Withdrawal of U.S. contractors could ground Afghan Air Force

The special inspector general for Afghanistan reconstruction (SIGAR) warned that the withdrawal of U.S. contractors in May will have an enormous impact on the combat capabilities of the Afghan military.

Four A-29 Super Tucanos arrive in Kabul, Afghanistan, March 20, 2017, before the beginning of the 2017 fighting season. The aircraft will bolster the Afghan Air Force's inventory from eight to 12 A-29s in country. Airmen from Train, Advise, Assist Command-Air, as part of Resolute Support Mission, work in tandem with their Afghan counterparts fostering a working relationship and fortifying confidence in the mission. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Jordan Castelan)
Four A-29 Super Tucanos arrive in Kabul, Afghanistan, March 20, 2017, before the beginning of the 2017 fighting season. The aircraft will bolster the Afghan Air Force’s inventory from eight to 12 A-29s in country. Airmen from Train, Advise, Assist Command-Air, as part of Resolute Support Mission, work in tandem with their Afghan counterparts fostering a working relationship and fortifying confidence in the mission. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Jordan Castelan)


John Sopko says the Afghans rely on the Americans to carry out 100 percent of the maintenance work on the C-130 and Black Hawk helicopters. Without those contractors, those aircraft could only fly for a few months after their departure.

He added that the departures “will negatively impact Afghan security forces, threaten the Afghan state and imperil (U.S.) own national security interests if Afghanistan should further destabilize.”

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