Afghan Air Force

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Afghan National Army-Air Force
Active	2002 -
Country	Afghanistan
Allegiance	Afghan National Army
Size	22 aircraft
Insignia
Roundel
Aircraft flown
Attack	Mi-24
Fighter	MiG-21
Trainer	L-39
Transport	An-26, An-32, Mi-8

The Afghan Air Force is the military branch in Afghanistan responsible for air warfare, including air defense.

Contents 1 History 1.1 Mil Mi-24 Assault Helicopter 2 Current 3 Inventory 4 Facilities 5 Insignia 6 See also 7 Sources 8 References

[edit] History

The Afghan Air Force was officially formed 22 August 1924 with a few aircraft obtained from Russia as early as 1921. This small force was destroyed in 1929, and not reconstituted again until 1937. It was renamed the Royal Afghan Air Force in 1947 along with political changes in the country, a title it retained until further political upheaval in 1973.

The Air Force had remained a relatively small branch of service until the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, and the consequent Soviet support for the regime. While the Afghan Air Force was equipped with a large number of aircraft, many of them were manned and maintained by 'advisors' from Czechoslovakia and Cuba and the quality of Afghan pilots was extremely limited.

The Air Force had as many as 7,000 personnel plus 5,000 foreign advisors. Large numbers of aircraft were available, but were all of older design. Strength changed rapidly as combat operations and Soviet supplies continued, but typical strength during the middle of the 1980s was:^[1]

• 3 x Interceptor squadrons (around 40 MiG-21)
• 4 x Fighter-bomber squadrons (around 50 MiG-17)
• 3 x Bomber squadrons (around 20 Il-28)
• Transports (around 15 An-26)
• Helicopters (around 30 Mi-24, Mi-8, and Mi-4)

After the Soviet withdrawal and the departure of foreign advisors, the Air Force declined rapidly as an effective force. Large numbers of aircraft were reported, but many were not operational, a number that rose through the 1990s. The Air Force ceased to be a single entity, instead breaking up amongst the different factions in the ensuing wars. By the end of the decade, both the Taliban and the Afghan Northern Alliance had a number of aircraft under their control, with either able to muster a small force (six to eight aircraft) to support major operations. This was done to a large degree through cannibalization of surviving airframes. These forces were ultimately finished off by American military operations in 2001.

The Afghan Air Force was at its strongest between 1980-1992. Afghanistan's neighboring countries were uncomfortable with the growing military power of Afghan Air Force. In the late 1980s the Afghan Air Force also had chemical and biological bombs, supplied by USSR.

[edit] Mil Mi-24 Assault Helicopter

The Mil Mi-24 Assault helicopter has a long history in Afghanistan. The aircraft was operated extensively during the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, mainly for bombing Afghan Mujahideen fighters. The US supplied heat-seeking Stinger missiles to the Afghan Mujahideen, and the Soviet Mi-8 and Mi-24 helicopters proved to be favorite targets of the rebels. The Hind gunships constituted a part of the 333 helicopters lost during combat operations in Afghanistan, an unknown number to ground fire. The cockpit was heavily armoured and could withstand even .50 caliber (12.7 mm) rounds, but the Hind's tail is extremely vulnerable due to the lack of armour in that section.

The heat-seeking nature of the anti-aircraft weapons employed by the Mujahideen combined with the Hind's exhaust being directly under the main rotor caused the aircraft to disintegrate if hit. This was remedied later by countermeasure flares and a missile warning system being installed into all Soviet Mi-4, Mi-8, and Mi-24 helicopters giving the pilot a chance to evade the missile or crash-land.

During this conflict, the Hind proved effective and very reliable, earning the respect of both Soviet and Afghan pilots, who scattered as quickly as possible when Soviet target designation flares were lit nearby. The Mujahideen nicknamed the Mi-24 as the "Devil's Chariot" due to its notorious reputation. Since the end of the Soviet war, the civil war, and the U.S. lead invasion of Afghanistan, the Afghan Air Force only has 6 of these helicopters available. They still prove to be Afghanistan's lead aircraft.

[edit] Current

As of early 2006 the Afghan National Army - Air Corps had 14 rotary wing and 8 fixed wing aircraft in serviceable condition. The Air Corps is being rebuilt following several decades of war. Most recent efforts involve airlift support for the disaster relief efforts following a major earthquake in Pakistan[1].

The Afghan Air Force has never been a strong independent force. Most of its equipment are Russian-built relics of an arsenal including MiG-21 jet fighters and Mi-24 helicopter gun ships built up during the Soviet occupation in the 1980s to combat the resistance of the U.S.-backed mujahedin.

The Afghan tendency towards de-centralization of military forces and the limited ability of the Afghan economy to pay for expensive equipment combine to make maintenance of a viable Afghan Air Force impossible without steady foreign infusions of money, equipment, and expertise.

It is possible that the neglect of the Afghan Air Force is due to the massive American air power that has been made available. Nevertheless, in a country with extremely poor infrastructure, air transport capacity would be extremely useful to the Afghan Government. The Afghan Government, with the help of the U.S. lead Coalition, will seek to build up its airforce in the coming years.

The Afghan Defense Ministry is also seeking the return of 26 aircraft — nine helicopters, five bombers, eight fighters, two trainer jets and two transporters. Some of the planes, are believed to have been used for dramatic escapes while others were moved out of the country to save them from destruction. The Afghan government is negotiating the purchase of the Cessna T-37 Dragonfly small jet aircraft as its main fighter/trainer. Officials say 19 are in Pakistan and seven in Uzbekistan.

The Antonov An-26 is Afghanistan's main transport aircraft. It is a twin-engined light turboprop transport aircraft and is a development of the Antonov An-24, with particular attention made to the potential military use. It has a modified rear fuselage with a large cargo ramp. Afghanistan's Air Force holds two Antonov An-26 types, they are not seeking anymore.

[edit] Inventory

See full article: List of Afghan Air Force aircraft

The Afghan Air Force inventory was significantly reduced following the Soviet withdrawal from the country and nearly eliminated in 2001. The reconstituted air force remains small with only the remnants of its Eastern Bloc inventory, as yet not having acquired western types to outfit its units.

Aircraft	Source	Type	In service[2]	Versions	Notes
Aero L-39	Czech Republic	Trainer	3		May no longer be in service.
Antonov An-26	Soviet Union /  Ukraine	Tactical transport	2
Antonov An-32	Soviet Union /  Ukraine	Tactical transport	2
Mikoyan MiG-21	Soviet Union	Fighter	1		May not be operable.
Mil Mi-24	Soviet Union /  Russia	Assault helicopter	5	Mi-24 Mi-25 Mi-35	Only five operational. More airframes exist in various states of operability.
Mil Mi-8	Soviet Union /  Russia	Transport helicopter	6	Mi-8 1 Mi-8PS Mi-17

[edit] Facilities

Bagram Air Base is the largest purely military air base in Afghanistan. It is currently a primary center for United States and allied forces for cargo, helicopter, and support flights. Built in 1976, it has a 3,000 m runway capable of handling heavy bomber and cargo aircraft.

Kabul International Airport is the nation's largest airport and the primary hub for international civilian flights. It also is capable of handling military aircraft, and has been used by American forces for cargo flights.

Kandahar Airfield is a dual-use airport serving civilian traffic to Kandahar, Afghanistan and military support for the southern and central portions of the country. Kandahar has been a major center for American forces.

Mazari Sharif Airfield is a dual-use airport serving the northern and central portions of the country. A small American contingent has been based there.

Herat Airfield is the primary civil airport for the eastern portion of the country, but also housed military aircraft.

Shindand Airbase is the second largest military airbase in the country, located just south of Herat with significant military aircraft shelters and facilities.

Sheberghan Airfield is a medium sized civilian airport in the northeast of the country.

A number of smaller airfields exist in the country, including Bamyan, Fayzabad, Jalalabad, Khowst, Konduz, Meymaneh, and Taloqan.

[edit] 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 shortlived 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.

[edit] See also

• Afghan National Army
• Military of Afghanistan
• International Security Assistance Force
• Provincial Reconstruction Team
• NATO

[edit] Sources

• 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

[edit] References

1. ^ http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/afghanistan/airforce.htm
2. ^ "", Aerospace Source Book 2007, Aviation Week & Space Technology, January 15, 2007.