In 1979, this An-12 started service with the Soviet Air Force as CCCP-11772. In 2004 it became EK-11772 in Armenian service in basic Aeroflot colors but without the Aeroflot marking. It is reported it flew with Miapet Avia at that time. Since late 2007, the Armenian company Taron Avia become the new owner of the aircraft. A small logo with TA is visible on the nose section.

A touch down of a Kazakh ATMA Cargo Il-76TD at Kandahar.

This CN235 started its life as EC-014 in Spain back in '88. The Casa was then delivered as EC-EMN to Binter Canarias in February 1989 and was withdrawn from use with that company in 1997. It saw new life with Luftmeister Air in May 1989 as ZS-OGF and three years later transferred to Tiko Air with the same registration. In November 2001 it changed to 5R-MKM with Tiko air and then it was sold to Presidential Airways in August 2006. This company is known as the shadow company of Blackwater. The BW in the regi reveals this a little. Since mid 2008 carried the registration N1269J with Presidential.

Sky Way Air was founded in 2003 and is a cargo carrier based out of Manas, Kyrgyzstan. This Mi-8 flew undefined missions from Kandahar in 2008 and was eventually transferred to the Afghan civil aviation register as YA-KHA with Khorsan Air at Kabul by May 2010.

This South African L-100 Hercules was in use by Dutch forces during their operations over Afghanistan. The Safair Hercules was leased to the Netherlands for tactical transport duties, as was the Mi-26T in the background. When needed, both aircraft were also used by other coalition nations.

This UN-76020 was badly damaged after an engine explosion at Kandahar on 14 February 2008. The aircraft was so damaged that it was broken-up at location. All parts that could be recycled were dismantled and transported back to Kazakhstan. The company Air Continental Airlines ceased to exist as it had its airline licence revoked on 18 October 2010.

Only small blue titles on the nose section reveal that this IL-76 is flying for Abakan Air. The company performs, according to their website, national and international commercial charter freight flights and other services, including challenging projects and makes unique logistic decisions. The latter for sure, flying this Candid in war-torn areas.

A giant on the northern platform of Kandahar. It's incredible that these huge and slow moving helicopters could survive in a high threat environment of Afghanistan. There were fighter jets are manoeuvring at low level to the max to prevent being shot by Taliban, these Mi-26s are just a sitting duck and just fly...

This arrived at Kandahar to bring personnel and equipment to dismantle UN-76020 of Air Continental that had an engine explosion on 14 February 2008 at Kandahar. That 020 was so badly damaged that it was broken-up at location. All parts that could be recycled were dismantled and transported back to Kazakhstan in 021. Air Continental Airlines had its airline licence revoked on 18 October 2010.

This former CH-47C (fms serial 93-0927, c/n B.706/E.006) was modified by Boeing to CH-47D late 1993 and returned to the Royal Australian Army in mid 1995. The Chinook was deployed to Afghanistan and heavily used. After its deployment, it was returned to homebase RAAF Townsville/Intl, (also known as Garbut Barracks). On 15 April 2015, this Chinook was withdrawn from use and made its final flight to RAAF Point Cook for preservation in the RAAF museum. Since then is is reported as stored at this location, fully cocooned.

Deployed to Kandahar (Afghanistan), a Rafale C flew always with a Mirage 2000D its mission as the Rafale was - at that moment - not cleared yet for laser-targeting operations. So the Mirage 2000 set the beam for the weapons of the Rafale. This Rafale carries four GBU-12 Paveway IIs (each Mk82 weights 500lb) underneath its wings, quite a heavy load.

This Black Hawk, assigned to B company of the 5th Batalion / 101st Aviation Regiment is normally based at Fort Campbell, Kentucky but here seen deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom to Kandahar.

This C4 of the Lyneham Transport Wing (LTW) was deployed to Kandahar (Afghanistan) in support of British and coalition troops during Operation Enduring Freedom

Hilarious: This Dutch Chinook had a bird strike over Afghanistan. That caused a clear visible dent in the black radome. The little damaged and robust built Chinook could continue its flight. Later during my deployment to Kandahar, I told this story to an F-16 pilot on QRA duty. With a complete astonished but spontaneous look he said: "Huh, how's that possible?? Birds can only hit the rear of a Chinook in flight!!". On the picture, the concerning H-47 is seen over one of the few lakes in Kandahar province. Chinooks stole my heart during the deployment. So versatile and such a dangerous mission!

Leaving deploment location Kandahar on high speed, and on request the pilot banked left for the picture. This Mirage 2000D with two GBU-12s under the centreline on its way to a Taliban target.

With British Gulf International's "BG" logo on the tail.