air power in afghanistan - raaf staff college association · 2019. 11. 10. · air power...

AIR POWER DEVELOPMENT CENTRESEMINAR SERIES

Monday 25 November 2019 Ngunnawal Theatre, Russell Offices

10.30 – 11.30 amThe Afghan Air Force (AAF) is one of the oldest Air Forces in the world. Initially formed in 1924, at its height it operated over 400 aircraft during the 1980s, predominately Soviet types, of which approximately 200 were fighter jets. The collapse of the Najibullah government in 1992, shortly after the withdrawal of Soviet forces, saw the AAF reduced to little more than a dozen helicopters during the subsequent period of the Taliban rule. Under the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), the NATO Combined Air Power Transition Force (CAPTF) began work to rebuild and modernise the AAF. When Operation Resolute Support (RS) replaced ISAF in early 2015, CAPTF was renamed as the NATO Air Command – Afghanistan (NAC-A), continuing efforts to modernise the AAF under a train, advise, assist model that was introduced as an element of the coalition ‘light footprint’. Until recently, NAC-A was staffed by over 1,300 coalition members from 13 different nations, providing mentoring across all tactical and operational elements within the AAF. This was in support of over USD$8 billion of investment into the AAF that has delivered a fleet of over 150 aircraft, the majority of which were delivered within the last three years.This presentation will provide recent insights into the NAC-A mission in support of the AAF, specifically from a Train, Advise, Assist Command – Air (TAAC-Air) perspective. It will provide an overview of the current state of AAF and its effectiveness in supporting Afghan National Defence and Security Forces (ANDSF) in Counter Insurgency (COIN) Operations. The presentation will then share recent experiences by GPCAPT Phil Arms in his role as the TAAC-Air CJ3 and FLTLT Kaela Childs as the Logistics Advisor within 438 Air Expeditionary Advisor Group (AEAG), before concluding with an assessment of what the future holds for the AAF.

Presenters Group Captain Philip ‘Hog’ Arms, CSC Director Pacific Air Community (PAC)

Flight Lieutenant Kaela ChildsSystem Manager, Joint C41 SPO

The seminar will commence promptly at 1030am.

To register your attendance please email: airpower@defence.gov.au

Air Power in AfghanistanA Recent Review of the Afghan Air Force

Presented by Air Power Development Centrewww.airforce.gov.au/airpower