Plan for Afghan off-load

Army plots logistics

AS the A u s t r a l i a n Defence Force plans its withdrawal from Afghanistan, it’s also figuring out what to do with a vast amount of equipment accumulated in a decade of conflict.

A defence spokeswoman said there were a variety of options for redeployment or disposal of the equipment, which includes more than 200 vehicles, plus armoured shipping containers acquired from the Netherlands and used f or accommodation and workplaces.

The equipment could be brought back to Australia or given or sold to Afghanistan or other International Security Assistance Force nations.

‘‘Defence is working to ensure the options for redeployment of equipment aligns with our ISAF partners, but has not reached a decision on any of these options,’’ the spokeswoman said.

To assess what needs to be done, a specialist team, comprising experts in logistics, engineering, communications infrastructure and business management, has gone to the Middle East.

Australian troops first fought in Afghanistan in 2001. Significant numbers were deployed only in 2006, operating with Dutch forces out of the base at Tarin Kowt in Oruzgan Province.

Dutch forces withdrew in 2010, with Australia buying their infrastructure.

It included everything from washing machines to more than 100 purpose-built armoured shipping containers, which protect against rocket or artillery attack.