July 12, 2021

through Gareth Jennings

The Afghan Air Force (AFA) must be backed by the United Arab Emirates (UAE), now that US and coalition forces have all but left the country.

President Ghani made the announcement on July 10 at a security meeting in Khost province, state media reported, claiming that a location for the maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) of the AAF’s fleet of fixed and rotary wing aircraft had been established in the emirates.

Ghani’s comment came weeks after Janes first reported that the United States had partially transferred support for the Afghan MD Helicopters Inc (MDHI) MD 530F Cayuse Warrior Light Attack and Reconnaissance Rotorcraft Fleet to the United Arab Emirates, prior to the planned withdrawal of its forces of the country. As Janes noted on June 10, the last two US Department of Defense (DoD) support contracts for the AAF MD 530F fleet listed Al Ain in the United Arab Emirates as a site alongside Kabul for MRO support.

While Ghani did not name the already established location in the UAE that will undertake the MRO for the AAF, the US DoD’s identification of Al Ain as the site where the MD 530F helicopters will be supported. , coupled with the base indicates that this base in Abu Dhabi, near the border with Oman, will also serve the larger AAF fleet.

https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/afghan-air-force-to-be-supported-from-uae

The Afghan Air Force (AAF) must be supported by the United Arab Emirates (UAE), now that the United States and …