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AAF retires An-26 aircraft after 30 years of use

  • Published
Afghanistan is a nation in transition. No where is this more apparent than in the Afghan Air Force, where the long and storied tradition of the Antonov An-26 transport aircraft came to an end Dec. 24, as the AAF delves deeper into its switch to the Alenia C-27 as the primary transport aircraft of the force.

To commemorate the An-26's retirement, AAF Airmen who have had a connection to the aircraft over the course of its 30-plus years of service gathered on the flight line at the Afghan Air Force Base in Kabul to take a group photo in front of the lone An-26 left at the base.

At its peak in 1986, there were 36 An-26s in the AAF. The aircraft has been used for light transport, medical evacuations, personnel evacuation, air drops and VIP missions over the course of its employment in the AAF.

"It was a nice, safe aircraft. It is very important to the history of the Afghan Air Force," said Fatha Moh, who has been serving the An-26 for over twenty years.

"It really was the first standard aircraft of the AAF," he said

"Every aircraft is important, but the An-26 has executed more missions than any other aircraft in the history of this air force," said AAF Brig. Gen. Assadullah Hashmi, the AAF group operations commander.

"When it comes to transport aircraft, the An-26 was the best--no engine shut downs, no fires, and it fit the demanding conditions that Afghanistan's climate creates. I have fond memories of this aircraft," he said.

What comes next for the AAF is the retirement of the Antonov 32, an aircraft similar to the An-26, and the complete transition to the C-27.

According to U.S. Air Force Col. Kenneth Madura, commander of the 438th Air Expeditionary Advisory Group, the An-32 is expected to be retired in the summer of 2011.