News Story: Afghan army helicopter makes emergency landing - official

MD-530 light attack helicopter of the Afghan Army

KABUL, Feb. 23 (Xinhua) -- An Afghan army helicopter made a crash landing in northern Kunduz province on Thursday, a spokesman of the Defense Ministry said, adding the crew were rescued after the landing.

"A MD 530 helicopter, which was en route for a combat task to northern Takhar province, made emergency landing in Dasht-e-Archi district of (neighboring) Kunduz province. The crew was rescued safely by another helicopter," Gen. Dawlat Waziri said in a statement.

Read the full story at Xinhua

News Story: Afghan air force spreads its wings amid record army losses

Afghan MD-530 (Click Image to Enlarge)

By Anne CHAON

Clutching a radio in his hand on a barren hill surrounded by desert peaks, Sahil prepares to guide a pilot flying low overhead toward his training target -- the third car in a convoy below.

Under pressure from the Taliban, Afghanistan's military is increasingly relying on the country's young air force, and, together with Western allies, is speeding up its training of pilots and ground controllers in order to strike the enemy.

Once a strong flying power supported by the Soviet Union, Afghanistan's air force was decimated by the civil war of the 1990s and the turbulent period of Taliban-rule.

By the time Western forces started rebuilding it in 2007, there were only a handful of MiG fighters left.

"There are currently 78 trained and available aircrews in the Afghan Air Force," says Captain James Smith, spokesman for the US 438th Air Expeditionary Wing, which is responsible for training the Afghans.

But there is still a long way to go. The AAF now has around 100 aircraft, including 27 MD-530 attack helicopters, and about 20 small support aircraft, such as the Brazilian built A-29 Super Tucanos -- used against drug traffickers in Latin America. It also has approximately 50 Russian Mi-17 transport choppers.

"With the three main bases in Kabul, Kandahar and Shindand, the bad guys know (the AAF) can strike anywhere in the country," says Captain Smith, adding: "I have been in an MD-530 when firing a rocket and believe me, it's no joke."

The "bad guys" -- the Taliban -- have stepped up their insurgency to record levels following the withdrawal of foreign combat troops in 2014, inflicting more than 5,000 deaths on government forces last year.

Read the full story at SpaceWar

USA: Resolute Support Spokesman - Afghan Security Forces on Positive Trajectory

By Cheryl Pellerin

DoD News, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, Aug. 25, 2016 — Afghan forces are performing better this year than last year, and are generally on track with their offensive campaign plan and are on a positive trajectory, the NATO Resolute Support Mission deputy chief of staff for communications said today.

Army Brig. Gen. Charles H. Cleveland, briefing the Pentagon press corps live via video conference from Kabul, began by offering the deepest sympathies of the command to the families of Army Staff Sgt. Matthew V. Thompson, who died Aug. 23 in Helmand province, and to the families of 12 people -- seven of them students -- who died yesterday in an attack on American University of Afghanistan in Kabul.

Thompson was killed when an improvised explosive device detonated during dismounted operations with his patrol and Afghan counterparts near Lashkar Gah. Officials said the blast wounded another U.S. service member, who is in stable condition, and six Afghan soldiers.

Cleveland said an investigation is being conducted to determine the exact circumstances of the event.

USA: Dunford Says Aviation Brings 'Asymmetric Advantage' to Afghan Force

By Lisa Ferdinando

DoD News, Defense Media Activity

KABUL, Afghanistan, July 21, 2016 — As the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff attended briefings at the U.S. Air Force’s 438th Air Expeditionary Wing at Kabul International Airport here, a special delivery arrived for the Afghan air force.

Five new MD-530 Cayuse Warrior helicopters were wheeled off a C-17 Globemaster III transport from Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington. The attack helicopters were moved into position where Marine Corps Gen. Joe Dunford would soon inspect those and other aircraft used by Afghan forces in the fight against the Taliban.

Air Force Lt. Col. James Detweiler, the 438th Air Expeditionary Advisory Group deputy commander, said the 438th Air Expeditionary Wing/ Train, Advise, Assist Command-Air is supporting a functional, capable and sustainable Afghan air force. "It takes quite a while to build an air force, especially when you're trying to almost build it from scratch," he said. With the latest delivery, the Afghan air force has 23 MD-530s.

An objective of the training mission is to teach the Afghans how to integrate the air power with other air assets and ground forces, he said. While U.S. pilots are fully trained before undertaking a mission, the Afghan forces are training while executing combat missions, Detweiler said, adding that the Afghan forces are resilient and eager to learn.

"It's really impressive to watch them work and continue to move through the problem sets and continue training, continue flying combat operations all at the same time," he said.

News Story: Afghan forces improve performance over last year - US general

Afghan forces have improved their performance over last year, a time when they saw a series of setbacks in their struggle against the Taliban, a United States general said Wednesday.

"We are cautiously optimistic about the coming months because overall we do believe that they have some momentum right now," senior spokesman for US forces in Afghanistan Charles Cleveland said via videoconference from Kabul.

"We do believe that the ANDSF has performed better this year than they were performing last year," he said, using the acronym for the Afghan national troops.

Last year concerns that Afghan forces lacked the ability to resist the Taliban led the United States to postpone indefinite withdrawal of its own troops.

Read the full story at SpaceWar

News Story: MDHI Secures Launch Customer for 530G

by Kerry Lynch

MD Helicopters (MDHI) bolstered its military business with the signing of a launch customer for its MD 530G scout attack helicopter. The Malaysia Ministry of Defense signed a contract to take delivery of six of the upgraded model. Plans call for MDHI to begin delivery of the helicopters to Malaysian army aviation, Pasukan Udara Teneter Darat(PUDT), late this year with all six to be handed over the end of the first quarter of 2017.

The MD 530G first flew in 2013 and MDHI formally announced the helicopter and completed live-fire testing a year later. The next in line to the 530F that was certified more than 30 years ago, the 530G is fitted with more robust landing gear to support a 3,750-pound mtow that increases payload for range, endurance and weapons. The helicopter has a top speed of 130 knots.

The aircraft is configured to accommodate an integrated on-board stores management system, FLIR, guided and unguided rockets and inboard .50 caliber machine guns. The Malaysian army’s fleet of MD 530G helicopters will be equipped with a custom weapons package, advanced communications capabilities and electro-optical/infrared sensors to detect a range of threats.

Read the full story at AINonline