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Afghanistan hails new hangar, aircraft as 'birth of air force'

By Assocaited Press
Published January 18, 2008

KABUL, Afghanistan - Calling it the "birth of our air force," Afghan President Hamid Karzai opened a new $22-million U.S.-funded military hangar on Thursday to house a fleet that is expected to triple in the next three years.

Standing in the cavernous hangar opposite Kabul's international airport, Karzai thanked the United States for helping to buy six refurbished Mi-17 transport helicopters and six refurbished Mi-35 helicopter gunships from the Czech Republic, as well as four An-32 transport planes from Ukraine.

The newly acquired aircraft will help transport Afghan troops - who are taking on an increasing role in the battle against the Taliban - on missions around the country.

The new aircraft and upgraded flight facilities are part of a $183-million U.S.-funded program to bolster the Afghan air force.

Afghanistan once had a strong air force that included hundreds of helicopters and Soviet-built MiG-21 and Su-22 warplanes, but that fleet was devastated by two decades of war.

"Today is again the birth of our air force," Karzai told a crowd of U.S. and Afghan military personnel. "We should strengthen this air force because it's very necessary for the Afghan government to have it."

Air Force Brig. Gen. Jay H. Lindell, the U.S. commander in charge of helping train and equip the Afghan air force, said that before six of the Czech helicopters were delivered in December, the Afghan air force had only four working helicopters.

"This new hangar is ... a new beginning and the rebirth of the Afghan Air Corps," Lindell said.

Some of the new aircraft, acquired at a total cost of $90-million, were delivered last month. The rest are to arrive by April. Ten Mi-17s donated by the United Arab Emirates will be delivered in the spring.

Today, the Afghan force has 22 helicopters and planes, and the goal is to have 61 aircraft by 2011. Their most important missions are to transport and help supply Afghan army troops, Lindell said.

"They need rotary wing aircraft (helicopters) for battlefield mobility," he said. "The Mi-17 is a really rugged, reliable aircraft. They know how to fly it. They know how to maintain them. They just don't have very many of them."

Karzai said the international community has agreed to supply the country with fighter jets such as F-16s, although Lindell previously said plans drawn through 2011 don't call for any military jets for Afghanistan.

[Last modified January 18, 2008, 01:35:15]