The blue tail revealed the aircraft belongs to the 475th Airlift Wing. The Learjet was accepted by the USAF in April 1985 and served the 12th Air Force VIP flight at Langley with tailcode FF from December 1996 up to October 2004. In the last seven years of that assigment, the FF code was removed. It was transferred to the 375th in late 2004 and was retired on 24 January 2007 when it arrived at AMARG . At the storage location the Gates bird received inventory code CJ0017.

A Dutch F-16AM leaving low-level Kabul, topped of with live GBUs, Sidewinders and a targeting pod. The Koninklijke Luchtmacht deployed four F-16s in support of ISAF. This deployment was shared with initially the Belgiums, and later with the Norwegian. The Dutch and the Norwegians formed the "first Netherlands / Norwegian Expedition Air Wing (EEAW) F-16 International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) Detachment 4", or in short 1 NLD/NOR EEAW F-16 Det ISAF-4. The Norwegians relieved the Belgiums with 1 NLD/BEL EEAW F-16 Det ISAF-3.

Before this An-12 started it civil career it was serving the Soviet AF. In jan'81 is was reported as CCCP-11768 with AFL/Urals, then CCCP-11768 with AFL/International in oct'87. From that moment it changed into LZ-BAF (Balkan and Heavylift), this LZ-BRP (Bright Air), S9-SAE (British Gulf Int.), EW-291TI (Trans Avia Export), EK-12408 (British Gulf Int.), 3X-GHB (GR Avia), EK-12408 (no titles) again and to its current registration EY-408 (no titels)

A former Soviet AF An-12PPS, once known as 10 red in Dec'71. The An-12 was modified to An-12BK and sold to Uzbekistan Airways in Nov'94 (as UK-11109) and again modified to An-12BP (untiteld) from Aug'01 (as XU-365). Imtrec Aviation flew the BP too, as XU-365 from Mar'04. First reported as EX-034 in Dec'04. It was transferred to Sasco Airlines in that same month. The An-12 started to fly for TCS in Jun'05 and was seen as such in this picture a Kabul. Click Airways took over the aircraft in Dec'09 as EX-169. In Oct'12 it was sold to Cavok Air as UR-CKL and is still flying as such in Dec'20.

Several unmarked Mi-8s flew secretive missions over Afghanistan. The helicopters were parked on an isolated platform. Personnel nearby were often very cagey in their behaviour. But sometimes... the helicopters were parked alone, the moment for a picture taken from a passing car... The small HIP fleet was linked to the Blackwater and of US Special Forces. This Mi-8 shows little differences with another picture I've uploaded (see here). This one shows a little black antenna on top of the tail, it did not carry a hoist and the wire antenna on the side of the tailboom is not white

A flight of three Blackhawks arrived at the busy platform of Kabul. They were most probably assigned to 2-10th AVN when this picture was made. The other two were 89-26180 and 90-26306.

Some day's it was a come and go of VIP aircraft at Kabul. This Citation was assigned to the 1-214th AVN and brought a high US Army commander to HQ ISAF, which was situated some miles from the airport.

Most probably assigned to 2-10th AVN when this picture was made.

A 1983 Il-76 leaving the handling platform of Kabul. The former Soviet AF Iljushin (CCCP-76567) was transferred to the Ukrain AF as 76567 in Jul'96. In Feb'01 is was seen as RA-76567 with Rus at Domodedovo when its turrent was removed. From that moment is started a civil career as RA-76848 when it was leased to Abakan Avia all white from Apr'02 and Atruvera from Aug'03. It changed to Airline Transp Inc in May'04 and Trast-Aero in Jan'07, both as ER-IBN. First noted untitled, again all white but as EW-263TH in Oct'07, 4L-GLX with Skyway in Jun'09 and ER-IAG in Jun'15 with Jet Star. Wfu Osh '19

An-32B 353 leading the Afghan National Army - Aviation Corps (ANA-AC) Fixed Wing flightline of three An-32Bs (350 and 342) and two An-26Bs (250, 278).

In some five months time, I did not see any Swedish C-130s at Kabul, so it was a welcome visitor.

Unique: An Il-76 with only one history line: manufactured in 1994 but was only delivered ten years after completion. Its first registration was 4K-AZ40 and this - likewise its owner - did not change up to date (Jan'21)

A Soviet Air Force An-12 that became RA-11317 with Aeroflot. The Antonov flew with Balkan as LZ-BAH from Jan'00 and was sold three years later in Nov'03 to Heli Air Cargo (Heli ?? :-) as LZ-CBH. The An-12 was leased to the UN from Oct'05 and was seen in Khartoum, still with the CBH registration. Then, in Jan'06 the BP went back to Heli Air, kept its white colours and received the name 'Melnik' (MEAHNK). It was transferred to Air Victory as 4L-VAL from May'08 and leased to Air Eagle. Eventually, it was seen dumped at N'Djamena (Chad) from Apr'12.

This Blackhawk most probably belonged to the 2-10th AVN

Although very white, this Metro was operated by Blackwater in 2008. The Metro started its career as N3013L with Fairchild Aircraft Corp in Jan'93, and carried XA-SHE with Aeroponiente-Aerovías de Poniente since Mar'93 and with AeroLitoral since May'95. Its dark career started in Jan'03 as N821JB with Lambert Leasing Inc and was assigned to Horizon Airlines that did not excist. Since Oct'04 is was registered N821JB with Presidential Airways and N955BW with again Presidential Airways since May'05 and N955BW with AAR Airlift since Nov'10. The registration was cancelled on 20 Apr'17 with the current whereabouts unknown.

Kabul activity

An Il-76TD wih a long history, its career started in '92 as CCCP-76401 with AFL/Ulyanovsk, then RA-76401 with Aeroflot, Heavylift, Heavylift, this shown Atlant-Soyuz, followed by Russkoye Nebo, leased to the United Nations,, followed by Phoenix Avia (as EK-76401), Veteran Avia, Grixona (as ER-IAK), Oscar Jet (ER-IAZ), Yevropa Air (as UR-CRN) and up to date with Fly Sky Airlines (first as UR-CRN and currently as UR-FSC).

A nice Apache that gave armed support to two Blackhawks. The attack helicopter was delivered early 1992 to the 1-183rd AVN of the Idaho Army National Guard. It continued with this ArNG until late 2008. The Alpha was modified to Delta as 09-05673.