This 39(1PRU)sq Canberra was deployed for a short period to Afghanistan for mapping. It was quite rare to see this aircraft in a combat zone. Here the aircraft is being maintained at the military handling platform of Kabul.

Registration not visibly carried, but c/n 30786 was noted through the cockpit windows. P2-PAX was also seen at Kandahar in Aug 2005, and made several flights between January and March 2006. Had been withdrawn from use by Jun 2013, possibly much earlier.

Boeing of the 1st Airlift Squadron

Originally built for the Iraqi Army in 1990, but not delivered. Became CCCP-29112 with MAP Rosverto and served the UN as UN-950 from Sep 1992. In Nov 1995 transferred to Rostvertol as RA-29112. Damaged while on a positioning flight to Somalia when a part of a main rotor blade came off in-flight(!) near Trabzon, Turkey on 31 Dec 1993. Repaired and entered the Vertical-T fleet in Jan 2006. Seen here with cyrillic "Вертикаль-T" (=Vertical-T) titles on the nose. Sadly this Mi-26 crashed on 2 Dec 2006 near Tarin Kowt, Uruzgan, Afghanistan.

The Spanish Army deployed several Cougars to Afghanistan in support of ISAF. The helicopters arrived at Kabul, were assembled there and continued their deployment in Herat.

Only a few months before this picture was taken, this Mi-8MTV-1 was in use with Tajikistan Airlines. The helicopter was once delivered as CCCP-25167 to AFL/Tajikistan-DYU in July 1990 and transferred to Tajikistan Al as EY-25167 in mid-1990. Late 2005 the helicopter was donated to the Afghan government and in March 2006 it still carried the Tajiki registration. Check also here when it was pictured at Islamabad, Pakistan and note the difference.

This Blackhawk belonged to the 1-160th SOAR and accompanied POTUS George Bush during an unexpected visit to the US Embassy-Kabul on 1 March 2006. A day later, the squadron was used for some logistic completements. It delivered some goods and personnel to Kabul where a standbye C-17A took these over.

This former Soviet Air Force CANDID (as CCCP-76734) was delivered in May 1987. It was transferred to Belarus and served Ilavia (as EW-76734) from August 1999, Eastline from March 2000, Krylo from March 2001, for a few months Atlant-Soyuz from April 2002, Trans Avia Export from June 2002, Volga-Dnepr from May 2008 and again Trans Avia Export from April 2011. The Il-76 kept all the time its same registration. From May 2013 onwards, the TD was stored at Minsk. Trans Avia Export reported in 2015 that 76734 could be made airworthy again in the future, if required.

This Herc C4 was sadly written off on 12 February 2007 during a movement of troops to a Tactical Landing Zone (TLZ) in Maysaan province, Iraq. After a Tactical Air Traffic Controller at the TLZ approved the landing, the landing went uneventful until the crew experienced a load bang and a bright flash during touch-down, caused by two IEDs. The aircraft slewed off the left-hand side of the runway and a left wing fire started The captain brought the aircraft to an immediate halt. Damage to the C4 appeared to large, so the aircraft was blown up on the scene.

This Mi-8AMT was manufactured in '93 and delivered as UN-25745 to Solkat. First reported with the Afghan government in late 2004 and its construction number was confirmed when this picture was madde. It operated for the Ministry of Interior up to Jun'08, It was then reregistered to 9Q-CXL and seen without titels at Bost Airport, Lashkargah, a city in Helmand Province in Afghanistan. The Mi-8 was repainted in a white colourscheme with black exhaust areas, and an unknown black eagle badge on its engine cowlings. Last seen as such in May'10. Current status unknown.

This 39(1PRU)sq Canberra was deployed for a short period to Afghanistan for mapping. Quite rare to see this aircraft in a combat zone.

Leading a line of aircraft at the Kabul taxiway was a RAF Canberra (XH131), followed by a Il-76 (EW-76734), a ATR-42 (ZS-OSX) and CASA 212CC N961BW. Kabul was quite busy 24 hours a day.

A component of the German Transalls was dedicated to special operations support, these machines being fitted with modernized flight system / navigation avionics, and cockpits compatible with night vision goggles (NVGs). These aircraft - reportedly some 24 - received an external modification on the side of the fuselage just in front of the wings. The EloKa self-defense system was developed to enhance the Transall's self-protection capabilities during missions flown in support of the German ISAF Troops operating in Afghanistan.

This Mi-8 was first seen without any serial presentation in mid 2005, it received a fresh external serial in March 2006. The colours on the fuselage refer to the Afghan flag. The helicopter was in use with the Afghan government / Ministry of Interior. It flew alongside YA-TAB and TAD, that sported nearly the same colours.

A Norwegian F-16AM in a warzone, topped of with live GBUs, Sidewinders and a targeting pod. The Norwegians shared the deployment within ISAF with the Dutch F-16s and together they 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.

This "Candid" was built as Il-76MD and received registration CCCP-86903 within the Soviet Air Force before its delivery on 10 Mar'83. The bird was sold to Atlant as UR-86903 and converted to Il-76TD in '91. The airframe was 2 times reregistred within Atlant, to UR-76382 in Oct'94 and to RA-76382 in Feb'95. The aircraft was then sold to Atlant Aerobatics as HA-TCG in Jul'96. It operated mainly from Budapest and was transferred to again another Atlant, this time Atlant Hungary in May'00. It was seen at Shymkent (Kazakhstan) with cut off wings and tail in 2010. The fuselage was last seen in 2016.

The Spanish Army deployed several Cougars to Afghanistan in support of ISAF. The helicopters arrived at Kabul, were assembled there and continued their deployment in Herat.