The High Cost Of Conflict: Aircraft Losses In The Afghanistan War

The war in Afghanistan saw a large number of aircraft losses. The US-led coalition forces lost 134 aircraft, 38 of which were lost to hostile fire. The Afghan Air Force also lost several aircraft, with more than a quarter of its fleet ending up in neighbouring countries such as Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. The Taliban's seizure of US and Afghan aircraft has raised concerns about their potential use, but military experts believe that the lack of trained pilots and maintenance capabilities will hinder their ability to operate them effectively.

The US military's scramble to destroy aircraft left behind in Afghanistan

In the final days of the US presence in Afghanistan, there was chaos, bloodshed, desperation, fear, and panic as troops attempted to stave off attacks by ISIS-K while coordinating a massive exodus of people from the country.

The US military left behind tens of millions of dollars' worth of aircraft, armored vehicles, and defensive systems in the rush to leave Kabul airport safely. This included 73 aircraft, 70 MRAPs, 27 Humvees, and an unspecified number of counter-rocket, artillery, and mortar systems.

To prevent these assets from falling into the hands of the Taliban, US troops destroyed or 'demilitarized' the equipment. They likely used thermate grenades, which burn at temperatures of 4,000 degrees Fahrenheit, to destroy key components. Some pieces of equipment were probably blown up, and others rendered inoperable.

The Pentagon confirmed that all US military aircraft had left Afghanistan, with the last plane departing Hamid Karzai International Airport a few hours before dawn on August 30, 2021. However, the US-supplied Afghan Air Force remained in the country, and its pilots continued to execute dangerous missions to support ground forces.

As the Taliban advanced and air bases fell, Afghan pilots retreated to Kabul, hoping to regroup for counter-attacks. However, the fall of Kabul on August 15 led to a mass exodus of airmen and their families, who fled the country with their aircraft. More than a quarter of Afghanistan's fleet ended up in Uzbekistan and Tajikistan.

The Pentagon did not confirm how many aircraft were captured by the Taliban or how many remained operable. However, it dispatched US forces to cripple the abandoned aircraft and make them worthless to the Taliban. Major Frank Kessler, a member of the 82nd Airborne Division, led a team to locate and disable 73 military aircraft at Kabul airport without the use of explosives to avoid panic and detection.

The scramble to destroy or disable aircraft left behind in Afghanistan reflected the urgency to prevent them from falling into enemy hands and the challenges faced by the US military during the chaotic withdrawal from the country.

The Afghan Air Force's chaotic collapse

The collapse of the Afghan Air Force (AAF) was a chaotic and dispiriting affair. The U.S. had spent billions building up the AAF to give Kabul an edge over Islamic insurgents, but the project unravelled in just weeks after the U.S. began withdrawing support in mid-2021.

The AAF was once the crown jewel of the nation's military, but it was always dependent on its American partners for core functions including aircraft maintenance and logistics. Impoverished Afghanistan, rife with corruption, lacked the military-industrial ecosystem and deep bench of talent needed for such an endeavour to stand on its own.

The Biden administration's decision to withdraw all U.S. military personnel and contractors exposed this weakness. Video chats with remote support staff could not replace on-the-ground help.

The AAF was also running low on ordnance and desperate for maintenance. The U.S. military was forced to step in to fill the gap.

The Fall of Kabul

The melee involving Afghan Air Force members ahead of Kabul's fall to the Taliban on 15 August 2021 hasn't been widely reported. At Kabul airport, some AAF personnel guarding the airfield tried to force their way onto a military helicopter preparing to lift off. The chopper's destination was across town, but the guards were convinced it was leaving the country and were determined not to be left behind. Another guard, trying to stop them, pointed his gun at the cockpit. Bedlam ensued. Shots were fired, injuring the pilot and another airman on board.

The Evacuation of Ashraf Ghani

The chaos at the airport may have contributed to the decision to evacuate Afghan President Ashraf Ghani. Ghani and his entourage boarded three helicopters on the palace grounds to flee to Uzbekistan. After the president, his wife and some top-ranking officials were aboard, Ghani's bodyguards fought each other for the remaining seats. The three helicopters left the palace together, flying low to avoid radar. A fourth helicopter followed soon after. One chopper was so crowded that the crew ordered body armour to be thrown overboard to lighten the load.

The Human Cost

The AAF's collapse was emblematic of the wider failures of the 20-year U.S. involvement in Afghanistan. The U.S. air campaign in the fall of 2001 destroyed most of the remaining Afghan aircraft. The AAF's disintegration also had a human cost. Pilots controlled a precious means of escape, and some Afghans were willing to do anything to get on board their aircraft. The Taliban also hunted Afghan pilots on the ground, assassinating them when they stepped off base.

The Taliban's seizure of US military aircraft

The Taliban's rapid advance across Afghanistan in 2021 led to the collapse of the US-supported Afghan military, leaving behind a significant amount of weaponry and equipment. This included US-made military vehicles, firearms, communication gear, and drones. The Taliban's seizure of these assets has raised concerns among US officials, who fear they could be used against civilians or fall into the hands of rival militant groups or adversarial nations.

Among the seized equipment, the capture of US military aircraft by the Taliban is particularly concerning. According to a report by the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, the Afghan Air Force operated 211 aircraft, including about 167 planes and helicopters. While the exact number of aircraft captured by the Taliban is unknown, reports suggest they gained access to dozens of helicopters and planes. This includes US-made Black Hawk helicopters and Brazilian-made A-29 "Super Tucano" attack planes.

The Taliban's acquisition of these aircraft has significant implications. While the Taliban may struggle to operate and maintain the aircraft due to a lack of trained pilots and technical expertise, there are concerns that foreign powers could provide assistance. Additionally, the Taliban could seek to sell the aircraft or use them to strengthen their control over Afghanistan.

To mitigate these risks, the US military conducted operations to disable or destroy aircraft left behind during the evacuation. Major Frank Kessler, a member of the 82nd Airborne Division, led a team to locate and sabotage Afghan aircraft at Kabul airport without the use of explosives to avoid panic and detection. While the Taliban have expressed interest in building their own Air Force, US-trained Afghan pilots have been reluctant to cooperate, with many evacuating to neighboring countries along with their aircraft.

The seizure of US military aircraft by the Taliban highlights the complexities of the situation in Afghanistan and the challenges faced by the US and its allies in ensuring the safety and security of the region.

The evacuation of Afghan pilots to Uzbekistan and Tajikistan

On 14 and 15 August, 22 Afghan military planes and 24 helicopters carrying 585 Afghan personnel fled over the border to Uzbekistan. One Afghan Embraer 314 crashed in Uzbekistan's Surxondaryo Region, with the pilots ejecting and landing with parachutes. The Uzbek Prosecutor General's office initially stated that the plane had collided with an Uzbekistan Air Force MiG-29, but later retracted this statement.

On the same weekend, two Afghan planes and three helicopters carrying 143 military servicemen fled over the border to Tajikistan.

In total, more than a quarter of Afghanistan's air fleet ended up in Uzbekistan and Tajikistan.

The evacuated Afghan pilots were held in Tajikistan and Uzbekistan for several months. They were eventually evacuated to the United Arab Emirates, with the help of the U.S. authorities.

The evacuation of the pilots was a complex operation, with the U.S. prioritising the safe evacuation of Americans from Afghanistan, and then the resettlement of tens of thousands of Afghans who had served the U.S. and the fallen American-backed Afghan government.

The US's use of drones in Afghanistan

The US has used drones extensively in Afghanistan, with the first strikes taking place under the George W. Bush administration. Drone usage increased four to five times under Donald Trump compared to the previous Barack Obama presidency.

Drones have become one of the US military's primary weapons, with the country's counterterrorism policy leaning towards methods that are more secretive, lethal, and removed from the battlefield. The CIA's drone program remains largely secret, although it is known that the US has used drones to conduct targeted killings of suspected terrorists both inside and outside of war zones.

Drone strikes in Afghanistan have resulted in unintended civilian casualties, including children. In August 2021, a US drone strike killed ten civilians, including several children. Another strike in September 2021 killed an aid worker and ten of his family members, including seven children. The US military later acknowledged that the aid worker and his vehicle posed no threat.

The use of drones in Afghanistan has been criticized for causing unnecessary loss of civilian life. Drone missions are secretive, and it is difficult to confirm the identities of those targeted. Drone strikes have also fuelled anti-American sentiment and aided in recruitment to armed groups that engage in terrorism.

Despite the controversy, the US is likely to continue its use of drones in Afghanistan. The Biden administration has pledged to conduct "over-the-horizon" remote strikes even after withdrawing from the country.

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