Afghans fall off the landing gear of a C17 in Kabul

I understand that the Taliban picked up some Super Tucanos in addition to the Blackhawk. That's based on a news story that I saw a few days ago but can't find now. Not really "high tech".

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Embraer_EMB_314_Super_Tucano

edit: https://www.defensenews.com/air/2021/08/17/the-taliban-has-access-to-us-military-aircraft-now-what-happens/

"The Afghan air force operated 23 A-29 attack planes, four C-130 cargo planes and a total of 33 militarized versions of the Cessna Caravan, some of which were configured for a light attack mission, according to the special inspector report.


It also flew about 150 helicopters, which included the American-made UH-60 Black Hawk utility helicopter and armed MD-530s, as well as the Soviet Mi-17, which the Afghan air force was in the process of retiring.


Of the Afghan air force’s inventory, perhaps the most advanced is the A-29 Super Tucano, a turboprop attack plane built by Brazilian aerospace manufacturer Embraer and modified by Sierra Nevada, an American defense firm that integrates the aircraft with U.S.-made sensors and weapons."

 

Planes, guns, night-vision goggles: The Taliban's new U.S.-made war chest

https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/planes-guns-night-vision-goggles-talibans-new-us-made-war-chest-2021-08-19/

 

Why the heck was all this stuff left lying about for Taliban to sieze. Black Hawk helicopters, goodness sake. They will find pilots for them I am sure, they will cut corners on maintenance for sure but if one or two go down, they won't care, life is cheap out there.

 

quite heartless imo

 

You do you, I'll do me.

 

That’s a given

 

They’ll mothball a few for spare parts to keep the others flying. They’re fairly durable aircraft but I don’t know how long those engines will last in that sandy environment before they’re glazed up


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Or pack them with explosives and enlist suicide pilots.

 

With 400-600 gallons of onboard fuel they already are flying bombs


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That fuel might be used en route to the target. 9,000 lb's of C4 would make a pretty big boom.

Also, having 5,000 + US troops packed into Kabul Airport is a huge tactical error. Sitting ducks.

 

From my short time in the USAAF during the big war in the 40's I quickly learned that an aircraft commander was charged to follow orders in the face of anything short of a tank or a mountain to get his airplane off the ground. Military operations are, by nature, heartless when it comes to proper and obedient execution of them. That's how we won WW2.

 

Different generation.

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yes, as an aircraft commander that makes sense

as someone looking at news coverage to just say 'oh well' and joke about desperate citizens fleeing an upcoming tyrannic goverment clinging to an aircraft to an inevitable death I think is heartless

the pilot made the right choice

 

...God will sort them out...

There, now I’ve made this both a P and a R thread...

 

New threat to departing aircraft. Americans stranded.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9926865/Up-1-500-Americans-including-23-California-students-stuck-Afghanistan-State-Dept-says.html

 

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Among those still stranded in Afghanistan are 24 students and parents from a California school district

The level of STUPIDITY in US students traveling to Afghanistan is MIND BOGGLING!

.

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From where?

 

El Cajon… ~15 miles inland from San Diego.

 

After 20 years of much blood and treasure, the place had seen a lot of improvement. Certainly not as bad as N. Korea, where American students were also going on "tour". With Otto Warmbier infamously tortured to death. Now we're back to square one.

It's hard to believe that we're well into the 21st Century, and so much of the world's population still live under totalitarian rule.

 

There should be some sort of investigation into this:

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Aren't they from Afghanistan, though, originally and were visiting family? I don't think these were non-native Afghans visiting.

edit:

"The families had traveled separately to Afghanistan for summer vacations to see their grandparents, cousins and other relatives. Most of the families came to the United States on a special immigrant visa after having worked for the U.S. government or U.S. military in Afghanistan, officials said. The visa allows only the person and their spouse and children."

Some flown back to US. https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/were-trying-to-get-them-out-san-diego-students-stranded-in-afghanistan-expected-to-return-home-soon/2702761/