-of-the-art heat-seeking missile, the Stinger
, which 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 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 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. Since the end of the Soviet-Afghan war, the civil war of the 1990s, and the post-11 September 2001 US/Coalition operations, the Afghan Air Force (AAF) is again operating the Hind, the export version of which is designated the Mi-35. As of August 2009, the Mi-35 provided the AAF's only ground attack capability and achieved initial operational capability.
In January 2008, President Hamid Karzai
said that his country's air force had been reborn after inaugurating its new headquarters at Kabul Airport freshly equipped with new aircraft. The military had received 26 new or refurbished aircraft, including Czech-donated helicopter gunships. With US money the government had also acquired transport helicopters and Ukrainian military planes. The newly boosted air force remained preliminary a formal part of the army
As of March 2011, the Afghan Air Force (AAF) had 44 rotary-wing and 13 fixed-wing aircraft
in serviceable condition. Under a partnering relationship between the US-led, international NATO Air Training Command (NATC-A) and the AAF, Afghan air power is being rebuilt following several decades of war. This rebuilding is ongoing on several fronts:
In June 2010 the Afghan National Army Air Corps was renamed to Afghan Air Force by order of Afghanistan's President
Hamid Karzai
. A decision on the L-39's replacement aircraft is to be made by the USAF in November 2011. It was announced in October 2011 that the military of Afghanistan would be provided with 145 multi-type aircraft and 21 helicopters.
The Afghan air arm deteriorated following the Soviet withdrawal in 1989 and collapse of the Najibullah Government in 1992, and it was nearly eliminated by US/Coalition air strikes in 2001. Especially since 2007, the redesignated Afghan National Army Air Corps has been gradually increasing its aircraft inventory, personnel, and operational capabilities, the result of extensive partnering with the US-led, international Combined Air Power Transition Force.
The Royal Afghan Air Force retained the roundels until adopting a new style in 1967, with a unique insignia consisting of a tri-color triangle using the national colors upon a white disc, on which was inscribed with Arabic lettering forming various phrases. This roundel was placed on the rudder in place of the flag. This remained in use after the overthrow of the monarchy until the Russian invasion in 1979, when a new insignia of a red disc with yellow inscriptions was adopted. This was short-lived however, as in 1983, a more Soviet-standard red star on a white disc ringed in black, red, and green was adopted. These were maintained until after the Soviet departure.
Upon the departure of Soviet forces from Afghanistan, and the fall of the communist government, a return to the triangle insignia was noted, although markings varied depending on the ownership of the aircraft.
Corps
A corps is either a large formation, or an administrative grouping of troops within an armed force with a common function such as Artillery or Signals representing an arm of service...
" of the military of Afghanistan
Military of Afghanistan
The military of Afghanistan is composed of the Afghan National Army and the Afghan National Army Air Force . Being a landlocked country, Afghanistan has no navy, and the private security forces who are sometimes seen wearing military uniforms are not part of Afghanistan's military...
, responsible for air defense and air warfare. It was officially established in 1924 and for most of its history has functioned as a small but separate air service. The major exception was the 1980s when the Soviets built up the "Democratic Republic of Afghanistan Air Force", first in an attempt to defeat the mujahideen
Mujahideen
Mujahideen are Muslims who struggle in the path of God. The word is from the same Arabic triliteral as jihad .Mujahideen is also transliterated from Arabic as mujahedin, mujahedeen, mudžahedin, mudžahidin, mujahidīn, mujaheddīn and more.-Origin of the concept:The beginnings of Jihad are traced...
-led insurgency and, by the end of the decade, in hopes that a strong Afghan air arm would preserve the pro-Soviet government of Dr. Najibullah
Mohammad Najibullah
Mohammad Najibullah Ahmadzai , originally merely Najibullah, was the fourth and last President of the Soviet-backed Democratic Republic of Afghanistan. He is also considered the second President of the Republic of Afghanistan.-Early years:Najibullah was born in August 1947 to the Ahmadzai...
.
In 1992, the collapse of Najibullah's government and the continuation of a civil war among several competing mujahideen factions throughout the remainder of the decade reduced the Afghan air arm to a very small force with minimal capabilities. In the fall of 2001, the US/Coalition bombing campaign neutralized most of what remained of Afghan air power. Rebuilding efforts began shortly thereafter but were extremely limited for several years. Especially since May 2007, the US-led, international Combined Air Power Transition Force (CAPTF) has worked to rebuild and modernize the Afghan air arm, now designated the ANA Air Force. The CAPTF serves as the air component of the US-led, international Combined Security Transition Command-Afghanistan which is responsible for rebuilding the Afghan armed forces. Major General Mohammad Dawran
Mohammad Dawran
Major General Mohammad Dawran Masoomi is Commander of the Afghan National Army Air Force, which is the sixth corps of the Afghan National Army. He was promoted to the post in 2005 by Afghan Defense Minister Abdul Rahim Wardak and the Afghan Commander-in-Chief, Bismillah Khan Mohammadi...
is the current Commander of the Afghan National Army Air Corps. which in June 2010 was renamed to the Afghan Air Force.
History
The history of the Afghan air service began on 22 August 1924 as the Afghan Air Force. As early as 1921, the Soviet UnionSoviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
and Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
provided a small number of aircraft to Afghanistan's King Amanullah Khan
Amanullah Khan
Amanullah Khan was the King of the Emirate of Afghanistan from 1919 to 1929, first as Amir and after 1926 as Shah. He led Afghanistan to independence over its foreign affairs from the United Kingdom, and his rule was marked by dramatic political and social change...
who had been impressed with the British use of aircraft against his government in 1919. For the next decade, Soviet pilots performed the bulk of the flying of Afghan aircraft, probably about one-half of which were Polikarpov R-1s
Airco DH.9A
The Airco DH.9A was a British light bomber designed and first used shortly before the end of the First World War. Colloquially known as the "Ninak" , it served on in large numbers for the Royal Air Force following the end of the war, both at home and overseas, where it was used for colonial...
, a Soviet copy of the de Havilland DH.9A. Most Afghan aircraft were destroyed in the civil war that began in December 1928, and it was 1937 before a serious rebuilding effort began. From the late 1930s until World War Two, British Hawker Hind
Hawker Hind
-See also:-Bibliography:* Crawford, Alex. Hawker Hart Family. Redbourn, Hertfordshire, UK: Mushroom Model Publications Ltd., 2008. ISBN 83-89450-62-3....
and Italian IMAM Ro.37 aircraft constituted the bulk of the small Afghan air service, 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 the Shuttleworth Collection
Shuttleworth Collection
The Shuttleworth Collection is an aeronautical and automotive museum located at the Old Warden airfield in Bedfordshire, England. It is one of the most prestigious in the world due to the variety of old and well-preserved aircraft.- History :...
. In 1947, the air arm was redesignated the Royal Afghan Air Force, a title it retained until further political upheaval in 1973.
By 1960, the Afghan air force consisted of approximately 100 combat aircraft including MiG-15
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15
The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15 was a jet fighter developed for the USSR by Artem Mikoyan and Mikhail Gurevich. The MiG-15 was one of the first successful swept-wing jet fighters, and it achieved fame in the skies over Korea, where early in the war, it outclassed all straight-winged enemy fighters in...
fighters, Il-28
Ilyushin Il-28
The Ilyushin Il-28 is a jet bomber aircraft of the immediate postwar period that was originally manufactured for the Soviet Air Force. It was the USSR's first such aircraft to enter large-scale production. It was also licence-built in China as the Harbin H-5. Total production in the USSR was 6,316...
light bombers, transports, and a few helicopters. Also by that time, a small number of Afghan pilots were undergoing undergraduate pilot training in the United States; others attended training in the Soviet Union, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, and several European countries. In the 1973 "bloodless" coup, King Zahir Shah was deposed and Mohammed Daoud Khan
Mohammed Daoud Khan
Sardar Mohammed Daoud Khan or Daud Khan was Prime Minister of Afghanistan from 1953 to 1963 and later becoming the President of Afghanistan...
became the country's president. During his five years in power, until the Communist coup of 1978, Daoud relied on Soviet assistance to upgrade the capabilities and increase the size of the Afghan air force, introducing newer-models of Soviet-built MiG-21
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21
The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 is a supersonic jet fighter aircraft, designed by the Mikoyan-Gurevich Design Bureau in the Soviet Union. It was popularly nicknamed "balalaika", from the aircraft's planform-view resemblance to the Russian stringed musical instrument or ołówek by Polish pilots due to...
fighters and An-24
Antonov An-24
The Antonov An-24 is a 44-seat twin turboprop transport designed and manufactured in the Soviet Union by the Antonov Design Bureau from 1957.-Design and development:...
and An-26
Antonov An-26
The Antonov An-26 is a twin-engined turboprop military transport aircraft, designed and produced in the USSR from 12 March 1968.-Development:...
transports. Improvements in the early-to-mid-1970s notwithstanding, the Afghan air arm remained relatively small until after the 1979-80 Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. While Afghanistan's 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
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
and Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
. In many cases, 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 service had at least 7,000 personnel plus 5,000 foreign advisors. At its peak, the air force had at least 240 fixed-wing combat aircraft (fighters, fighter-bombers, light bombers), 150 helicopters, and perhaps 40 or more Antonov
Antonov
Antonov, or Antonov Aeronautical Scientist/Technical Complex , formerly the Antonov Design Bureau, is a Ukrainian aircraft manufacturing and services company with particular expertise in the field of very large aircraft construction. Antonov ASTC is a state-owned commercial company...
transports of various models. Midway through the Soviet-Afghan war, one estimate of Afghan air power listed the following inventory:
- 90 x interceptorInterceptor aircraftAn interceptor aircraft is a type of fighter aircraft designed specifically to prevent missions of enemy aircraft, particularly bombers and reconnaissance aircraft. Interceptors generally rely on high speed and powerful armament in order to complete their mission as quickly as possible and set up...
MiG-17Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-17 is a high-subsonic fighter aircraft produced in the USSR from 1952 and operated by numerous air forces in many variants. Most MiG-17 variants cannot carry air-to-air missiles, but shot down many aircraft with its cannons...
- one regiment of MiG-17s and MiG-19s reported at Mazar-i-Sharif in 1990. - 45 x interceptorInterceptor aircraftAn interceptor aircraft is a type of fighter aircraft designed specifically to prevent missions of enemy aircraft, particularly bombers and reconnaissance aircraft. Interceptors generally rely on high speed and powerful armament in order to complete their mission as quickly as possible and set up...
MiG-21Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 is a supersonic jet fighter aircraft, designed by the Mikoyan-Gurevich Design Bureau in the Soviet Union. It was popularly nicknamed "balalaika", from the aircraft's planform-view resemblance to the Russian stringed musical instrument or ołówek by Polish pilots due to...
- in 1990, thee squadrons were reported at Bagram Air BaseBagram Air BaseBagram Airfield, also referred to as Bagram Air Base, is a militarized airport and housing complex that is located next to the ancient city of Bagram, southeast of Charikar in Parwan province of Afghanistan. The base is run by a US Army division headed by a major general. A large part of the base,... - 60 x fighter-bomberFighter-bomberA fighter-bomber is a fixed-wing aircraft with an intended primary role of light tactical bombing and also incorporating certain performance characteristics of a fighter aircraft. This term, although still used, has less significance since the introduction of rockets and guided missiles into aerial...
Su-7Sukhoi Su-7The Sukhoi Su-7 was a swept wing, supersonic fighter aircraft developed by the Soviet Union in 1955. Originally, it was designed as tactical, low-level dogfighter, but was not successful in this role. On the other hand, soon-introduced Su-7B series became the main Soviet fighter-bomber and...
, Su-17Sukhoi Su-17The Sukhoi Su-17 is a Soviet attack aircraft developed from the Sukhoi Su-7 fighter-bomber. It enjoyed a long career in Soviet, later Russian, service and was widely exported to communist and Middle Eastern air forces, under names Su-20 and Su-22.-Development:Seeking to improve low-speed and...
Warplane, a British partwork, reported in its issue 21, published in 1985, that some 48 Su-7BMs, without Su-7UM two-seaters, had been supplied from 1970, forming the equipment of two fighter/ground attack squadrons at Shindand AirbaseShindand AirbaseShindand Air Base is located in the western part of Afghanistan in the Herat province, 7 miles northwest of the city of Sabzwar. The runway has a concrete surface...
. - 45 x light bomberLight bomberA light bomber is a relatively small and fast class of military bomber aircraft which were primarily employed before the 1950s. Such aircraft would typically not carry more than one ton of ordnance....
Il-28Ilyushin Il-28The Ilyushin Il-28 is a jet bomber aircraft of the immediate postwar period that was originally manufactured for the Soviet Air Force. It was the USSR's first such aircraft to enter large-scale production. It was also licence-built in China as the Harbin H-5. Total production in the USSR was 6,316... - 150 x helicopterHelicopterA helicopter is a type of rotorcraft in which lift and thrust are supplied by one or more engine-driven rotors. This allows the helicopter to take off and land vertically, to hover, and to fly forwards, backwards, and laterally...
Mi-8Mil Mi-8The Mil Mi-8 is a medium twin-turbine transport helicopter that can also act as a gunship. The Mi-8 is the world's most-produced helicopter, and is used by over 50 countries. Russia is the largest operator of the Mi-8/Mi-17 helicopter....
, Mi-24Mil Mi-24The Mil Mi-24 is a large helicopter gunship and attack helicopter and low-capacity troop transport with room for 8 passengers. It is produced by Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant and operated since 1972 by the Soviet Air Force, its successors, and by over thirty other nations.In NATO circles the export...
Additionally, the Afghan air force probably operated some 40 or more transports, including the An-26, An-24, and An-2.
Another estimate in 1988 painted a more detailed picture of the Afghan Air Force:
- 322nd Air Regiment, Bagram Air Base, three fighter squadrons with 40 MiG-21s
- 321st Air Regiment, Bagram Air Base, three fighter/bomber squadrons with Su-7/Su-22
- 393rd Air Regiment, Dehdadi Air Base (BalkhBalkhBalkh , was an ancient city and centre of Zoroastrianism in what is now northern Afghanistan. Today it is a small town in the province of Balkh, about 20 kilometers northwest of the provincial capital, Mazar-e Sharif, and some south of the Amu Darya. It was one of the major cities of Khorasan...
), three fighter/bomber squadrons with MiG-17s - 355th Air Regiment, Shindand AirbaseShindand AirbaseShindand Air Base is located in the western part of Afghanistan in the Herat province, 7 miles northwest of the city of Sabzwar. The runway has a concrete surface...
, 3 bomber squadrons with Il-28s and one fighter/bomber squadron with MiG-17s - 232nd Air Regiment, Kabul Airport, three helicopter squadrons with Mi-4, Mi-6, and Mi-8 with one squadron of Mi-8s detached to Shindand
- 377th Air Regiment, Kabul Airport, four helicopter squadrons with Mi-25s and Mi-17s
- ? Air Regiment, Kabul Airport, two transport squadrons with An-2, An-26/30, and one VIP transport squadron with one Il-18 and 12 An-14s
- two attack helicopter squadrons with Mi-24s at Jallalabad and Kabul
- Air Force Academy, Kabul, with Yak-18s and L-39s
- Air Defence Forces consisting of two SAM regiments at Kabul, an AAA Battalion at Kandahar, and a radar regiment at Kabul
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 service ceased to be a single entity, instead breaking up amongst the different mujahideen factions in the ongoing civil war. By the end of the 1990s, the military of the Taliban
Military of the Taliban
-Strength:The Taliban Army possessed several tanks.The Afghan Air Force under the Taliban maintained five supersonic MIG-21MFs and 10 Sukhoi-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, a IL-18, and a Yakovlev.Their...
maintained five supersonic MIG-21MFs and 10 Sukhoi-22 fighter-bombers. They also held six Mil Mi-8
Mil Mi-8
The Mil Mi-8 is a medium twin-turbine transport helicopter that can also act as a gunship. The Mi-8 is the world's most-produced helicopter, and is used by over 50 countries. Russia is the largest operator of the Mi-8/Mi-17 helicopter....
helicopters, five Mi-35s, five L-39Cs, six An-12s, 25 An-26s, a dozen An-24/32s, a IL-18, and a Yakovlev.
The Afghan Northern Alliance/United Front operated a small number of helicopters and transports and a few other aircraft for which it depended on assistance from neighboring Tajikistan.
With the breakdown of logistical systems, the cannibalization of surviving airframes was widespread. The US/Coalition operations in the fall of 2001 destroyed most of the remaining Afghan aircraft. It was 2005 before a US-led, international effort began to rebuild the Afghan air service; since 2007, the pace has increased significantly under the auspices of the Combined Air Power Transition Force.
Attack helicopter
The Mil Mi-24Mil Mi-24
The Mil Mi-24 is a large helicopter gunship and attack helicopter and low-capacity troop transport with room for 8 passengers. It is produced by Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant and operated since 1972 by the Soviet Air Force, its successors, and by over thirty other nations.In NATO circles the export...
and Mi-35
Mil Mi-24
The Mil Mi-24 is a large helicopter gunship and attack helicopter and low-capacity troop transport with room for 8 passengers. It is produced by Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant and operated since 1972 by the Soviet Air Force, its successors, and by over thirty other nations.In NATO circles the export...
(export model) attack helicopter
Attack helicopter
An attack helicopter is a military helicopter with the primary role of an attack aircraft, with the capability of engaging targets on the ground, such as enemy infantry and armored vehicles...
s have a long history in Afghanistan. The aircraft was operated extensively during the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, mainly for attacking Afghan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
mujahideen
Mujahideen
Mujahideen are Muslims who struggle in the path of God. The word is from the same Arabic triliteral as jihad .Mujahideen is also transliterated from Arabic as mujahedin, mujahedeen, mudžahedin, mudžahidin, mujahidīn, mujaheddīn and more.-Origin of the concept:The beginnings of Jihad are traced...
fighters. Early in the war, both Mi-8 and Mi-24 helicopters proved vulnerable to mujahideen ground fire, especially the SA-7, a Soviet-built, man-portable, heat-seeking, surface-to-air missile.
Beginning in 1986, the US supplied the mujahideen with its state-of-the-art heat-seeking missile, the Stinger
FIM-92 Stinger
The FIM-92 Stinger is a personal portable infrared homing surface-to-air missile , which can be adapted to fire from ground vehicles and helicopters , developed in the United States and entered into service in 1981. Used by the militaries of the U.S...
, which 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 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
Density altitude
Density altitude is the altitude in the International Standard Atmosphere at which the air density would be equal to the actual air density at the place of observation, or, in other words, the height when measured in terms of the density of the air rather than the distance from the ground...
is especially problematic for rotary-wing aircraft.
Overall, the Hind proved effective and very reliable, earning 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. Since the end of the Soviet-Afghan war, the civil war of the 1990s, and the post-11 September 2001 US/Coalition operations, the Afghan Air Force (AAF) is again operating the Hind, the export version of which is designated the Mi-35. As of August 2009, the Mi-35 provided the AAF's only ground attack capability and achieved initial operational capability.
Recent history
Hamid Karzai
Hamid Karzai, GCMG is the 12th and current President of Afghanistan, taking office on 7 December 2004. He became a dominant political figure after the removal of the Taliban regime in late 2001...
said that his country's air force had been reborn after inaugurating its new headquarters at Kabul Airport freshly equipped with new aircraft. The military had received 26 new or refurbished aircraft, including Czech-donated helicopter gunships. With US money the government had also acquired transport helicopters and Ukrainian military planes. The newly boosted air force remained preliminary a formal part of the army
As of March 2011, the Afghan Air Force (AAF) had 44 rotary-wing and 13 fixed-wing aircraft
Fixed-wing aircraft
A fixed-wing aircraft is an aircraft capable of flight using wings that generate lift due to the vehicle's forward airspeed. Fixed-wing aircraft are distinct from rotary-wing aircraft in which wings rotate about a fixed mast and ornithopters in which lift is generated by flapping wings.A powered...
in serviceable condition. Under a partnering relationship between the US-led, international NATO Air Training Command (NATC-A) and the AAF, Afghan air power is being rebuilt following several decades of war. This rebuilding is ongoing on several fronts:
- Infrastructure - the recently-opened North Kabul International Airport cantonment area includes the new headquarters for the AAF and 201st Kabul Air Wing. The wing's three operational squadrons, one fixed-wing, one rotary-wing, and the Presidential Airlift Squadron, are housed there. The cantonment area includes state-of-the-art hangars as well as operations, logistics, billeting, dining, and recreational facilities. Additionally, extensive Air Corps facilities are in-progress at Kandahar International Airport.
- Inventory - in September 2009, the AAF began receiving refurbished C-27A Spartan tactical transports and Mi-17V5 HipMI-17MI-17 can refer to:* Mil Mi-17, Soviet helicopter*M-17...
transport helicopters. By the end of 2011, the AAF should possess 20 Spartans and 35 of the new Hips while continuing to operate the older Mi-17s and retiring the An-32 fleet by June 11. Further growth of the AAF may depend on decisions yet to be made regarding the size of the Afghan National Army which, in turn, will determine AAF requirements. In a country of rugged terrain possessing limited ground transportation options, the ANA 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 electionAfghan presidential election, 2009The 2009 presidential election in Afghanistan was characterized by lack of security, low voter turnout and widespread ballot stuffing, intimidation, and other electoral fraud....
. Although presently the Mi-35s provide a ground attack capability, a decision is expected soon on the purchase of a light attack/trainer fixed-wing aircraft for the AAF.
- Training - in May 2009, for the first time in several decades, a number of Afghan pilots and pilot-candidates traveled to the United States 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 next several years should produce a small cadre of seasoned, instrument-rated Afghan Air Corps pilots as well as a larger number of younger, well-trained pilots who will serve as the backbone of the Afghan air service 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 Corps numbered about 2,400 personnel, with a planned strength of 7,400 members within several years. By the end of 2011, the Afghan Air Force would have a total of 4900 airmen and personnel.
In June 2010 the Afghan National Army Air Corps was renamed to Afghan Air Force by order of Afghanistan's President
President of Afghanistan
Afghanistan has only been a republic between 1973 and 1992 and from 2001 onwards. Before 1973, it was a monarchy that was governed by a variety of kings, emirs or shahs...
Hamid Karzai
Hamid Karzai
Hamid Karzai, GCMG is the 12th and current President of Afghanistan, taking office on 7 December 2004. He became a dominant political figure after the removal of the Taliban regime in late 2001...
. A decision on the L-39's replacement aircraft is to be made by the USAF in November 2011. It was announced in October 2011 that the military of Afghanistan would be provided with 145 multi-type aircraft and 21 helicopters.
Inventory
- See full article: List of Afghan Air Force aircraft
The Afghan air arm deteriorated following the Soviet withdrawal in 1989 and collapse of the Najibullah Government in 1992, and it was nearly eliminated by US/Coalition air strikes in 2001. Especially since 2007, the redesignated Afghan National Army Air Corps has been gradually increasing its aircraft inventory, personnel, and operational capabilities, the result of extensive partnering with the US-led, international Combined Air Power Transition Force.
| City served | Province Provinces of Afghanistan The provinces of Afghanistan are the primary administrative divisions of Afghanistan. As of 2004, there are thirty-four provinces in the country. Each province is further divided into smaller districts.... |
ICAO ICAO airport code The ICAO airport code or location indicator is a four-character alphanumeric code designating each airport around the world. These codes are defined by the International Civil Aviation Organization, and published in ICAO Document 7910: Location Indicators.The ICAO codes are used by air traffic... |
IATA IATA airport code An IATA airport code, also known an IATA location identifier, IATA station code or simply a location identifier, is a three-letter code designating many airports around the world, defined by the International Air Transport Association... |
Airport name | Runway | Elev. (m) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Major domestic airports | ||||||
| Jalalabad Jalalabad Jalalabad , formerly called Adinapour, as documented by the 7th century Hsüan-tsang, is a city in eastern Afghanistan. Located at the junction of the Kabul River and Kunar River near the Laghman valley, Jalalabad is the capital of Nangarhar province. It is linked by approximately of highway with... |
Nangarhar Nangarhar Province Nangarhar is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan in the east of the country. Its capital is the city of Jalalabad. The population of the province is 1,334,000, which consists mainly of ethnic Pashtuns with a sizable community of Arabs and Pashais.... |
OAJL | JAA | Jalalabad Airport Jalalabad Airport -External links:*... |
13/31: 2218 x 45 m, Asphalt | 553 |
| Kunduz Kunduz Kunduz also known as Kundûz, Qonduz, Qondûz, Konduz, Kondûz, Kondoz, or Qhunduz is a city in northern Afghanistan, the capital of Kunduz Province. It is linked by highways with Mazari Sharif to the west, Kabul to the south and Tajikistan's border to the north... |
Kunduz | OAUZ | UND | Kunduz Airport Kunduz Airport Kunduz Airport is located 5 miles south southeast of Kunduz city, 14 km west of Khan Abad, 40 km south of the Oxus River and 53 km south of the Tajikistan border... |
11/29: 2007 x 45 m, Asphalt | 448 |
| Regional domestic airports | ||||||
| Bamyan | Bamyan | OABN | BIN | Bamyan Airport Bamyan Airport Bamyan Airport is an airport serving the city of Bamyan in Afghanistan.-See also:*List of airports in Afghanistan... |
07/25: 2595 x 23 m, Gravel | 2591 |
| Lashkar Gah | Helmand Helmand Province Helmand is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan. It is in the southwest of the country. Its capital is Lashkar Gah. The Helmand River flows through the mainly desert region, providing water for irrigation.... |
OABT | BST | Bost Airport Bost Airport Bost Airport is located on the east bank of the Helmand River in Afghanistan, north of the junction of the Helmand and Arghandab rivers. The Airport was established in 1957 with the assistance of the United States. In 2008, a large project commenced to rehabilitate the current airport as well as... |
18/36: 2332 x 45 m, Asphalt | 751 |
| Chaghcharan Chaghcharan Chaghcharān , in historical literature as Chakhcherān, formerly known as Ahangaran, is a town and district in central Afghanistan, which serves as the capital of Ghor Province... |
Ghor | OACC | CCN | Chaghcharan Airport Chaghcharan Airport Chaghcharan Airport is an airport serving the city of Chaghcharan in Ghor Province, Afghanistan.It is located north and west of the Hari River, one mile east/northeast of Chaghcharan... |
06/24: 1524 x 18 m, Gravel | 2276 |
| Darwaz | OADZ | DAZ | Darwaz Airport | 09/27: 654 x 32 m, Gravel | 1533 | |
| Fayzabad Fayzabad, Badakhshan See also: Faizabad Fayzabad is the provincial capital and largest city in Badakhshan Province, in northern Afghanistan, with around 50,000 people. It is situated in Fayzabad District and is at an altitude of 1,200 m. It is located in the northeast of Afghanistan, on the River Kokcha... |
Badakhshan Badakhshan Province Badakhshan is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan, consisting of 28 districts. It is located in the north-east of the country, between the Hindu Kush and the Amu Darya. It is part of the Badakhshan region.-Geography:... |
OAFZ | FBD | Fayzabad Airport Fayzabad Airport See also: Faizabad Fayzabad Airport is and airport 3.5 miles northwest of the town of Faizabad. Built during the Soviet Occupation, Fayzabad Airport is somewhat unique in the world, notable for the runway being constructed of Pierced Steel Planking along it's full width and length... |
18/36: 1691 x 27 m, PSP | 1171 |
| Farah Farah, Afghanistan Farah is a city in western Afghanistan, situated at 650 m altitude, and located on the Farah River. It is the capital of Farah Province, and has a population of approximately 109,409.... |
Farah Farah Province Farah is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. It is in the southwest of the country. Its capital is Farah. Farah is a spacious and sparsely populated province that lies on the Iranian border... |
OAFR | FAH | Farah Airport Farah Airport Farah Airport is an airport serving the city of Farah in Farah Province, Afghanistan.... |
15/33: 2042 x 21 m, Gravel | 692 |
| Khost Khost Khost or Khowst is a city in eastern Afghanistan. It is the capital of Khost province, which is a mountainous region near Afghanistan's border with Pakistan... |
Khost Khost Province Khost is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. It is in the east of the country. Khost province used to be part of Paktia province in the past... |
OAKS | KHT | Khost Airfield Khost Airfield The Khost Airfield is situated 2 miles southeast of the town of Khost, Afghanistan and 9 miles northeast of the Pakistan border in a valley surrounded by high terrains from West and East.- Accidents :... |
06/24: 2684 x 105 m, Gravel | 1172 |
| Khwahan Khwahan, Afghanistan Khwahan is the capital of Khwahan District[شهرستان خواهان[ولسوالی خواهان in the Badakhshan province in Afghanistan, very close to the western border with Tajikistan. There is an airport there.... |
Badakhshan Badakhshan Province Badakhshan is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan, consisting of 28 districts. It is located in the north-east of the country, between the Hindu Kush and the Amu Darya. It is part of the Badakhshan region.-Geography:... |
OAHN | KWH | Khwahan Airport Khwahan Airport Khwahan Airport is an airport serving the city of Khwahan in Badakhshan Province, Afghanistan.-See also:*List of airports in Afghanistan... |
??/??: 671 x ? m, Gravel | 980 |
| Kron Monjan | OARZ | KUR | Razer Airport | ??/??: 884 x ? m, Gravel | ? | |
| Maymana | Faryab Faryab Province Fāryāb is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. It is in the north of the country. Its capital is Maymana. The majority of the population is Uzbek.-History:... |
OAMN | MMZ | Maymana Airport | 14/32: 1287 x 18 m, Gravel | 820 |
| Qala i Naw Qala i Naw, Afghanistan Qala i Naw is a town in Qala i Naw District and the capital of Badghis Province, of north-west Afghanistan. Its population is estimated 9,000 in 2006.It has a small airport, Qala i Naw Airport.... |
Badghis Badghis Province Bādghīs is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. It is located in northwestern Afghanistan, between the Murghab and Hari rivers, extending as far northward as the edge of the desert of Sarakhs. It includes the Chul formations through which the Turkmen-Afghan boundary runs... |
OAQN | LQN | Qala i Naw Airport Qala i Naw Airport Qala i Naw Airport is an airport serving the city of Qala i Naw in Badghis Province, Afghanistan.It is also known as Qala Nau Airport. It has scheduled services with Pamir Airways. This airport is unique in the fact that the runway is actually a highway that is utilized when there is no air traffic... |
04/22: 1158 x 18 m, Asphalt | 905 |
| Sheberghan Sheberghan Sheberghān or Shaburghān , also spelled Shebirghan and Shibarghan, is the capital city of the Jowzjan Province in northern Afghanistan.-Location:... |
Jowzjan Jowzjan Province Jowzjān or Jōzjān or Jawzjan is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. It is in the north of the country. Its capital is Sheberghan.- Demographics :... |
OASG | Sheberghan Airport | 06L/24R: 2621 x 24, Asphalt 06R/24L: 2115 x 30, Gravel |
321 | |
| Sheghnan | Badakhshan Badakhshan Province Badakhshan is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan, consisting of 28 districts. It is located in the north-east of the country, between the Hindu Kush and the Amu Darya. It is part of the Badakhshan region.-Geography:... |
OASN | SGA | Sheghnan Airport Sheghnan Airport Shughnan Airport is located in the extreme northeast section of Afghanistan deep within Pamir mountain ranges in the Badakhshan province of Afghanistan. The airport is very close to the border with Tajikistan. To the east and parallel to the Shughnan airport is the Khorog airport. The distance... |
16/34: 803 x 30 m, Gravel | 2042 |
| Taloqan Taloqan Tāloqān is the capital of Takhar Province, in northern Afghanistan. It is located in the Taluqan District. The population was estimated as 196,400 in 2006.-History:The old city to the west on the riverside was described by Marco Polo in 1275 CE as:... |
Takhar Takhar Province Takhār is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. It was established in 1964 when Qataghan Province was divided into three provinces: Baghlan, Kunduz and Takhar. It is in the north-east of the country. Its capital is Taloqan. Its salt mines are one of Afghanistan's major mineral resources... |
OATQ | TQN | Taloqan Airport Taloqan Airport Taloqan Airport is an airport serving the city of Taloqan in Takhar Province, Afghanistan.... |
16/34: 1574 x 35 m, Gravel | 816 |
| Tarin Kowt Tarin Kowt Tarinkot or Tarin Kowt is the capital of Orūzgān province in southern Afghanistan in Tarin Kowt District. It is a town of about 10,000 people, with some 200 small shops in the city's bazaar... |
Orūzgān Oruzgan Province Orūzgān or Urōzgān , also spelled Uruzgan or Rōzgān , is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. It is in the center of the country, though the area is culturally and tribally linked to Kandahar in the south. Its capital is Tarin Kowt... |
OATN | TII | Tarin Kowt Airport Tarin Kowt Airport Tarin Kowt Airport is an airport in Tarin Kowt, Afghanastan. The airport is located near Camp Holland and is important supply point for this camp.... |
10/28: 1658 x 61 m, Gravel | 1350 |
| Zaranj Zaranj Zaranj or Zarang is a border town in south-western Afghanistan, with a population of approximately 49,851 people as of 2004. It is the capital of Nimruz province and is situated next to Milak, Iran. It is linked by highways with Lashkar Gah to the east, Farah to the north and Zabol in Iran to the... |
Nimruz Nimruz Province Nimruz is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan, in the south-west of the country on the borders of Iran and Pakistan. The name Nimruz means "mid-day" or "half-day" in Persian. Nimruz covers 41,000 km² and has a population of 149,000... |
OAZJ | ZAJ | Zaranj Airport Zaranj Airport Zaranj Airport is an airport serving the city of Zaranj in Nimruz Province, Afghanistan.It provides numerous domestic flights into Afghanistan and one scheduled bus route into Iran.... |
16/34: 2320 x 47 m, Gravel | 479 |
| Sardeh Band | OADS | SBF | Sardeh Band Airport Sardeh Band Airport Sardeh Band Airport is located near the village of Sardeh Band and about 1 km north of the Russian-built dam called Band E Sardeh Dam. It is 18 miles southeast of Ghazni city in the Ghazni province of Afghanistan. The airfield lies in a valley 2 miles northwest of lake Mota Khan... |
02/20: 2104 m, Gravel | 2125 |
Insignia
During its first incarnation, Afghan aircraft carried simple black and white depictions of the Muslim arms of Afghanistan, with the inscription 'God is great' on the underside of the wings. The Afghan flag was possibly used as well. Afghanistan adopted a black, red, and green flag after the 1929 revolt, and when the air force was given planes again in 1937, it placed this flag on the rudder, and adopted wing and fuselage roundels based on the three colors.The Royal Afghan Air Force retained the roundels until adopting a new style in 1967, with a unique insignia consisting of a tri-color triangle using the national colors upon a white disc, on which was inscribed with Arabic lettering forming various phrases. This roundel was placed on the rudder in place of the flag. This remained in use after the overthrow of the monarchy until the Russian invasion in 1979, when a new insignia of a red disc with yellow inscriptions was adopted. This was short-lived however, as in 1983, a more Soviet-standard red star on a white disc ringed in black, red, and green was adopted. These were maintained until after the Soviet departure.
Upon the departure of Soviet forces from Afghanistan, and the fall of the communist government, a return to the triangle insignia was noted, although markings varied depending on the ownership of the aircraft.
See also
- Afghan National ArmyAfghan National ArmyThe Afghan National Army is a service branch of the military of Afghanistan, which is currently trained by the coalition forces to ultimately take the role in land-based military operations in Afghanistan. , the Afghan National Army is divided into seven regional Corps. The strength of the Afghan...
- Military of AfghanistanMilitary of AfghanistanThe military of Afghanistan is composed of the Afghan National Army and the Afghan National Army Air Force . Being a landlocked country, Afghanistan has no navy, and the private security forces who are sometimes seen wearing military uniforms are not part of Afghanistan's military...
- International Security Assistance ForceInternational Security Assistance ForceThe International Security Assistance Force is a NATO-led security mission in Afghanistan established by the United Nations Security Council on 20 December 2001 by Resolution 1386 as envisaged by the Bonn Agreement...
- Provincial Reconstruction TeamProvincial reconstruction teamA Provincial Reconstruction Team is a unit introduced by the United States government, consisting of military officers, diplomats, and reconstruction subject matter experts, working to support reconstruction efforts in unstable states. PRTs were first established in Afghanistan in late 2001 or...
- NATO
External links
- Defendamerica.mil article on the training of Afghan pilots
- Globalsecurity.org page on the Afghan Air Force
- Photos of Afghan aircraft
- Roundels of the world, Afghanistan
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