Under 
the mentorship of US and NATO air advisors, members of the Afghan air force’s Kandahar Air Wing recently completed their first 200-hour maintenance phase inspection on an Mi-17 helicopter, achieving another milestone in the fledgling Afghan air arm’s maturation. In addition to conducting the 200-hour inspection, the KAW maintainers replaced worn-out parts on both of the helicopter’s engines, the main gearbox, tail rotor blades, gearbox, and tail rotor chain, according to advisors with NATO Air Training Command-Afghanistan. A three-person Afghan training team also came in from Kabul to Kandahar Air Base to oversee their colleagues. Previously, the KAW had to send its Mi-17s to Kabul for these inspections. Gaining the ability to conduct them in-house will improve the wing’s aircraft availability by two days per inspection. In October, the wing received certification to conduct 100-hour inspections. (Kandahar report by MC2 Vladimir Potapenko) (See also AFPS report by Terri Moon Cronk)
F-15E Aviator Missing in Iran Rescued by US Forces
April 5, 2026
The second crew member of the F-15E shot down April 3 has been rescued from Iran. U.S. forces recovered the aviator alive and all American forces involved in the operation are believed to be safe, U.S. officials told Air & Space Forces Magazine.