KABUL - General John Campbell, former commander of U.S-led NATO coalition forces in Afghanistan said that the Afghan air force will not reach its required strength levels until 2020 - despite embattled Afghan security forces locked in military operations against insurgents across the country.
Campbell, who ended his tenure as commander of U.S and NATO troops in the country recently, told reporters on Friday that some planes procured for the Afghan air force will not reach the country until 2018.
He added "2020 is probably a good guess."
Meanwhile, Afghanistan's Ministry of Defense (MoD) has reiterated calls for a well-equipped Afghan air force.
"Our military needs are much higher. For instance we have to build a strong artillery unit, tank units and other units which can perform within the rank of the army firmly," deputy MoD spokesman Mohammad Radmanesh said.
Campbell meanwhile spoke of the increase of U.S deployments in Afghanistan. But the Afghan Ministry of Interior (MoI) has said that the U.S will only conduct deployments in line with the Bilateral Security Agreement (BSA) signed between Kabul and Washington.
Campbell also underlined the increase in activities of U.S forces in Afghanistan, something the Afghan Ministry of Interior has said will happen only in line with the security agreement signed between the two allies. The Bilateral Security Agreement (BSA) is an agreement which allows the U.S forces to stay in Afghanistan post-2014 but in a train, advise and assist capacity.
"Activities, and operational and security plans of international forces have been explained in the security agreement and it explains that work needs to be done by them (foreign forces). So we support the activities which are carried out in line with the agreement," said Najibullah Danish, a deputy MoI spokesman.
Referring to the security threats facing the Afghan forces, some Afghan military experts have also asked the nation's international partners to accelerate efforts and ensure a well-equipped and powerful air force is realized.
"We still need fighter and bomber jets including air defense systems and helicopters, transportation and surveillance planes which can supply our forces in remote regions and border posts. Afghanistan also needs radar systems and other air equipment," military analyst Jawed Kohistani said.
Currently, 9,800 US troops are already in Afghanistan with their main focus being on assisting, training and advising Afghan security forces. (Tolonews)