The Afghan Air Force received four more A-29 Super Tucanos at Kabul Air Wing on Monday. With the new delivery, AAF raised their in-country inventory of the light attack aircraft to 12. Leaders of the US train, advise, and assist mission have said the close air support provided by A-29s has provided a significant impact in the past year as Afghan forces work to regain territory from the Taliban with lower levels of coalition support. Brig. Gen. David Hicks, commander of the 438th Air Expeditionary Wing, called the A-29s a “game changer.” The AAF also has seven A-29s at Moody AFB, Ga., where Afghan pilots train with US partners. Once they have completed their training, the Afghan pilots “are capable of providing air attack anywhere in the country,” said Hicks, according to a press release. “In the past, the Afghan National Army relied on the coalition for air support. Now, it’s their own countrymen overhead flying the missions.”
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. has flown a second YFQ-42A Collaborative Combat Aircraft, stepping up the pace of testing for the new uncrewed fighter escort. The company also announced “Gambit 6,” a fresh variant in its CCA family meant for air-to-ground missions.
