Allies Absent in Afghanistan - Helicopters Hired
05-Apr-2009 18:10 EDT
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Afghanistan is shaping up as a test of the NATO alliance. Thus far, the report is mixed. While a number of allied countries have committed troops, very few of the NATO countries’ available helicopters have been committed, despite promises made and commanders’ requests from the field. A June 2007 meeting in Brussels featured bromides and minor adjustments, but few serious commitments. A recent meeting promised more, but how much more arrives remains to be seen.
At the moment, Britain, the Netherlands, and the USA still contribute most of the helicopter support in theater, with some assistance from Poland (Mi-8/17s), and some CH-47Ds from Canada and from non-NATO partner Australia. The sizeable helicopter fleets belonging to NATO members like France, Germany, Italy, and Spain have been notable mostly by their general absence, in the midst of a European shortfall in meeting NATO commitments.
At one point, the USA was forced to extend the deployment of 20 CH-47 helicopters by 6 months, in order to try and make up the shortfall. Over the longer, term, however, a different solution has emerged. Stanch the wound by chartering private helicopter support that can take care of more routine missions in theater, freeing the military helicopters in theater for other tasks. Another one of those awards has just been made…
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05-Apr-2009 18:10 EDT
Article Link
Afghanistan is shaping up as a test of the NATO alliance. Thus far, the report is mixed. While a number of allied countries have committed troops, very few of the NATO countries’ available helicopters have been committed, despite promises made and commanders’ requests from the field. A June 2007 meeting in Brussels featured bromides and minor adjustments, but few serious commitments. A recent meeting promised more, but how much more arrives remains to be seen.
At the moment, Britain, the Netherlands, and the USA still contribute most of the helicopter support in theater, with some assistance from Poland (Mi-8/17s), and some CH-47Ds from Canada and from non-NATO partner Australia. The sizeable helicopter fleets belonging to NATO members like France, Germany, Italy, and Spain have been notable mostly by their general absence, in the midst of a European shortfall in meeting NATO commitments.
At one point, the USA was forced to extend the deployment of 20 CH-47 helicopters by 6 months, in order to try and make up the shortfall. Over the longer, term, however, a different solution has emerged. Stanch the wound by chartering private helicopter support that can take care of more routine missions in theater, freeing the military helicopters in theater for other tasks. Another one of those awards has just been made…
More on link
