This South African L-100 Hercules was in use by Dutch forces during their operations in and over Afghanistan. The Safair Hercules was leased to the Netherlands for tactical transport duties. When needed, the civvie Herc was also used by other coalition nations. Here it is seen from from above, quite unique!

Preserved at one of the gates of Kandahar, normally not accessible for deployed military. But while sitting on the open ramp of a Chinook, returning from Uruzgan, much can be pictured at such non accessible places.

FMS serial 98-0114 was delivered to the Koninklijke Luchtmacht (KLu, Royal Netherlands Air Force) on 28 July 2000. Initially to Fort Hood (TX), then moved to 301sq at Gilze Rijen. It is here seen worn and torn while operating out of Tarin Kowt, Urzugan, assigned to the 1st NLD Air Task Force ISAF, Afghanistan.

Once a Soviet AF An-12PP with ogival tail cone, delivered as such in 1970. Modified to freighter and moved as a An-12BK to the Ukraine AF in 1993 (as red 71). It became civil RA-11301 with Antey on 26 Jun'96, TASCO on 16 Oct'98, President Airlines on 9 Oct'99. Sold as LZ-ITD with Inter Trans Air on 11 May'00, returned as XU-355 with President Airlines on 19 Sep'00. Seen as 4R-AIA on 19 Mar'02 in the UAE. It became EX-042 with Click Airways on 8 Jul'06. The company reregistered the freighter to EY-403 in 2007. It was sold to Asia Airways on 23 Dec'08. Last seen in poor state at Sharjah Nov'23.

Departing together with some Rafales to a war zone. Equipped large fule tanks to extend the range, as well as a laser designator in support of the Rafales. The 2000D also carries some guided bombs underneath the wings.

Dusty Sea Kings of 846sq return to their parking spots at KAndahar. They were deployed to Kandahar, Afghanistan, supporting the Operation Herrick within the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF).

Former Boeing test registration N37019, was delivered to the RAF as a HC1 in early 1981 (with construction number MA005). It was modified to HC2 ( with construction number M7004) by late 1993. Converted to HC4 by Vector Aerospace Ltd at Fleetlands in 2014 and saw again a modification to HC6A by Boeing at Boscombe Down during 2018. Check that cockpit section and the top of one of the blades, the workhorese shows very heavy wear and tear due to the tough mission in the difficult Afghan weather and dust environment.

Former Boeing test registration N37044, was delivered to the RAF on 18 Nov'81 as a Chinook HC1 (with construction number MA022). It left the RAF inventory for Boeing Philiadelphia via Liverpool Docks on 4 Nov'93, returned as a HC2 ( with construction number M7003). It was modified to HC4 by Vector Aerospace Ltd at Fleetlands in 2012/2013 timeframe, then in 2018 to HC6A by Boeing at Boscombe Down. The Chinook is seen here - as one of seven deployed RAF Chinooks to Kandahar - as a HC2. It shows quite some wear and tear due to the tough Afghan mission, and the weather and dust environment.

This 2003 built Raytheon King Air was seen in the heathaze of Kandahar. It was delivered as N6193C to B200 Air Charters LLC in Jun'03. It became N299AK with the same company in Oct'03 and in Jan'04 it again switched its identity, this time to N299AL. From Jul'04 to Dec'09, it was transferred to Aviation Specialties Inc as N299AL (as pictured). It is related to US secretive organizations. On 28 Jan'04 it went to Trevor Corp. In Jan'20, that company changed the registration into N200EV. By Mar'21, the King Air became 5Y-EXZ with Everett Aviation Co. It's good to be King!

A fresh arrival at Kandahar, as the Black Hawk lack any dust over the fuselage. Its (former?) squadron markings were clearly repainted

Most probably assigned to 7-101st AVN

This Lynx logged its first flight on 9 July'79, it was retained by Westland for all kind of flight trials. The Lynx was delivered as an AH1 to the Army Air Corps on 22 February 1984. It was later converted to AH7. Served the AAC up to 1 Dercember 2011. On that day, the Lynx suffered an in flight fire due to a hydraulic leak. The pilot performed an emergency landing in a field near Tatenhausen (Germany), about 16 km from RAF Gütersloh. The crew abandoned the helicopter which was consumed by fire before the local fire brigade arrived.

Speaking about wear and tear... this Sea King clearly shows it has a tough time over war-torn Afghanistan. It just landed from a mission and returned to its parking spot at Kandahar. ZG821was sold (as one of seven) to Pakistan and officially handed over on 25 May 2017. Some were intended to use as spare part, but ZG821 was planned for active duty with Pakistan. The tie-up to its new Paki serial (19?) is not clear.

First flight at 14 March 1980, delivered to the Army Air Corps as a Lynx HT1 on 2 April 1980, redesignated to AH1. Later modified to AH7. After a long AAC career, stored with MPSU at Middle Wallop and being stripped for spares up to June 2015. Then dumped at Middle Wallop. Became an instructional airframe with DSEME at Lyneham from early September 2015. The AH7 is seen hovering over the Dutch platform at Kandahar. After landing it waited with XZ208 for the take-off of two Dutch Chinooks. They then joined for a mission to Uruzgan in which both Lynx' gave armed support.

Bought directly from Lockheed along as commercial L100-30 aircraft (former N4080M) as a replacement Hercules for written-off RCAF C-130s. It was delivered to the RCAF on 16 May 1997, modified to CC-130H-30 military standard by Spar Aerospace at Edmonton and assigned to No. 8 Wing at CFB Trenton in May 1997. 344 is seen here taking off from Kandahar with a fine combat vehicle back-ground.