The Afghan air force has taken delivery of its ninth C-27A transport aircraft as it continues to build a fleet of 20 of these twin-engine airplanes. This refurbished airframe is now at the AAF’s base in Kabul after its flight from Italy. The Afghans retired their last An-26 transport in December and plan to phase out their An-32s this summer, leaving the C-27 as the centerpiece of their airlift capability. USAF air advisors say the C-27 is well-suited for Afghanistan’s mountainous terrain and will be invaluable due to the country’s limited road network. It’s also a good training platform for the Afghans, said Maj. Jay Troxell, a USAF air advisor. The C-27 “handles well” and is “definitely forgiving and easy to land, which helps for instruction,” he said. The AAF’s 10th C-27 is expected to arrive in early February. (Kabul report by MC2 Vladimir Potapenko)
Army Building Up New Space Operations Branch
Oct. 15, 2026
The Army has long been dependent on space capabilities to navigate terrain, communicate in hard-to-reach areas, and identify and strike targets. Now, the service wants to deepen its space operations expertise and is making plans to expand its own cadre of operators in the coming years.