US $780m Afghan aircraft purchase 'wasteful'

[That Guy]

US $780m Afghan aircraft purchase 'wasteful'

Thirty Mi-17 helicopters are among the aircraft intended for the Afghan troops

A US watchdog has advised the Pentagon to ground plans to spend $780m (£513m) on 48 aircraft for the Afghan military, as their pilots lack expertise.

The planes and helicopters are intended for the Afghan Special Mission Wing (SMW), but the audit found the unit has no command structure.

And only seven of its Afghan pilots were trained to fly with night-vision goggles, according to the report.

It could take 10 years before the unit is self-sufficient, said the watchdog (.PDF link).

The audit also noted the US currently carried out most of the aircraft repair and maintenance for the Afghans.

'Waste of US funds'

The Special Inspector General for Afghan Reconstruction's report found the Afghans could not carry out counter-militancy missions as most of the SMW's 47 pilots could not fly at night.

The audit also cited difficulties in finding candidates who were literate and able to pass the exhaustive 18-20 month US vetting process.

"The Afghans lack the capacity - in both personnel numbers and expertise - to operate and maintain the existing and planned SMW fleets," the report said.

As a result, the planes "could be left sitting on runways in Afghanistan, rather than supporting critical missions, resulting in waste of US funds", the audit said.

"We maintain that moving forward with the acquisition of these aircraft is imprudent," it added.

The Pentagon has a $218m contract with Nevada-based Sierra Nevada Corporation for 18 PC-12 fixed-wing aircraft and a $554m deal with a Russian firm, Rosoboronexport, for 30 Mi-17 helicopters, according to the audit.

The report recommended the purchases be halted, but Deputy Assistant Defence Secretary Michael Dumont said that would "unacceptably delay our efforts to develop the SMW into a capable force".

BBC News - US $780m Afghan aircraft purchase 'wasteful'

@WebMaster @Pak-one @Aeronaut @muse @fatman17 @RazPaK

Thoughts? -That Guy

 

[acetophenol]

They can trained in a matter of months,right? Everything else is attained by practice,for which they need the equipment.

 

[Kompromat]

They can trained in a matter of months,right? Everything else is attained by practice,for which they need the equipment.

How in a few months, can you train N.Alliance's goat hurdling mercenaries who haven't seen school for 35 years?

 

[Zarvan]

How in a few months, can you train N.Alliance's goat hurdling mercenaries who haven't seen school for 35 years?

I am telling you these guys don't stand a chance against Taliban they would destroy each other after USA runs away and Taliban would rule

 

[That Guy]

They can trained in a matter of months,right? Everything else is attained by practice,for which they need the equipment.

Like the article suggests, it take 18-20 months and then they have to weed out who's who, and make sure none of them are connected to the insurgents. The requirements are much higher than joining infantry forces, which means that the list of potential recruits suddenly shortens.

 

[muse]

US has plenty of funds - and the Afghan need the lift capability - as long as high performance fixed wing aircraft are not funded, I don't see the problem

 

[EagleEyes]

It will take half a decade or so, but they will likely have a developed wing.

 

[DESERT FIGHTER]

Wont be surprised if they defect to Pakistan after NATO withdrawal...

 

[Hellraiser007]

It seems USA is not interested in training these Afghan security forces.

 

[That Guy]

It will take half a decade or so, but they will likely have a developed wing.

The question remains, do they have that long?

 

[A-Team]

Hello Folks,

I believe as most recall Afghanistan had a pretty decent Airforce back in the 80s with variety of Aircrafts, I still remember the Mig21s and Mi24s flying over Kabul. Actually my uncle was trained in the Soviet Union as Mig21 pilot. Due to active combat the skills of the Afghan pilots were also decent, now of course most of those pilots are in their 40s so we need young generation of Afghans to be trained. They are actively training new recruits in Shindand and Kandahar with some being sent to the US and also UAE if I recall properly. I don't see any reason why new young Afghans pilots cant take care of these Russian aircrafts, with proper training and resources they should be able to fly and take care of the Afghan airspace as they did in the past. /Peace

 

[M.harris]

Hello Folks,

I believe as most recall Afghanistan had a pretty decent Airforce back in the 80s with variety of Aircrafts, I still remember the Mig21s and Mi24s flying over Kabul. Actually my uncle was trained in the Soviet Union as Mig21 pilot. Due to active combat the skills of the Afghan pilots were also decent, now of course most of those pilots are in their 40s so we need young generation of Afghans to be trained. They are actively training new recruits in Shindand and Kandahar with some being sent to the US and also UAE if I recall properly. I don't see any reason why new young Afghans pilots cant take care of these Russian aircrafts, with proper training and resources they should be able to fly and take care of the Afghan airspace as they did in the past. /Peace

to

 

[A.Rafay]

So thats where our coalition support fund cut is going to! From 1.9b to $1.2b this year, while we spend double triple on WOT. $780m helis for afghans

 

[BATMAN]

Hello Folks,

I believe as most recall Afghanistan had a pretty decent Airforce back in the 80s with variety of Aircrafts, I still remember the Mig21s and Mi24s flying over Kabul. Actually my uncle was trained in the Soviet Union as Mig21 pilot. Due to active combat the skills of the Afghan pilots were also decent, now of course most of those pilots are in their 40s so we need young generation of Afghans to be trained. They are actively training new recruits in Shindand and Kandahar with some being sent to the US and also UAE if I recall properly. I don't see any reason why new young Afghans pilots cant take care of these Russian aircrafts, with proper training and resources they should be able to fly and take care of the Afghan airspace as they did in the past. /Peace

New young are slaves of foreign occupiers, and slaves have no spirit to fight for the masters.

Better, slaves push the carts of Indian army cum contractors, may be they can give you a dime in return.

 

[SQ8]

Hello Folks,

I believe as most recall Afghanistan had a pretty decent Airforce back in the 80s with variety of Aircrafts, I still remember the Mig21s and Mi24s flying over Kabul. Actually my uncle was trained in the Soviet Union as Mig21 pilot. Due to active combat the skills of the Afghan pilots were also decent, now of course most of those pilots are in their 40s so we need young generation of Afghans to be trained. They are actively training new recruits in Shindand and Kandahar with some being sent to the US and also UAE if I recall properly. I don't see any reason why new young Afghans pilots cant take care of these Russian aircrafts, with proper training and resources they should be able to fly and take care of the Afghan airspace as they did in the past. /Peace

The question is what these new pilots will have to look forward to?
Because in their case they will be shouldering greater burden in terms of their families being targeted by the Taliban due to their stature as pilots. Moreover, it has to come with a stable Afghan government. The US has been able to pull off some sort of a system in Iraq where there is relative stability..in that environment a rebirth of its airforce may be carried out.