Afghan National Army
Air Corps and Task Force Falcon leaders met March 19 in what
officials are calling a first step toward building an aviation
partnership.
For the initial gathering, Afghan Brig. Gen. Mohammed Barat and
members of his staff met Task Force Falcon commander Col. Michael
Rose at Bagram Airfield.
Rose said the visit's purpose was to find ways U.S. and Afghan
aviators can work together in support of Operation Enduring
Freedom.
"I think there is tremendous opportunity here for a partnership
going forward," Rose said. "We want to find ways we can work
together to provide aviation support to coalition forces operating
throughout Afghanistan."
Barat agreed, saying, "We want to build a relationship with
aviators here that will be useful and productive for future
missions we do in support of U.S. forces or Afghan army forces. We
can help each other assist both sides."
At less than a year old, the ANA Air Corps is still being built.
Many of the pilots and crew members come from the now-defunct
Afghanistan Air Force, and their fleet consists of rotary and
fixed-wing Soviet aircraft.
Rose and Barat hope with their new alliance U.S. forces can help
develop the Afghan aviation corps.
"One of the things we may be able to do for them is show them
the way we conduct command and control of our aircraft throughout
the country of Afghanistan," Rose said.
"Also, we may be able to share some of our tactics and
techniques we use for our air-assault operations and management of
logistics," he noted. "I think there are a lot of areas we can help
them with, and probably a lot we haven't even envisioned yet."
Right now, Barat said, Afghan aviators only fly support
missions.
"We operate in support of the Afghanistan Ministry of Defense
and other ministries," he said. "We support the Afghan National
Army by flying their supplies, we fly their casualties and
sometimes, if we lose ANA soldiers, we will fly the bodies to their
native towns."
Eventually, Rose said, the ANA will take control of all military
operations in Afghanistan.
"This is just one step along the way to the Afghan National Army
taking responsibility for the entire country and ensuring the
sovereignty of their nation and the sovereignty of their own
government," he explained. "Initially, I think we'll see some
Afghan officers in our headquarters, and possibly by the time we
leave here next year, we'll have (ANA Air Corps) aircraft flying
with us and possibly even parked here at Bagram."
The leaders will continue building their relationship through
monthly meetings. Next month, Rose will visit Barat at his
headquarters in Kabul.
Both men said they welcome the chance to get to know their
coalition counterpart.
"We are looking forward to having good ties and close
relationships with these American forces, especially the aviators,"
Barat said. [ANN Salutes Sgt. Stephanie van Geete, USA, American
Forces Press Service]