Update on our frenemy on the western border.
Afghan Airforce Attack capabilities
The source said the AAF possesses eight fully operational Mil Mi-35 ‘Hind’ attack helicopters, although a US Department of Defense (DoD) report on Afghanistan published in June refers to only five platforms.
IHS Jane’s reported in June 2013 that a number of AAF Mi-35s attack helicopters had been fitted with twin-barrelled Gryazev-Shipunov GSh-23 guns, S-5 57 mm rocket pods, and YakB 12.7 mm chin-mounted machine guns. The Mi-35 gunships are based at Kabul but can be deployed to the provinces, said the source.
The IHS Jane’s source added that the AAF had fitted some Mi-17 transport helicopters with a mix of Russian DShK 12.7 mm and US-made heavy machine guns. While AAF spokesman Colonel Mohammad Bahadur confirmed the arming of Mi-17s, he said they have been fitted with Gryazev-Shipunov heavy machine guns.
The US DoD’s June 2015 report said 10 out of 56 Mi-17s have been fitted with fixed forward-firing guns and that two more will be similarly configured, while other sources suggest some Mi-17s are fitted with door guns. The source further claimed that each of the six ANA corps has two armed Mi-17s at its disposal.
Although the source stated that AAF attacks with Mi-35s or Mi-17s are very effective, he cautioned that such operations are not conventional airstrikes but are more improvised attacks.
Two Taliban spokesmen, Zabihullah Mujahed and Qari Yusuf Ahmadi, told IHS Jane’s that attempted airstrikes against the insurgents had taken place but were not a major problem as the Taliban had anti-aircraft guns. Mujahed claimed the Taliban possess “many” examples of the ZIKO Yak – a local term referring to Russian KPV 14.5 mm heavy machine guns or ZPU anti-aircraft guns based on the KPV – as well as DShK 12.7 mm heavy machine guns and that they had shot down six AAF helicopters since the beginning of the 2015 spring offensive in late April.
While there have been reports that the insurgency has ZIKO Yaks and DShKs, there have been no reports of downed helicopters and the insurgents’ anti-aircraft capabilities seem to be limited.
Despite developments in airstrike capabilities, it has to be noted that AAF officers have previously said the AAF still lacks sufficient airstrike platforms. A source within the ANA special forces agreed with this assessment, saying they received close air support from foreign aircraft but not the AAF.