Afghanistan on Sept. 22 took control of its own airspace after 13 years of NATO support, the alliance announced. Turkish Maj. Gen. Cahit Bakir, Resolute Support commander for Kabul International Airport, praised the occasion as a “historical milestone for Afghanistan.” Aviation is critical to both transportation and economic activity in the landlocked country, and the projected growth of aviation over the next two decades in Asia gives Afghanistan an opportunity to become a key partner in the region, said Mohammad Daud Sultanzoy, the chair of Afghanistan’s airport development project. “It behooves us to pay attention to capacity building in the aviation field, and civil aviation is poised to take advantage of that,” Sultanzoy said. Afghanistan’s airspace control is not only critical to safe military and civilian traffic, it is tied to revenue from over flight of commercial traffic and is a vital part of training for Afghan air traffic controllers and airport workers, Bakir added.
Competitors Not Picked for CCA Look Forward to Increment 2
April 25, 2024
While none of the major aircraft contractors were selected to develop the Collaborative Combat Aircraft, all three say they are seeking further autonomous aircraft work for the Navy, foreign partners, or in the classified arena, and maybe future versions of the CCA itself.