President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani said Monday that the Afghan Air Force (AAF) will receive additional combat aircraft within the next three weeks.
In his speech during the inauguration of the new compound of Ministry of Defense, President Ghani thanked India for the delivery of Mi-25 gunships, calling the close-air support for the Afghan forces a critical need durig the current situation.
President Ghani further added that three Mi-25 gunships have arrived in the country and the fourth one will be delivered soon.
He also thanked the commander of the NATO-led Resolute Support (RS) mission and US forces in Afghanistan Gen. John Campbell regarding steps taken for the delivery of additional aircraft to Afghan Air Force.
President Ghani said the first batch of the aircraft will arrive in Afghanistan in the next three weeks as the loading has been done.
This comes as reports emerged earlier last week that the first batch of fixed-wing combat aircraft consisting of four A-29 Super Tucano planes will be delivered in the month fo January.
Meanwhile, the delivery of the aircraft comes as eight Afghan Air Force pilots completed their training recently and graduated from a program hosted by the 81st Fighter Squadron at Moody Air Force Base in United States and will return to Afghanistan for combat.
The A-29 is a multi-role, fixed-wing aircraft that will provide the Afghan air force with an indigenous air-to-ground capability and aerial reconnaissance capabilities to support the country’s counterinsurgency operations.
Source: Khaama Press
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