Afghan Air Force

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Variants of this emblem adorned many Afghan military aircraft in 2006.

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

1 History
2 Current
3 Inventory
4 Facilities
5 Insignia
6 See also
7 Sources

[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 1931, 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:

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] 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 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.

[edit] Inventory

See full article: List of Afghan Air Force aircraft

1x Mi-8 Hip transport helicopter

7x Mi-17 Hip-H transport helicopters

6x Mi-34 Hermit attack helicopters

2x An-26 Curl cargo aircraft

3x An-32 Cline cargo aircraft

3x L-39 Albatros ground attack aircraft

[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, Meymanah, and Taloqan.

[edit] Insignia

Variants of this emblem adorned many Afghan military aircraft in 2006.

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.