US general sees problems, progress in developing Afghan’s new air force
NATIONAL HARBOR, MARYLAND: The US-led effort to train the Afghan air force faces big challenges ranging from security threats to possible repercussions from a new review of infrastructure and equipment projects, the US general in charge said.
‘‘This is a hard deal. We’re far from 100% guaranteed on delivery,’’ said air force Brig Gen John Michel, who leads Nato Air Training Command Afghanistan, which is due to complete its training of the Afghan air force by Dec 31, 2017 — three years after most US forces leave Afghanistan.
The one-star general cited progress in training and planning for Afghanistan to assume control over the air force but said many factors were outside his control.
Brig Gen Michel was speaking during the annual Air Force Association conference in Afghanistan.
He said the Nato-led International Security Assistance Force (Isaf) was reexamining all infrastructure projects after a report that one US$37 million (1.15 billion baht) aviation facility may have been used to store opium and other concerns raised by Congress.
A group of US politicians last week called on US Attorney-General Eric Holder to use all available resources to back up the Pentagon’s criminal investigation into potentially improper payments made by an army aviation unit that awarded contracts to Russian and US firms to maintain and overhaul Russian-made Mi-17 helicopters.
Brig Gen Michel said Marine Corps Gen Joseph Dunford, who heads Isaf, was trying to insulate the training command from any fallout from the procurement problems, which were linked to a different unit. But some consequences were possible, he said.
‘‘If they downscale some of our infrastructure [and cut aircraft], there’s a degrading effect on our capacity,’’ he said. ‘‘All of these become impediments to our success while we fight the clock.’’
Brig Gen Michel, who arrived on the job seven weeks ago, said about 70% of the hangars, taxiways and other infrastructure needed to support the air force, which is due to expand to around 8,000 people from 7,000, were completed.
But he said he fears the remaining 30% might never get built if problems identified in a recent report by the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction lead to project cancellations.
‘‘You have to have concrete and buildings to operate from,’’ he said.
The training mission is being led by 649 US military advisers, contractors and advisers from other Nato forces. Their ranks will swell to 1,114 over the next two years after four Lockheed Martin C-130 cargo planes and 20 Sierra Nevada A29 Super Tucano planes arrive.
A dozen Mi-17 helicopters are also expected in coming weeks, Brig Gen Michel said.
The Nato advisers are helping Afghans develop the skills to operate, maintain and develop budgets for and manage what Brig Gen Michel calls a selfsustaining, ‘‘small but mighty’’ air force.
Afghani pilots will be trained to carry out missions, respond to natural disasters and evacuate casualties in a mountainous country that still lacks roads and other forms of transport.
One large challenge has been ensuring that half the force learns English, Brig Gen Michel said, noting that recruiting was difficult in a country where literacy in native languages was at just 31%.
Brig Gen Michel’s unit now runs seven English courses, serving about 420 students at any given time.
‘‘Aviation opens you to the world,’’ Brig Gen Michel said. ‘‘It seeds the investment that Afghanistan is going to need to really flourish going forward.’’