Not the very best photo, but an operational combat deployment of a Dutch C-130H-30 makes it up. G-273 was deployed in support of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) to Kabul International Airport. Sometimes, like on this January 2006 day, the weather was okay but the enormous dose of dust in the air made the picture near black and white.

An Afghan Hip with a protection cover, but still interesting to see this old Mi-8 of the Afghan National Army - Air Corps. The helicopter was assigned to the 337 Regiment in the old structure of the air force. Unfortunately, the construction number was not found on this Mil Mi-8 so its history will most probably remain in silence as the helicopter was most probably scrapped late 2011.

This Mi-8 was leased to the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), a military NATO operation over Afghanistan. The helicopter transported freight, NATO military and civil employees assigned to the mission as well as Afghan military and governmental people in-between ISAF locations.

This is an exceptional Mi-8 of the Afghan National Army - Air Corps (ANA-AC). It could be a Mi-17 type as it construction number started with 930001. Or is most probably a former Tajikistan Air Force Mi-8 that was acquired by CIA operatives in 2001 for secretive Special Operations Group (CIA SOG) over the war-torn Afghanistan. 607 was heavily used in Northern Afghanistan but probably not used since late 2004. It was parked at the Kabul platform, but a friendly ANA-AC military was willing to partly remove the cover from its cockpit just for my picture.

Stored at Kabul, in a dusty hangar at the military part of the International Airport, was this Czech built (1977) L-39C Albatros. It was cannibalized in 2005/2006 timeframe to keep two other L-39Cs in the air. 005 never flew again, as the two operational Afghan National Army - Air Corps (ANA-AC) were phased out early 2006. 005 was last noted, still withdrawn from use, at Kabul in 2014.

An unmarked and old Boeing 737 on the taxiway of Kabul International Airport while supporting the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) operating over Afghanistan.

Recovering from an devastating war, the Afghan National Army - Air Corps was able to send a few surviving L-39C Albatros trainers/light attack aircraft back to Russia for an intensive overhaul. The duo was returned to Afghanistan by an An-22 by late 2005, and was put back into service, only for a few months. The pilots were not able to fly the two Albatros' according to International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) rules, a coalition that tried to rebuild the country. The pilots and Russian instructors didn't speak English so dangerous ATC moments were seen over Kabul during test flights.

An old Mi-8MTV of the Afghan National Army - Air Corps 337th Regiment seen at the platform of homebase Kabul. The Hip shows a sticker of Afghanistan on the nose section. This sticker was remarkably placed on the Mi-8 as it participated in a humanitarian assistance mission over neighbouring country Pakistan. The Kashmir earthquake (7.6M) occurred at on 8 October 2005 in Pakistan Kashmir, Pakhtunkhwa and Jammu provinces. The Afghan government, in deep trouble itself in the fight against the Taliban, managed to send some Mi-8s to the ravaged areas for food/water transports.

An-26B without any titles seen taxying at Kabul International Airport. The transport aircraft shows basic former Aeroflot 'polar' colours, but that's it.

Briefly leased from Eagle Aviation (France) in Sep 2005, and also carrying their titles. Was returned to them in May 2006.

Air Million Cargo used this An-32B while it was operating from Kabul (Afghanistan). The all-white, no titles bird was pictured only a few month before a tragic event while it was taxying to the runway of Kabul. Unfortunately, the aircraft crashed near Lashkar Gar (Afghanistan) on 24 April 2006 whilst operating in support of the US Government anti-narcotics bureau.

This An-32A was delivered to the Afghan Air Force in 1991, survived the war and was flown to Tadjikistan in 2005 for an overhaul. The aircraft was returned to the Afghan National Army - Air Corps (ANA-AC), 382 Regiment on 6 January 2006. It soldiered on through the continues war until June 2011, when it was withdrawn from use as the final An-32 of the ANA-AC. Its fate is unknown.

A massive number of fine cargo / passenger planes like this Irbis Air Company Il-18V visited Kabul International Airport (KAIA), a true paradise for aviation photographers in a war-torn country.

A day after it was redelivered to the Afghan National Army - Air Corps this early 1980s built An-26B was still standing on its spot that was created for a small ceremony. It returned to Russia for an overhaul somewhere in 2005 and was redelivered to the 382 Regiment on 06 January 2006. Eventually, only four years after this redelivery, it was already phased out on 24 December 2010. The current whereabouts are not known.