KABUL - The Afghan Air Force will continue to grow in the coming years as efforts are underway to increase the capabilities of the Afghan forces air power.
The remarks were made by the top US commander in Afghanistan General John Nicholson who is leading the US forces in Afghanistan and the NATO-led Resolute GEN.
Nicholson said the growth and progress made by Afghan forces in the past year is also due to the 17,000-member special operations force, which operates independently of the U.S. military 80 percent of the time, and the rapidly growing capability of the Afghan air force, Nicholson said.
“They are not only adding attack aircraft,” he said of the Afghan forces, “They’re adding the capability to control those aircraft on the ground.”
Nearly 20 aircrews have been added to the Afghan air force complement since their first A-29 Super Tucano strike combat mission in April, Nicholson said, adding, “The [Afghan] air force is going to continue to grow over the next few years and into the future.”
Since the start of the Taliban’s campaign in April, Afghan forces have prevented them from accomplishing their strategic objectives, he said.
“They’ve been unable to mass because of air power, both Afghan and coalition air power,” Nicholson said, “and they resorted to small-scale attacks on checkpoints around cities in attempts to isolate the cities and create panic.”(KP)