Afghanistan Faces Shortage of Pilots and Engineers for Black Hawk Helicopters, U.S. Watchdog Warns

By Greg Torode

KABUL – A report from a U.S. government watchdog has raised concerns that the United States may provide Afghanistan with advanced Black Hawk helicopters that the country’s struggling air force lacks the qualified pilots and engineers to operate and maintain effectively.

This warning, issued by the U.S. Special Inspector for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR), highlights fears regarding the Afghan military’s capacity to handle the anticipated withdrawal of foreign troop allies after nearly two decades of conflict.

Upcoming discussions between U.S. representatives and Taliban negotiators in Qatar, slated for February 25, are expected to focus on the exit of thousands of U.S.-led NATO forces, alongside efforts to establish a ceasefire, bringing an end to the longest war in American history.

The U.S. military has already delivered the first 16 of a planned 159 UH-60 Black Hawks to the Afghan air force and its special forces. SIGAR has expressed concerns that Afghanistan will struggle to effectively utilize the remaining helicopters by the target year of 2023.

The report emphasizes the need for enhancements in pilot training schedules, English proficiency, and the development of training programs for Afghan maintenance crews to eventually replace foreign contractors.

“It is crucial to align training and maintenance with the delivery schedule of the Black Hawks to ensure these aircraft do not remain idle in Afghanistan due to a lack of qualified pilots,” SIGAR cautioned.

The watchdog highlighted that even the reduced goal of training 320 pilots may not be achievable, citing a concerning attrition rate of 26 percent within pilot training classes.

These Black Hawks are intended to replace an aging fleet of Soviet-era helicopters, which the Afghan air force relies on to combat an increasingly aggressive Taliban, which now claims control or contests territories in nearly half of Afghanistan.

A report last December indicated that the Afghan air force’s 47 M-17 helicopters were suffering from a mix of heavy usage and inadequate maintenance. As operations against Taliban and Islamic State insurgents intensified, crews reported feeling compelled to cut corners on maintenance, a situation identified by U.S. military advisors as a significant challenge for the developing Afghan air force.

SIGAR noted that the U.S. military recognized that the UH-60 helicopters have performance limitations compared to the MI-17, which can operate at higher altitudes and carry a larger number of passengers.

Despite these limitations, the Afghan air force typically conducts missions that do not require the enhanced capabilities of the Mi-17, according to the report citing U.S. military assessments.