The Defense Department’s Afghanistan inspector general recently issued criticism of the Afghan Air Force C-130 program, questioning the need for the aircraft in light of low utilization rates. Special Inspector General for Afghan Reconstruction John Sopko, in a report released this month, said the Afghan Air Force’s requirement for four C-130s has not been updated since early 2010, and his office has discovered the AAF’s existing two C-130s are being underutilized. During a June visit, Sopko said he also learned of “support problems associated with training, spare parts, and maintenance” for the C-130s. SIGAR reports that, from October 2013 to May 2014, the AAF C-130s flew 261 hours of a possible 555 hours, or 48 percent of capacity. NATC-A officials said the demand for lift will increase, but no official assessment has been conducted to update requirements, Sopko said. “Pending a review of the AAF’s medium airlift requirements … DOD [should] delay delivery of additional C-130s.” Congress has already taken action, and introduced language into the Fiscal 2015 appropriations bill acting on Sopko’s recommendation. The Senate Appropriations Committee, in its markup of the 2015 DOD spending bill, added a provision prohibiting funds to transfer “additional C-130 cargo aircraft” to the AAF, until DOD submits a review of Afghan requirements.
Pentagon Releases Cost of Living, BAH Rates for 2026
Dec. 30, 2025
The Pentagon will pay cost of living allowances to 127,000 service members in the continental U.S. in 2026, an increase of 66,000 members in 2025. Airmen and Guardians across the U.S. will also receive an average increase of 4.2 percent for their Basic Housing Allowance, compared to the 5.4 percent…
