The rugged Mi-8/Mi-17 made up the backbone of the former AAF fleet. (US DoD)
Afghan forces collapsed spectacularly like a row of dominoes this month as political leaders such as President Ashraf Ghani fled the country. Towards the end, many Afghan Air Force (AAF) aircraft took to the air to find refuge in neighbouring countries.
By no means did all helicopters and aircraft escape the clutches of the Taliban, however, as they overran air bases such as Bagram, Herat, Kabul, Kandahar and Mazar-i-Sharif before achieving its almost nationwide victory on 15 August.
In an inventory assessment dated 16 August, the Oryx blogsite analysed what AAF airframes had in fact been captured. Its compilers
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The Pentagon has sent an amendment to the Office of Management and Budget, according to Pete Hegseth, including funds for the procurement of E-7 Wedgetails in FY2027.
As Europe confronts its most unstable security environment since the Cold War, defence planners recognise that advanced, dependable and flexible Uncrewed Aerial Systems (UAS) are central to a force that competes and prevails on today’s battlefield.
The country could be on the cusp of finalising an historic deal with Saab for up to 150 aircraft, with Belgium also increasing its number of donated F-16 aircraft to 53 with refreshed delivery timelines.
The USAF intends to conduct the second phase of the DRAGON programme from FY2026 to FY2030, while the future of the E3 replacement remains unknown.
Indonesia’s purchase of 12 drones with options for an additional 48 is the third deal in as many years between Indonesian and Turkish defence industries, bolstering the former’s plans to strengthen its own domestic production and defence industry.
The Brazilian Army is forecast to spend $279.15 million on UAVs from 2026, exceeding the Brazilian Navy’s $227.51 million forecast spend, although the naval force was an earlier adopter of the capability.
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