Success of the Afghan Air Force will be a key metric for Pentagon planners seeking to draw down U.S. troops in the country. The U.S. is still bearing most of the burden of air support for Afghan troops.
Navy Lt. Christopher Short tried to turn his A-29 Super Tucano 180 degrees to the right, but ended up rapidly rolling in that direction, and then entered into an uncontrolled spiral dive that killed him.
A mysterious malfunction led to a dramatic loss of thrust that caused an A-29 Super Tucano to crash near Homerville, Georgia, last March, according to a newly released accident investigation board report.
Afghan Air Force pilots recently employed laser-guided bombs from their A-29 Super Tucano light-attack aircraft, according to officials involved in NATO’s Resolute Support mission.
Less than two years after flying its first combat mission, the Afghan Air Force’s A-29 Super Tucano aircraft are playing a key role in supporting Afghan soldiers on the ground.