Helis, December 11, 2018 - An Afghan Air Force Black Hawk helicopter crashed last November 24 in the southern Kandahar province killing at least 2 of the 20 occupants.
Reports said the crash happened due to technical failure and the Ministry of Defense confirmed the helicopter made an emergency landing. Nevertheless, the Taliban tweeted that their fighters had shot down the helicopter.
Since 2017, the Pentagon has been delivering refurbished ex US Army Black Hawk helicopters to Afghanistan in order to replace their Russian-made Mi-8/Mi-17 fleet. Plans go for the delivery of 30 helicopters per year for eventually a 160-strong fleet.
The resulting UH-60A+ is an old A model fitted with the UH-60L engine to tolerate the heat extremes in the desert.
Last May, an official Pentagon report admitted that the Black Hawk being supply to the Afghans are less capable and harder to maintain than the Mi-17 they currently have.
One of the Afghan Air Force Mi-17 helicopters:
Reports said the crash happened due to technical failure and the Ministry of Defense confirmed the helicopter made an emergency landing. Nevertheless, the Taliban tweeted that their fighters had shot down the helicopter.
Since 2017, the Pentagon has been delivering refurbished ex US Army Black Hawk helicopters to Afghanistan in order to replace their Russian-made Mi-8/Mi-17 fleet. Plans go for the delivery of 30 helicopters per year for eventually a 160-strong fleet.
The resulting UH-60A+ is an old A model fitted with the UH-60L engine to tolerate the heat extremes in the desert.
Last May, an official Pentagon report admitted that the Black Hawk being supply to the Afghans are less capable and harder to maintain than the Mi-17 they currently have.
One of the Afghan Air Force Mi-17 helicopters:
See also |
UH-60A Black Hawk in
Afghan Air Force Pentagon Found Challenges Replacing Afghan Mi-17
