First Afghan Super Tucano pilots declared 'combat ready'

[Major Shaitan Singh]

An A-29 Super Tucano on a training sortie in the skies over Georgia in the United States.
The Afghan Air Force will begin fielding the aircraft operationally in early 2016.
Source: 438th Air Expeditionary Wing


The US Air Force (USAF) has graduated the first class of Afghan pilots to be assigned to the Embraer-Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) A-29 Super Tucano light attack aircraft, the Air Combat Command (ACC) announced on 18 December.

Eight Afghan Air Force (AAF) pilots were passed out and declared to be ready for combat operations during the ceremony, which was held at the home station of the 81st Fighter Squadron at Moody Air Force Base (AFB) in Georgia. These crews have completed just under a year of training, and will be redeployed to Afghanistan with their new aircraft in January 2016. The pilots are the first of 30 who will be trained by the 81st Fighter Squadron over the next three years.

Although training has reportedly progressed well, the programme suffered a setback earlier this month when two of the Afghan pilots absconded from Moody AFB on 11 December. They have yet to be found.

The AAF is scheduled to receive 20 Super Tucanos (with an option for a further 20) to replace the service's current Mil Mi-35 'Hind' helicopters that are due to be retired as the Super Tucanos enter service in January 2016 (although in October it was announced that Afghanistan is looking to procure new Mi-35s from Russia).

Powered by a single 1,600 SHP Pratt & Whitney PT6A-68/3 turboprop engine, the Super Tucano carries two 12.7 mm machine guns (200 rounds each) in the wings, and can be configured with additional underwing weaponry such as 20 mm cannon pods, additional 12.7 mm machine guns, rockets pods, precision-guided munitions, and/or 'dumb' bombs of up to 1,500 kg. It has a seven-hour endurance, and can operate from semi-prepared air fields.

Once in service, the Super Tucano will augment the machine gun and rocket-equipped Mi-17 'Hip' MD Helicopters MD 530F Cayuse Warrior, and possibly new Mi-35 helicopters in the ground attack and fire- support role.

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[barbarosa]

we are praying for stable Afghanistan to become a power of the region to have strong air force equipped Army and prosperous people.

 

[Leviza]

Afghanistan need to make sure they work with Pakistan and does not allow india to play its dirty games in Pakistan from the afghan soil ..

If they do not get this point, these assets will be flying ducks for PAF ..easy kills ..
they need to hand over few terrorists to Pakistan who are enjoying safe places in Afghanistan under the RAW ...

 

[Foxtrot-Bravo]

Well, good news for Afghanistan air force but they need to increase their pilots gradually and they also need to equip them with good skills and modernized jets, unlike Super Tucano.

 

[A-Team]

Afghanistan need to make sure they work with Pakistan and does not allow india to play its dirty games in Pakistan from the afghan soil ..

If they do not get this point, these assets will be flying ducks for PAF ..easy kills ..
they need to hand over few terrorists to Pakistan who are enjoying safe places in Afghanistan under the RAW ...

So much bravado coming out of your posts while sitting in UK! Afghanistan and Pakistan need cooperation so the common man has some betterment in their lives, what will a person who is having a great life understand the predicament of the common man in these countries! We don't need your bravado, Afghanistan and Pakistan will make it work.

A strong Afghanistan is in the best interest of Pakistan, Period!

Well, good news for Afghanistan air force but they need to increase their pilots gradually and they also need to equip them with good skills and modernized jets, unlike Super Tucano.

Thank you for the sensible post, appreciate that.

we are praying for stable Afghanistan to become a power of the region to have strong air force equipped Army and prosperous people.

Thank you, INSHALLAH, best wishes to you and your country! BTW have you wondered how some folks both from Pakistan and Afghanistan who have a stable life in Europe are the ones who are the most warmongers, instead of advocating cooperation among the neighbours, all your hear is false bravado. But with people like you I see a better hope for our countries.

Thank you.

 

[Leviza]

So much bravado coming out of your posts while sitting in UK! Afghanistan and Pakistan need cooperation so the common man has some betterment in their lives, what will a person who is having a great life understand the predicament of the common man in these countries! We don't need your bravado, Afghanistan and Pakistan will make it work.
A strong Afghanistan is in the best interest of Pakistan, Period!
Thank you for the sensible post, appreciate that.

Well yes i agree with this line of your's

A strong Afghanistan is in the best interest of Pakistan,

AND

Afghanistan and Pakistan need cooperation so the common man has some betterment in their lives

And that is what my message is about, that Afghanistan need to work with Pakistan to sort out the issues, and make sure india does not take advantage of it by using afghan soil against Pakistan, which is the case.

As far as your brain can work in Afghanistan , i understand the limitations, it does not matter where i am right now, my whole family is in Pakistan and I am Pakistani myself ..

i hope this clears up your confusions...

 

[Foxtrot-Bravo]

So much bravado coming out of your posts while sitting in UK! Afghanistan and Pakistan need cooperation so the common man has some betterment in their lives, what will a person who is having a great life understand the predicament of the common man in these countries! We don't need your bravado, Afghanistan and Pakistan will make it work.

A strong Afghanistan is in the best interest of Pakistan, Period!



Thank you for the sensible post, appreciate that.



Thank you, INSHALLAH, best wishes to you and your country! BTW have you wondered how some folks both from Pakistan and Afghanistan who have a stable life in Europe are the ones who are the most warmongers, instead of advocating cooperation among the neighbours, all your hear is false bravado. But with people like you I see a better hope for our countries.

Thank you.

You are welcome mate, always good for the two nations.

 

[Pulsar]

Afghanistan need to make sure they work with Pakistan and does not allow india to play its dirty games in Pakistan from the afghan soil ..

they need to hand over few terrorists to Pakistan who are enjoying safe places in Afghanistan under the RAW ...

Afghanistan need to make sure they work with India and does not allow Pakistan to play its dirty games on their soil ..

They need to hand over terrorists to India who are enjoying safe places in Afghanistan under the ISI.

 

[TMA]

So much bravado coming out of your posts while sitting in UK! Afghanistan and Pakistan need cooperation so the common man has some betterment in their lives, what will a person who is having a great life understand the predicament of the common man in these countries! We don't need your bravado, Afghanistan and Pakistan will make it work.

A strong Afghanistan is in the best interest of Pakistan, Period!



Thank you for the sensible post, appreciate that.



Thank you, INSHALLAH, best wishes to you and your country! BTW have you wondered how some folks both from Pakistan and Afghanistan who have a stable life in Europe are the ones who are the most warmongers, instead of advocating cooperation among the neighbours, all your hear is false bravado. But with people like you I see a better hope for our countries.

Thank you.

A strong Afghanistan that does not allow Bharat to use Afghan soil for dirty games is in the best interests of Pakistan. Or any other country for that matter.
Neighbors need to look out for another. AND they need to accept one another.

 

[Pindi Boy]

Afghanistan need to make sure they work with India and does not allow Pakistan to play its dirty games on their soil ..

They need to hand over terrorists to India who are enjoying safe places in Afghanistan under the ISI.

first hang modi for genocide then we will talk about other terrorists (Rss Shiv Sena)

 

[Zibago]

Lets hope with them Afghani army can implement writ of state in captured provinces

A better option would have been ch 3 and ch 4 ucav,s

 

[Leviza]

Afghanistan need to make sure they work with India and does not allow Pakistan to play its dirty games on their soil ..

They need to hand over terrorists to India who are enjoying safe places in Afghanistan under the ISI.

Are you MAD?
Did india provided shelter to millions of Afghani people when they needed it the most ???
Did india ever cared for muslims ? last time i checked they were killed for eating beaf

no one asked your suggestion on the subject , so go away and you are not welcomed here in Afghan - Pakistan relations...

 

[Pulsar]

Are you MAD?
Did india provided shelter to millions of Afghani people when they needed it the most ???
Did india ever cared for muslims ?

Mad? I think YOU are. With your pathetic knowledge you must be unaware of the fact that India provided shelter to three million East Pakistan Muslim refugees who escaped the genocide going on there in 1971.

So yes, we did and do care for Muslims. You need to take care of yours.

no one asked your suggestion on the subject , so go away and you are not welcomed here in Afghan - Pakistan relations...

Go take a walk kid. You're a non entity out here.

 

[GR!FF!N]

Super Tunaco's flight ceiling is decent.hope ANAF procures few dozen of super tunaco for air support role.hope this along with new Mi-35s will resolve their problem pretty quick.

 

[pakdefender]

15 years of gimmickry, billions wasted , no real lessons learnt it seems