Afghanistan airforce current inventory

[Asfandyar Bhittani]

The purpose of this thread is to keep an account of aircrafts left in Taliban/Afghan airforce inventory.

Figures are from oryx (until November 2022). updated by adding - for airframes lost since Oryx report

Aircraft In Operational Service With The IEAF

Transport And Utility Aircraft (10)+1
4 C-208B
1 AC-208
1 An-26
4 An-32B
{ 1 C-130 (disabled by US, claimed repaired by Taliban, airworthiness in doubt)}
Attack Helicopters (16 oryx's count) (-1 after oryx)
10 MD 530F
2 Mi-25
3 Mi-24V
1 Mi-35

Transport And Utility Helicopters (25) (-3 after oryx)
8 UH-60A+ Black Hawks
6 Mi-8MTV-1
2 Mi-17
8 Mi-17V5
1 HAL Cheetal

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs)
Unknown Number Of Boeing Insitu ScanEagle 2s: (~)
Unknown number of Commercially Available VTOL UAVs Used For Reconnaissance
Unknown Commercially Available VTOL UCAVs Armed With Mortar Bombs

Attack planes
2 A-29 Super Tucanos spotted in November 2021 in Mazar-e-Sharif. (Airworthiness and pilot availability in doubt)


Losses since Taliban take over & until November 2022
MD 530 crash, January 2022 (Video)
Mi-17 or Mi-8 transport crash 2022
Mi-8MTV-1 damaged/ captured/destroyed? By NRF, June 2022
Blackhawk crash, Sept 2022 (Video)
1 attack, 3 transports

Losses after Oryx report (add any I might have missed in replies)
Md-530, May 2023
Mi-17 crash, May 2024
Mi-17 crash, September 2025
Black hawk destroyed in Hanger, September 2026

-1 attack, -3 transport

Total losses since Taliban took over as of 26 September 2026.
2 attack Helicopter, 6 utility/transport. 8 total.

37 left.

 

[Asfandyar Bhittani]

@Waj Sal, can you please make this thread a sticky in Afghanistan section? Thanks

 

[Persian Gulf]

good documentation

 

[Pakistani Dragon]

US takes back part of Black Hawk helicopters from Uzbekistan, stolen by the Afghan pilots
6 February, 2025

Afghan UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters. Photo: Rahman Gul (AP)

Uzbekistan has transferred part of the UH60 Black Hawk helicopters, overtaken by Afghan pilots in 2021, to the United States.

The Uzbek branch of the Voice of America reported on this.

In 2021, when the Taliban seized power in Kabul, Afghan pilots managed to smuggle some of the country’s planes and helicopters to Uzbekistan and Tajikistan.

At the time, 22 military aircraft and 24 helicopters with 585 Afghan servicemen on board crossed Uzbekistan’s airspace.

The aircraft that flew from Afghanistan’s air bases to Termez airport included Embraer EMB 314 Super Tucano light attack aircraft, Pilatus PC-12NG multirole aircraft, UH-60 Black Hawk and Mi-17 multirole helicopters, and MD-530 light multirole helicopters.

UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters of the Afghan Air Force. Photo from open sources

One of the Embraer EMB 314 Super Tucanos was lost in flight due to a collision with an Uzbek MiG-29 fighter jet accompanying it. The pilots of both aircraft ejected and landed by parachute.

Representatives of the Taliban have repeatedly stated that these planes and helicopters are the property of Afghanistan and must be returned.

In response, official Tashkent stated that the airplanes and helicopters were the property of the United States and could not be returned. American officials later confirmed this statement by Uzbek officials.

As a result, most of the 46 pieces of aviation equipment that ended up in Uzbekistan were returned to Uzbekistan. However, seven Black Hawk helicopters, which the Pentagon recognized as suitable for operation, were returned to the United States.

Cessna AC-208 reconnaissance and strike aircraft of the Afghan Air Force in Tajikistan. Photo from open sources

The former Afghan Air Force was also able to evacuate at least 12 Cessna AC-208 reconnaissance and strike aircraft and one Pilatus PC-12NG to Tajikistan. The possibility of using Cessna AC-208s in Ukraine as a prospect for fighting Shahed in Ukraine was discussed in our article.

In addition, some of the aircraft, at the time of the Taliban’s seizure of power in Afghanistan in 2021, were outside the country, either untransferred or undergoing maintenance.

Mi-17s in Arizona prior to Ukraine delivery. April 2022. Photo: 167th Airlift Wing

In the United States, the former Afghan Air Force aviation was initially brought to one military base. As early as April, some of the Mi-17 helicopters began to be transferred to Ukraine. A total of 20 such helicopters were announced.

 

[HAIDER]

what a Afghan loss.

 

[Fatman17]

I think all US built and delivered aircraft were disabled by the US before it bugged out in August a few years back.

 

[PakAl]

Surprising how Usa left helicopters in Afghanistan for the Taliban but refused to sell to Pakistan.

 

[Pakistani Dragon]

Excellent thread .

 

[Pakistani Dragon]

@Fatman17 , could you please merge the following threads to this:

https://defencepk.com/forums/thread...-uzbekistan-handed-over-to-the-take-us.18925/

Thanks.

 

[Pakistani Dragon]

Foreign Policy article.

How the Taliban Built an Air Force

A new documentary opens a rare window into the workings of Afghanistan’s new masters.

foreignpolicy.com

 

[Pakistani Dragon]

Key Aero article.

https://www.key.aero/article/afghan-rescue-mission

 

[Pakistani Dragon]

Ten pilots graduate from Afghan Air University

April 20, 2025
ByAriana News

Ten pilots have received their graduation certificates after completing their studies and training at the Afghan Air University.

Of these, six pilots received professional training to fly the Cessna-208 airplanes and four others received training to fly the M-17 helicopter.

The training took about three years to complete.

At the graduation ceremony, the newly graduated pilots were advised to continue their training and strive to become more professional.

“The profession of piloting is a complex profession that requires intelligence. Piloting lessons and studies are endless. You have to work hard day and night and continue your studies,” Naqibullah Muqim, Chief of Staff of the Air Force, said.

“From seniors to juniors, if we deviate from our path even a little, we will harm ourselves,” said Baz Mohammad, deputy minister of defense. “If you do not harm yourself through your words or actions, no one else can harm you.”

The newly graduated pilots said they have received good training and are ready to defend Afghanistan’s territory and serve the people of the country.

“We studied for three years. We completed theoretical courses at the Air University. Later, we went to the Air Force Field. We conducted training flights there,” said Juma Khan Salahuddin, one of the pilots.

Since the Islamic Emirate’s return to power in 2021, the Afghan Air University has held 84 training courses, during which 1,182 people have graduated from various departments.

Afghanistan News Today – Breaking News, Politics, Sports & Live Updates | Ariana News

Stay informed with the latest breaking news from Afghanistan. Politics, business, sports, and culture updates in English – all in one place.

www.ariananews.af

 

[Fatman17]

@Fatman17 , could you please merge the following threads to this:

https://defencepk.com/forums/thread...-uzbekistan-handed-over-to-the-take-us.18925/

Thanks.

Done

 

[Foinikas]

They'd be better off selling half of that,I doubt they'll be able to keep most of it flying or having capable pilots.

 

[KingQamaR]

Repairing 25 yr old planes without parts is quite different than Taliban building suicide bombs.