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2013: Decision Time For Afghan Air Force
Afghanistan's air force likely will decide in 2013 whether to replace its aging, Soviet-era aircraft with Russian- or Western-manufactured planes and helicopters, the U.S. Air Force general overseeing the buildup said.
Brig. Gen. David Allvin, the commanding general of the NATO Air Training Command-Afghanistan, told reporters Tuesday the lifecycle of several of Afghanistan's fleet of 56 fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft is ending soon. And while the plans call for more purchases of Russian-manufactured aircraft including at least 128 more Mi-17 helicopters the manufacturer of several future airframes hasn't been determined.
"We do have a look into the future as we approach 2014, 2015 to evaluate how these aircraft are holding up and perhaps evaluate some westernization program," he said via video teleconference from Kabul. "But it's really too early speculate on what that might be. In probably 2013, we'll have an idea of if we need to invest soon after that, and what type of asset we need."
The Afghan air force expects to expand from 56 aircraft and 4,000 airmen to 146 aircraft and 8,000 airmen by 2016. It hasn't selected the manufacturer for many crucial missions: trainers, basic fixed-wing trainers, basic rotary-wing trainers, close-air support trainers, a light aircraft that can provide ISR assets, replacements for the L-39 jet trainer and fixed-wing close-air support turboprops.
The "vast majority" of the aircraft will be delivered by 2014, Allvin said, and the force will still be primarily focused on airlift.
Afghanistan's fleet ranges in age from helicopters built during the days of the Soviet Union to newly refurbished light cargo aircraft.
Four of the air force's fixed-wing aircraft one An-26 and three An-32s will reach the end of their lifecycle this summer. It has nine Mi-35 attack helicopters expected to last until 2016 but the possibility of putting the Hinds through the service life extension program could mean the Afghans could use them longer.
The only Western airframe Afghans are flying are eight refurbished Italian-built C-27s. The force plans to purchase 12 more.
The buildup has been a balance of acquiring the right aircraft to fight the counterinsurgency mission with sustainability and affordability, Allvin said. Current plans don't call for fighter jets or unmanned aircraft, and any such decision would come from the Kabul government.
2013: Decision Time For Afghan Air Force - Defense News
Afghanistan's air force likely will decide in 2013 whether to replace its aging, Soviet-era aircraft with Russian- or Western-manufactured planes and helicopters, the U.S. Air Force general overseeing the buildup said.
Brig. Gen. David Allvin, the commanding general of the NATO Air Training Command-Afghanistan, told reporters Tuesday the lifecycle of several of Afghanistan's fleet of 56 fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft is ending soon. And while the plans call for more purchases of Russian-manufactured aircraft including at least 128 more Mi-17 helicopters the manufacturer of several future airframes hasn't been determined.
"We do have a look into the future as we approach 2014, 2015 to evaluate how these aircraft are holding up and perhaps evaluate some westernization program," he said via video teleconference from Kabul. "But it's really too early speculate on what that might be. In probably 2013, we'll have an idea of if we need to invest soon after that, and what type of asset we need."
The Afghan air force expects to expand from 56 aircraft and 4,000 airmen to 146 aircraft and 8,000 airmen by 2016. It hasn't selected the manufacturer for many crucial missions: trainers, basic fixed-wing trainers, basic rotary-wing trainers, close-air support trainers, a light aircraft that can provide ISR assets, replacements for the L-39 jet trainer and fixed-wing close-air support turboprops.
The "vast majority" of the aircraft will be delivered by 2014, Allvin said, and the force will still be primarily focused on airlift.
Afghanistan's fleet ranges in age from helicopters built during the days of the Soviet Union to newly refurbished light cargo aircraft.
Four of the air force's fixed-wing aircraft one An-26 and three An-32s will reach the end of their lifecycle this summer. It has nine Mi-35 attack helicopters expected to last until 2016 but the possibility of putting the Hinds through the service life extension program could mean the Afghans could use them longer.
The only Western airframe Afghans are flying are eight refurbished Italian-built C-27s. The force plans to purchase 12 more.
The buildup has been a balance of acquiring the right aircraft to fight the counterinsurgency mission with sustainability and affordability, Allvin said. Current plans don't call for fighter jets or unmanned aircraft, and any such decision would come from the Kabul government.
2013: Decision Time For Afghan Air Force - Defense News
