The Afghan air force took another step toward bolstering its close air support capabilities with the test of GSh-23 guns on the Mi-35 attack helicopter, according to a release from coalition air advisors. Members of the AAF’s 377th Rotary Wing Squadron at Kabul fired 23 mm rounds from newly mounted twin-barreled GSh-23s on the Mi-35 for the first time on May 15 during a live-fire exercise, states a May 31 release from the 438th Air Expeditionary Wing. “This weapons system provides a vital air-to-ground capability to destroy a target on the ground from the air,” said Lt. Col. Brandon Deacon, 438th Air Expeditionary Advisory Squadron commander. This exercise, involving two Mi-35s, marked the first time that the Afghans have had the GSh-23 as well as the Yak-B 12.7 mm machine gun and the S-5 57 mm rocket pod mounted on the Mi-35, states the release. Once Afghan pilots complete certifications, they will be able to use the GSh-23 in combat to support Afghan ground troops. (Kabul report by Capt. Anastasia Wasem)
The U.S. thwarted a drone attack on U.S. forces at Al Asad air base in western Iraq on April 22, marking the first time that American troops have been targeted since February, U.S. officials said. “We can confirm it was an attack on Al Asad,” a defense official told Air & Space…