Featured in AfghanistanBYJoseph TrevithickAug 31, 2021ShareTaliban Show Off Captured Aircraft And Other Spoils After Taking Over Kabul’s Airport (Updated)Questions remain about the exact state of the aircraft and other materiel left behind, but the optics are still embarrassing for the United States. BYJoseph TrevithickAug 31, 2021ShareBYJoseph TrevithickAug 31, 2021ShareHere’s What The U.S. Military Left Behind At Kabul AirportAircraft, vehicles, and at least two defense systems able to shoot down rockets and artillery shells are just some of what was not airlifted out. BYJoseph TrevithickAug 31, 2021ShareBYTyler RogowayAug 31, 2021ShareThese Two Images Represent The Beginning And The End Of America’s War In AfghanistanGoing in and getting out, these historic photos are the visual bookends to America’s nearly 20-year conflict in Afghanistan. BYTyler RogowayAug 31, 2021ShareBYJoseph TrevithickAug 30, 2021ShareAl Qaeda Kingpin Resurfaces In Afghanistan Surrounded By Taliban SecurityAmin Al Haq’s reappearance under Taliban protection highlights concerns about the US government’s remote counter-terrorism strategy going forward. BYJoseph TrevithickAug 30, 2021ShareBYJoseph Trevithick and Tyler RogowayAug 29, 2021ShareAmerican Drone Strike Hits Suicide Attackers Targeting Kabul Airport (Updated)Security threats grow as the time left before the US military is scheduled to fully withdraw from Afghanistan is likely measured in hours, not days. BYJoseph Trevithick and Tyler RogowayAug 29, 2021ShareBYTyler RogowayAug 27, 2021ShareU.S. Executes Revenge Drone Strike On ISIS-K “Planner” In Afghanistan (Updated)The operation comes just a day after President Biden vowed to make the terror group pay for its heinous suicide bombing at Kabul’s Airport. BYTyler RogowayAug 27, 2021ShareBYJoseph TrevithickAug 27, 2021ShareOperation Pineapple Express Saw Special Ops Vets Lead The Rescue Of Hundreds Of AfghansAn informal group dubbed Task Force Pineapple has been shepherding Afghans past the Taliban to the safety of Kabul airport for nearly two weeks. BYJoseph TrevithickAug 27, 2021ShareBYJoseph TrevithickAug 27, 2021SharePentagon Confirms American Troops Have Been Blowing Equipment Up At Kabul AirportThese controlled detonations help account for reports of additional explosions in Afghanistan’s capital after yesterday’s deadly terrorist attack. BYJoseph TrevithickAug 27, 2021ShareBYJoseph TrevithickAug 26, 2021ShareAmerican Troops Confirmed Killed In Kabul Airport Terror Bombing (Updated)A complex attack on the heart of America’s evacuation operation in Kabul has caused the deaths of multiple U.S. servicepeople and even more Afghans. BYJoseph TrevithickAug 26, 2021ShareBYJoseph TrevithickAug 26, 2021ShareTerror Attack Rocks Kabul International Airport (Updated)Warnings of a potential attack on Kabul airport from ISIS have been growing more urgent for days. BYJoseph TrevithickAug 26, 2021ShareBYJoseph TrevithickAug 25, 2021ShareVideo Purports To Show U.S.-Supplied Black Helicopter Taxiing In Taliban HandsThe Taliban have captured dozens of former Afghan military aircraft, prompting concerns about what the group might do with them. BYJoseph TrevithickAug 25, 2021ShareBYTyler RogowayAug 25, 2021ShareThese Are The Military’s Options For Extending Evacuations In Afghanistan. None Of Them Are Good.There are no good options and each one has major operational hurdles and glaring pitfalls to overcome. BYTyler RogowayAug 25, 2021ShareBYJoseph TrevithickAug 24, 2021ShareU.S. Prepared To Destroy Equipment It Can’t Airlift Out Of Kabul As Withdrawal Deadline Looms (Updated)With the priority being placed on getting people out of the Talian-controlled country, getting even high-tech weapons out may not be possible in time. BYJoseph TrevithickAug 24, 2021ShareBYTyler RogowayAug 23, 2021ShareHere’s All The Intel You Need On The Ongoing Evacuation Operation In KabulThe Taliban move to take on the “new Northern Alliance” and the U.S. activates its Civil Reserve Air Fleet to open bottlenecks in the evacuation. BYTyler RogowayAug 23, 2021ShareBYJoseph TrevithickAug 22, 2021ShareWhat The Civil Reserve Air Fleet Is And Why It’s Been Activated For The Third Time In 70 YearsThe fleet can dramatically bolster the Pentagon’s own air transport capabilities and that is what it will do for the evacuation of Afghanistan. BYJoseph TrevithickAug 22, 2021ShareBYJoseph TrevithickAug 19, 2021ShareWant Uncle Sam To Get You Out Of Kabul? It Could Cost You Thousands Of Dollars… Or Maybe Not?Generally, the US State Department is required by law to collect fees from private US citizens or foreign nationals it helps flee in a crisis. BYJoseph TrevithickAug 19, 2021ShareBYJoseph TrevithickAug 19, 2021ShareNavy Fighters Are Flying Armed Overwatch Missions Over KabulThe Pentagon says American combat aircraft are covering the evacuations, but have not flown shows of force maneuvers or carried out any strikes. BYJoseph TrevithickAug 19, 2021ShareBYJoseph TrevithickAug 18, 2021ShareA New Northern Alliance Against The Taliban Is Forming In Afghanistan’s Panjshir Valley (Updated)The former First Vice President of Afghanistan has claimed the mantle of the country’s legitimate leader and is rallying forces to his cause. BYJoseph TrevithickAug 18, 2021ShareBYJoseph TrevithickAug 17, 2021ShareDozens Of U.S.-Bought Afghan Air Force Aircraft Are Now Orphaned At An Uzbek AirfieldAfghan pilots fled the country in the face of the advancing Taliban over the weekend. Now the fate of the aircraft is up in the air. BYJoseph TrevithickAug 17, 2021ShareBYAdam Kehoe and Tyler RogowayAug 17, 2021ShareFive Decades After Evacuating The Embassy In Saigon The CH-46 Phrog Did It Again In KabulComparisons between the evacuations of the embassies in Saigon and Kabul are unavoidable and the CH-46 was there for both historic operations. BYAdam Kehoe and Tyler RogowayAug 17, 2021ShareBYJoseph TrevithickAug 17, 2021ShareRC-135W Rivet Joint Spy Plane Is Flying Orbits Over Kabul (Updated)One of America’s most capable surveillance aircraft is keeping close tabs on the Taliban as America’s military presence at Kabul’s airport grows. BYJoseph TrevithickAug 17, 2021ShareBYJoseph TrevithickAug 17, 2021ShareSituation At Kabul Airport “Would Have Been Difficult For Anyone To Predict” Says Pentagon Spokesman (Updated)Criticism of how the Biden administration has handled evacuation operations in Kabul has only grown amid images of chaos at the city’s main airport. BYJoseph TrevithickAug 17, 2021ShareBYTyler RogowayAug 16, 2021Share800 People Evacuated From Kabul Aboard A Single C-17 Cargo Jet (Updated)“800 people on your jet?! Holy… Holy cow… Ok…” BYTyler RogowayAug 16, 2021ShareBYJoseph TrevithickAug 16, 2021ShareU.S. Troops Kill Two Armed Afghans At Unsecured Kabul Airport, Thousands More Being Sent (Updated)The airport has been overrun, with some Afghans clinging to departing transports. Now, the U.S. says it’s sending thousands more troops to secure it. BYJoseph TrevithickAug 16, 2021ShareBYTyler RogowayAug 16, 2021ShareApache Helicopters Chase Afghans Swarming A C-17 On Kabul Airport’s Runway (Updated)Whatever security perimeter existed at Kabul International appears to have collapsed with Afghans running freely across its runway and taxiways. BYTyler RogowayAug 16, 2021ShareBYJoseph TrevithickAug 13, 2021ShareShadowy KC-135RT Special Ops Tankers Head Toward Afghanistan As Evacuation Airbridge Forms (Updated)The KC-135RTs could play a vital role supporting AC-130 gunships and other special ops aircraft as the Taliban push closer to the Afghan capital. BYJoseph TrevithickAug 13, 2021ShareBYJoseph TrevithickAug 13, 2021ShareEmergency Troop Surge Now Needed For Afghan Withdrawal (Updated)U.S. troops will safeguard diplomats and others evacuating the country, but the Biden administration insists the fall of Kabul is not inevitable. BYJoseph TrevithickAug 13, 2021ShareBYJoseph TrevithickJul 28, 2021ShareWhat It Takes For U.S. Jets To Keep Fighting In Afghanistan From “Over The Horizon”Recent information provided by the Air Force underscores the hurdles the service faces in conducting airstrikes in Afghanistan from the Persian Gulf. BYJoseph TrevithickJul 28, 2021ShareBYJoseph TrevithickJul 6, 2021ShareThe Onion Predicted America’s Middle Of The Night Pullout From Bagram In AfghanistanNearly a decade after a satirical piece ran about ‘slipping out’ of Afghanistan, American troops unexpectedly cut the power at Bagram as they left. BYJoseph TrevithickJul 6, 2021ShareBYJoseph TrevithickJul 2, 2021ShareState Department’s New Black Hawks In Afghanistan Could Prove Especially Important After WithdrawalThe State Department’s Air Wing could be critical to keeping Americans safe if the security situation in the country continues to deteriorate. BYJoseph TrevithickJul 2, 2021ShareBYJoseph TrevithickApr 13, 2021ShareBiden Throws Down The Gauntlet On Pulling Troops Out Of Afghanistan Ahead Of 9/11 AnniversaryThe White House says the bulk of American troops in Afghanistan will leave in the coming months regardless of conditions on the ground. BYJoseph TrevithickApr 13, 2021ShareBYTyler RogowayMar 22, 2021ShareTop U.S. General In Afghanistan Is Carrying A Heavily-Modified Glock With A Compensator AttachedGeneral Miller has also carried a full-size 1911, but a sidearm in a combat zone with a compensator attached is usually the stuff of action movies. BYTyler RogowayMar 22, 2021ShareBYJoseph TrevithickFeb 18, 2021ShareSatellite Images Show Horrible Aftermath Of Explosion That Burned Hundreds Of Trucks In AfghanistanAn exploding truck triggered a chain reaction at a critical border crossing between Afghanistan and Iran. BYJoseph TrevithickFeb 18, 2021ShareBYJoseph TrevithickFeb 15, 2021ShareThis Marine One VH-60N Had Its Iconic Paint Job Blotted Out For Historic Afghanistan TripWe have never seen Marine One ditch its high-profile scheme before this image came to our attention. BYJoseph TrevithickFeb 15, 2021ShareBYJoseph TrevithickFeb 8, 2021ShareAir Force Doubles Down On E-11A BACN Communications Jets With Plans To Triple Fleet SizeThe E-11As are in high demand, but there are so few of them, pilots may not have even seen one before jumping into the cockpit of one downrange. BYJoseph TrevithickFeb 8, 2021ShareBYThomas NewdickNov 27, 2020ShareThe AH-1W Super Cobra Has Been Retired From The Marine Corps After 34 Years Of ServiceThe iconic helicopter gunship has stood down from the Marine Corps to be replaced by the much-improved AH-1Z. BYThomas NewdickNov 27, 2020ShareBYJoseph TrevithickNov 2, 2020ShareDeadly Taliban Attack On Governor’s Volleyball-Playing Bodyguards Points To Armed Drone UseThe use of this low-cost and potentially high-reward tactic is growing around the world and its appearance in Afghanistan is hardly surprising. BYJoseph TrevithickNov 2, 2020ShareBYJoseph TrevithickJul 3, 2020ShareThis Shadowy Afghan Unit Fights Alongside America’s Most Elite ForcesThe Ktah Khas battalion has hunted terrorists and militants with elements of the U.S. Joint Special Operations Command. BYJoseph TrevithickJul 3, 2020ShareBYJoseph TrevithickApr 6, 2020ShareNew Details Emerge About Snap Deployment Of B-52s To Diego Garcia During Iran CrisisThe bombers flew thousands of flight hours across dozens of sorties, including strikes in Afghanistan thousands of miles away. BYJoseph TrevithickApr 6, 2020ShareBYJoseph TrevithickMar 10, 2020ShareThe U.S. Military Says It Has Supported The Taliban In Fighting ISIS In AfghanistanThe revelation follows the start of American troop withdrawals from the country as part of a still controversial and fragile deal with the Taliban. BYJoseph TrevithickMar 10, 2020ShareBYJoseph TrevithickFeb 19, 2020ShareTake A Rare Look Inside An Army Ranger Armory Somewhere In AfghanistanThe 75th Ranger Regiment has provided important direct action raiding forces in Afghanistan for years. Here’s a look at the tools of their trade. BYJoseph TrevithickFeb 19, 2020ShareBYJoseph TrevithickJan 29, 2020ShareE-11A Pilots Died Flying An Aircraft From A Fleet So Small None Are In The U.S. For TrainingAll of the individuals who fly these highly specialized planes, all of which are forward-deployed in Afghanistan, volunteer for the job. BYJoseph TrevithickJan 29, 2020ShareBYJoseph TrevithickJan 29, 2020ShareHighly Specialized Air Force E-11A Communications Aircraft Crashes And Burns In Afghanistan (Updated)The aircraft is one of just four the service operates to provide critical data fusion and communications relay capabilities. BYJoseph TrevithickJan 29, 2020ShareBYTyler RogowayJan 12, 2020ShareAmerica’s Shadowy Sword Wielding Hellfire Missile Has Migrated To The Afghan BattlefieldThe introduction of this exotic weapon to Afghanistan underlines its expanded use for targeted assassinations that we have seen in recent months. BYTyler RogowayJan 12, 2020ShareBYTyler RogowayDec 2, 2019ShareWhat Aircraft Snuck Trump Out Of Florida On His Way To Afghanistan For Thanksgiving?We have the likely answer as well as some major questions as to how Air Force One was able to reach Afghanistan without aerial refueling. BYTyler RogowayDec 2, 2019ShareBYTyler RogowaySep 20, 2019ShareCIA Releases Photo Taken Just Before Its Operatives First Entered Afghanistan After 9/11The image shows armed CIA operatives guarding $3M in cash that is stowed away inside a Russian-built Mi-17 helicopter. BYTyler RogowaySep 20, 2019ShareBYJoseph TrevithickJul 15, 2019ShareThe Afghan Air Force Just Can’t Quit The Hind Gunship HelicopterThe Afghan Air Force is still flying the iconic attack helicopters, despite the NATO-led coalition refusing to help support their continued operation. BYJoseph TrevithickJul 15, 2019ShareBYJoseph TrevithickJul 10, 2019ShareAC-130J Ghostrider Gunships Have Flown Their Very First Combat MissionsThe AC-130J’s arrival in Afghanistan marks a historic changing of the guard as older AC-130Us have now finished their last scheduled deployment. BYJoseph TrevithickJul 10, 2019ShareBYJoseph TrevithickJul 10, 2019SharePentagon Watchdog Slams U.S.-Backed Efforts to Expand The Afghan Air ForceA new report highlights incoherent and haphazard policies, long-standing training gaps, and an over-reliance on contractors. BYJoseph TrevithickJul 10, 2019ShareBYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019ShareRussia Claims US Coalition “Mystery Helicopters” Supplying Arms To ISIS In AfghanistanThere’s no evidence to support the allegations, but they are another prime example of Russia’s active information warfare campaign against the US. BYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019ShareBYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019ShareUS Uses a Private Helicopter Force to Get Around Kabul And Intel Woes Might Put It At RiskThose concerns come as Kabul becomes even more dangerous and amid reports that US officials are hiding key details about America’s longest war. BYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019ShareBYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019ShareThe USAF Expands MQ-9 Reaper Drone Force in Afghanistan to Its Largest Size EverThe air war over Afghanistan is rapidly heating up and a huge deployment of Reapers drones is the latest major development. BYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019ShareBYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019ShareUS Navy Wants to Hire Contractors to Fly Their Own MQ-9 Reaper Drones in AfghanistanThe Marine Corps task force in Helmand Province has an urgent requirement for the unmanned aircraft. BYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019ShareBYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019ShareWatch The “Final Cut” Of A Glowing Film About The A-10 That The USAF Tried to SuppressAfter more than three years, the service still refuses to release an official version of the documentary. BYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019ShareBYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019ShareAfghan A-29s Aren’t Dropping Laser-Guided Bombs or Engaging Targets at NightAfter nearly two years of operations, the Afghan Air Force still can’t make anywhere near the most of their light attack planes. BYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019ShareBYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019ShareAfghanistan’s Rebuilt UH-60s Could Actually Hurt Its Warfighting Ability in the Near TermPoaching already in-demand Mi-17s crews to train to fly Black Hawks could have negative impacts in the months ahead. BYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019ShareBYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019ShareBlackwater Founder’s Private Afghan Air Arm Pitch Included An-26 Gunships And AH-1 CobrasThe mix of aircraft, helicopters, drones, and aerostats would have taken over for US and coalition forces. BYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019ShareBYJoseph TrevithickJun 29, 2019ShareB-52s Are Dropping Hundreds of Dumb Bombs in Afghanistan to Literally Shape the TerrainThe bombers, along with F-16s and drones, are blasting mountains and other cover to force the Taliban into the open. BYJoseph TrevithickJun 29, 2019ShareBYJoseph TrevithickJun 29, 2019ShareNight Vision Goggle-Wearing Taliban Are Terrible News for Afghan and US ForcesThe insurgents’ capabilities are improving and may pose a real threat to the coalition’s ability to “own the night.” BYJoseph TrevithickJun 29, 2019ShareBYJoseph TrevithickJun 29, 2019ShareThe Army Rushes 1,000 Recoilless Rifles to Troops, But What’s a “Carl Gustaf” Anyway?After more than five years, the service is rushing hundreds of recoilless rifles to troops in Afghanistan and elsewhere. BYJoseph TrevithickJun 29, 2019ShareBYJoseph TrevithickJun 29, 2019ShareThe US Is Crafting a Joint Air Force-Army Search and Rescue Super Team in AfghanistanThe new unit will have Air Force PJs together with Army CH-47 Chinooks and might be a model for future operations. BYJoseph TrevithickJun 29, 2019ShareBYJoseph TrevithickJun 29, 2019ShareAt Hearing, Dunford Highlights Plans for Afghan Black Hawk Gunship VariantThe United States expects to deliver nearly 60 armed UH-60s as part of plans to transform the Afghan Air Force. BYJoseph TrevithickJun 29, 2019ShareBYJoseph TrevithickJun 29, 2019ShareTaliban Tries to Kill Mattis as US Struggles With New Afghanistan StrategyUnderscoring the fragile state of the country, the insurgents launched a bold attack on the airport in Kabul. BYJoseph TrevithickJun 29, 2019ShareBYJoseph TrevithickJun 29, 2019ShareMysterious US Army Spy Plane Turns Up at the Boneyard in ArizonaThis aircraft and another just like it previously spent time flying secretive missions over Afghanistan and Libya. BYJoseph TrevithickJun 29, 2019Share123
BYJoseph TrevithickAug 31, 2021ShareTaliban Show Off Captured Aircraft And Other Spoils After Taking Over Kabul’s Airport (Updated)Questions remain about the exact state of the aircraft and other materiel left behind, but the optics are still embarrassing for the United States. BYJoseph TrevithickAug 31, 2021Share
BYJoseph TrevithickAug 31, 2021ShareHere’s What The U.S. Military Left Behind At Kabul AirportAircraft, vehicles, and at least two defense systems able to shoot down rockets and artillery shells are just some of what was not airlifted out. BYJoseph TrevithickAug 31, 2021Share
BYTyler RogowayAug 31, 2021ShareThese Two Images Represent The Beginning And The End Of America’s War In AfghanistanGoing in and getting out, these historic photos are the visual bookends to America’s nearly 20-year conflict in Afghanistan. BYTyler RogowayAug 31, 2021Share
BYJoseph TrevithickAug 30, 2021ShareAl Qaeda Kingpin Resurfaces In Afghanistan Surrounded By Taliban SecurityAmin Al Haq’s reappearance under Taliban protection highlights concerns about the US government’s remote counter-terrorism strategy going forward. BYJoseph TrevithickAug 30, 2021Share
BYJoseph Trevithick and Tyler RogowayAug 29, 2021ShareAmerican Drone Strike Hits Suicide Attackers Targeting Kabul Airport (Updated)Security threats grow as the time left before the US military is scheduled to fully withdraw from Afghanistan is likely measured in hours, not days. BYJoseph Trevithick and Tyler RogowayAug 29, 2021Share
BYTyler RogowayAug 27, 2021ShareU.S. Executes Revenge Drone Strike On ISIS-K “Planner” In Afghanistan (Updated)The operation comes just a day after President Biden vowed to make the terror group pay for its heinous suicide bombing at Kabul’s Airport. BYTyler RogowayAug 27, 2021Share
BYJoseph TrevithickAug 27, 2021ShareOperation Pineapple Express Saw Special Ops Vets Lead The Rescue Of Hundreds Of AfghansAn informal group dubbed Task Force Pineapple has been shepherding Afghans past the Taliban to the safety of Kabul airport for nearly two weeks. BYJoseph TrevithickAug 27, 2021Share
BYJoseph TrevithickAug 27, 2021SharePentagon Confirms American Troops Have Been Blowing Equipment Up At Kabul AirportThese controlled detonations help account for reports of additional explosions in Afghanistan’s capital after yesterday’s deadly terrorist attack. BYJoseph TrevithickAug 27, 2021Share
BYJoseph TrevithickAug 26, 2021ShareAmerican Troops Confirmed Killed In Kabul Airport Terror Bombing (Updated)A complex attack on the heart of America’s evacuation operation in Kabul has caused the deaths of multiple U.S. servicepeople and even more Afghans. BYJoseph TrevithickAug 26, 2021Share
BYJoseph TrevithickAug 26, 2021ShareTerror Attack Rocks Kabul International Airport (Updated)Warnings of a potential attack on Kabul airport from ISIS have been growing more urgent for days. BYJoseph TrevithickAug 26, 2021Share
BYJoseph TrevithickAug 25, 2021ShareVideo Purports To Show U.S.-Supplied Black Helicopter Taxiing In Taliban HandsThe Taliban have captured dozens of former Afghan military aircraft, prompting concerns about what the group might do with them. BYJoseph TrevithickAug 25, 2021Share
BYTyler RogowayAug 25, 2021ShareThese Are The Military’s Options For Extending Evacuations In Afghanistan. None Of Them Are Good.There are no good options and each one has major operational hurdles and glaring pitfalls to overcome. BYTyler RogowayAug 25, 2021Share
BYJoseph TrevithickAug 24, 2021ShareU.S. Prepared To Destroy Equipment It Can’t Airlift Out Of Kabul As Withdrawal Deadline Looms (Updated)With the priority being placed on getting people out of the Talian-controlled country, getting even high-tech weapons out may not be possible in time. BYJoseph TrevithickAug 24, 2021Share
BYTyler RogowayAug 23, 2021ShareHere’s All The Intel You Need On The Ongoing Evacuation Operation In KabulThe Taliban move to take on the “new Northern Alliance” and the U.S. activates its Civil Reserve Air Fleet to open bottlenecks in the evacuation. BYTyler RogowayAug 23, 2021Share
BYJoseph TrevithickAug 22, 2021ShareWhat The Civil Reserve Air Fleet Is And Why It’s Been Activated For The Third Time In 70 YearsThe fleet can dramatically bolster the Pentagon’s own air transport capabilities and that is what it will do for the evacuation of Afghanistan. BYJoseph TrevithickAug 22, 2021Share
BYJoseph TrevithickAug 19, 2021ShareWant Uncle Sam To Get You Out Of Kabul? It Could Cost You Thousands Of Dollars… Or Maybe Not?Generally, the US State Department is required by law to collect fees from private US citizens or foreign nationals it helps flee in a crisis. BYJoseph TrevithickAug 19, 2021Share
BYJoseph TrevithickAug 19, 2021ShareNavy Fighters Are Flying Armed Overwatch Missions Over KabulThe Pentagon says American combat aircraft are covering the evacuations, but have not flown shows of force maneuvers or carried out any strikes. BYJoseph TrevithickAug 19, 2021Share
BYJoseph TrevithickAug 18, 2021ShareA New Northern Alliance Against The Taliban Is Forming In Afghanistan’s Panjshir Valley (Updated)The former First Vice President of Afghanistan has claimed the mantle of the country’s legitimate leader and is rallying forces to his cause. BYJoseph TrevithickAug 18, 2021Share
BYJoseph TrevithickAug 17, 2021ShareDozens Of U.S.-Bought Afghan Air Force Aircraft Are Now Orphaned At An Uzbek AirfieldAfghan pilots fled the country in the face of the advancing Taliban over the weekend. Now the fate of the aircraft is up in the air. BYJoseph TrevithickAug 17, 2021Share
BYAdam Kehoe and Tyler RogowayAug 17, 2021ShareFive Decades After Evacuating The Embassy In Saigon The CH-46 Phrog Did It Again In KabulComparisons between the evacuations of the embassies in Saigon and Kabul are unavoidable and the CH-46 was there for both historic operations. BYAdam Kehoe and Tyler RogowayAug 17, 2021Share
BYJoseph TrevithickAug 17, 2021ShareRC-135W Rivet Joint Spy Plane Is Flying Orbits Over Kabul (Updated)One of America’s most capable surveillance aircraft is keeping close tabs on the Taliban as America’s military presence at Kabul’s airport grows. BYJoseph TrevithickAug 17, 2021Share
BYJoseph TrevithickAug 17, 2021ShareSituation At Kabul Airport “Would Have Been Difficult For Anyone To Predict” Says Pentagon Spokesman (Updated)Criticism of how the Biden administration has handled evacuation operations in Kabul has only grown amid images of chaos at the city’s main airport. BYJoseph TrevithickAug 17, 2021Share
BYTyler RogowayAug 16, 2021Share800 People Evacuated From Kabul Aboard A Single C-17 Cargo Jet (Updated)“800 people on your jet?! Holy… Holy cow… Ok…” BYTyler RogowayAug 16, 2021Share
BYJoseph TrevithickAug 16, 2021ShareU.S. Troops Kill Two Armed Afghans At Unsecured Kabul Airport, Thousands More Being Sent (Updated)The airport has been overrun, with some Afghans clinging to departing transports. Now, the U.S. says it’s sending thousands more troops to secure it. BYJoseph TrevithickAug 16, 2021Share
BYTyler RogowayAug 16, 2021ShareApache Helicopters Chase Afghans Swarming A C-17 On Kabul Airport’s Runway (Updated)Whatever security perimeter existed at Kabul International appears to have collapsed with Afghans running freely across its runway and taxiways. BYTyler RogowayAug 16, 2021Share
BYJoseph TrevithickAug 13, 2021ShareShadowy KC-135RT Special Ops Tankers Head Toward Afghanistan As Evacuation Airbridge Forms (Updated)The KC-135RTs could play a vital role supporting AC-130 gunships and other special ops aircraft as the Taliban push closer to the Afghan capital. BYJoseph TrevithickAug 13, 2021Share
BYJoseph TrevithickAug 13, 2021ShareEmergency Troop Surge Now Needed For Afghan Withdrawal (Updated)U.S. troops will safeguard diplomats and others evacuating the country, but the Biden administration insists the fall of Kabul is not inevitable. BYJoseph TrevithickAug 13, 2021Share
BYJoseph TrevithickJul 28, 2021ShareWhat It Takes For U.S. Jets To Keep Fighting In Afghanistan From “Over The Horizon”Recent information provided by the Air Force underscores the hurdles the service faces in conducting airstrikes in Afghanistan from the Persian Gulf. BYJoseph TrevithickJul 28, 2021Share
BYJoseph TrevithickJul 6, 2021ShareThe Onion Predicted America’s Middle Of The Night Pullout From Bagram In AfghanistanNearly a decade after a satirical piece ran about ‘slipping out’ of Afghanistan, American troops unexpectedly cut the power at Bagram as they left. BYJoseph TrevithickJul 6, 2021Share
BYJoseph TrevithickJul 2, 2021ShareState Department’s New Black Hawks In Afghanistan Could Prove Especially Important After WithdrawalThe State Department’s Air Wing could be critical to keeping Americans safe if the security situation in the country continues to deteriorate. BYJoseph TrevithickJul 2, 2021Share
BYJoseph TrevithickApr 13, 2021ShareBiden Throws Down The Gauntlet On Pulling Troops Out Of Afghanistan Ahead Of 9/11 AnniversaryThe White House says the bulk of American troops in Afghanistan will leave in the coming months regardless of conditions on the ground. BYJoseph TrevithickApr 13, 2021Share
BYTyler RogowayMar 22, 2021ShareTop U.S. General In Afghanistan Is Carrying A Heavily-Modified Glock With A Compensator AttachedGeneral Miller has also carried a full-size 1911, but a sidearm in a combat zone with a compensator attached is usually the stuff of action movies. BYTyler RogowayMar 22, 2021Share
BYJoseph TrevithickFeb 18, 2021ShareSatellite Images Show Horrible Aftermath Of Explosion That Burned Hundreds Of Trucks In AfghanistanAn exploding truck triggered a chain reaction at a critical border crossing between Afghanistan and Iran. BYJoseph TrevithickFeb 18, 2021Share
BYJoseph TrevithickFeb 15, 2021ShareThis Marine One VH-60N Had Its Iconic Paint Job Blotted Out For Historic Afghanistan TripWe have never seen Marine One ditch its high-profile scheme before this image came to our attention. BYJoseph TrevithickFeb 15, 2021Share
BYJoseph TrevithickFeb 8, 2021ShareAir Force Doubles Down On E-11A BACN Communications Jets With Plans To Triple Fleet SizeThe E-11As are in high demand, but there are so few of them, pilots may not have even seen one before jumping into the cockpit of one downrange. BYJoseph TrevithickFeb 8, 2021Share
BYThomas NewdickNov 27, 2020ShareThe AH-1W Super Cobra Has Been Retired From The Marine Corps After 34 Years Of ServiceThe iconic helicopter gunship has stood down from the Marine Corps to be replaced by the much-improved AH-1Z. BYThomas NewdickNov 27, 2020Share
BYJoseph TrevithickNov 2, 2020ShareDeadly Taliban Attack On Governor’s Volleyball-Playing Bodyguards Points To Armed Drone UseThe use of this low-cost and potentially high-reward tactic is growing around the world and its appearance in Afghanistan is hardly surprising. BYJoseph TrevithickNov 2, 2020Share
BYJoseph TrevithickJul 3, 2020ShareThis Shadowy Afghan Unit Fights Alongside America’s Most Elite ForcesThe Ktah Khas battalion has hunted terrorists and militants with elements of the U.S. Joint Special Operations Command. BYJoseph TrevithickJul 3, 2020Share
BYJoseph TrevithickApr 6, 2020ShareNew Details Emerge About Snap Deployment Of B-52s To Diego Garcia During Iran CrisisThe bombers flew thousands of flight hours across dozens of sorties, including strikes in Afghanistan thousands of miles away. BYJoseph TrevithickApr 6, 2020Share
BYJoseph TrevithickMar 10, 2020ShareThe U.S. Military Says It Has Supported The Taliban In Fighting ISIS In AfghanistanThe revelation follows the start of American troop withdrawals from the country as part of a still controversial and fragile deal with the Taliban. BYJoseph TrevithickMar 10, 2020Share
BYJoseph TrevithickFeb 19, 2020ShareTake A Rare Look Inside An Army Ranger Armory Somewhere In AfghanistanThe 75th Ranger Regiment has provided important direct action raiding forces in Afghanistan for years. Here’s a look at the tools of their trade. BYJoseph TrevithickFeb 19, 2020Share
BYJoseph TrevithickJan 29, 2020ShareE-11A Pilots Died Flying An Aircraft From A Fleet So Small None Are In The U.S. For TrainingAll of the individuals who fly these highly specialized planes, all of which are forward-deployed in Afghanistan, volunteer for the job. BYJoseph TrevithickJan 29, 2020Share
BYJoseph TrevithickJan 29, 2020ShareHighly Specialized Air Force E-11A Communications Aircraft Crashes And Burns In Afghanistan (Updated)The aircraft is one of just four the service operates to provide critical data fusion and communications relay capabilities. BYJoseph TrevithickJan 29, 2020Share
BYTyler RogowayJan 12, 2020ShareAmerica’s Shadowy Sword Wielding Hellfire Missile Has Migrated To The Afghan BattlefieldThe introduction of this exotic weapon to Afghanistan underlines its expanded use for targeted assassinations that we have seen in recent months. BYTyler RogowayJan 12, 2020Share
BYTyler RogowayDec 2, 2019ShareWhat Aircraft Snuck Trump Out Of Florida On His Way To Afghanistan For Thanksgiving?We have the likely answer as well as some major questions as to how Air Force One was able to reach Afghanistan without aerial refueling. BYTyler RogowayDec 2, 2019Share
BYTyler RogowaySep 20, 2019ShareCIA Releases Photo Taken Just Before Its Operatives First Entered Afghanistan After 9/11The image shows armed CIA operatives guarding $3M in cash that is stowed away inside a Russian-built Mi-17 helicopter. BYTyler RogowaySep 20, 2019Share
BYJoseph TrevithickJul 15, 2019ShareThe Afghan Air Force Just Can’t Quit The Hind Gunship HelicopterThe Afghan Air Force is still flying the iconic attack helicopters, despite the NATO-led coalition refusing to help support their continued operation. BYJoseph TrevithickJul 15, 2019Share
BYJoseph TrevithickJul 10, 2019ShareAC-130J Ghostrider Gunships Have Flown Their Very First Combat MissionsThe AC-130J’s arrival in Afghanistan marks a historic changing of the guard as older AC-130Us have now finished their last scheduled deployment. BYJoseph TrevithickJul 10, 2019Share
BYJoseph TrevithickJul 10, 2019SharePentagon Watchdog Slams U.S.-Backed Efforts to Expand The Afghan Air ForceA new report highlights incoherent and haphazard policies, long-standing training gaps, and an over-reliance on contractors. BYJoseph TrevithickJul 10, 2019Share
BYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019ShareRussia Claims US Coalition “Mystery Helicopters” Supplying Arms To ISIS In AfghanistanThere’s no evidence to support the allegations, but they are another prime example of Russia’s active information warfare campaign against the US. BYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019Share
BYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019ShareUS Uses a Private Helicopter Force to Get Around Kabul And Intel Woes Might Put It At RiskThose concerns come as Kabul becomes even more dangerous and amid reports that US officials are hiding key details about America’s longest war. BYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019Share
BYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019ShareThe USAF Expands MQ-9 Reaper Drone Force in Afghanistan to Its Largest Size EverThe air war over Afghanistan is rapidly heating up and a huge deployment of Reapers drones is the latest major development. BYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019Share
BYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019ShareUS Navy Wants to Hire Contractors to Fly Their Own MQ-9 Reaper Drones in AfghanistanThe Marine Corps task force in Helmand Province has an urgent requirement for the unmanned aircraft. BYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019Share
BYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019ShareWatch The “Final Cut” Of A Glowing Film About The A-10 That The USAF Tried to SuppressAfter more than three years, the service still refuses to release an official version of the documentary. BYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019Share
BYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019ShareAfghan A-29s Aren’t Dropping Laser-Guided Bombs or Engaging Targets at NightAfter nearly two years of operations, the Afghan Air Force still can’t make anywhere near the most of their light attack planes. BYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019Share
BYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019ShareAfghanistan’s Rebuilt UH-60s Could Actually Hurt Its Warfighting Ability in the Near TermPoaching already in-demand Mi-17s crews to train to fly Black Hawks could have negative impacts in the months ahead. BYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019Share
BYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019ShareBlackwater Founder’s Private Afghan Air Arm Pitch Included An-26 Gunships And AH-1 CobrasThe mix of aircraft, helicopters, drones, and aerostats would have taken over for US and coalition forces. BYJoseph TrevithickJun 30, 2019Share
BYJoseph TrevithickJun 29, 2019ShareB-52s Are Dropping Hundreds of Dumb Bombs in Afghanistan to Literally Shape the TerrainThe bombers, along with F-16s and drones, are blasting mountains and other cover to force the Taliban into the open. BYJoseph TrevithickJun 29, 2019Share
BYJoseph TrevithickJun 29, 2019ShareNight Vision Goggle-Wearing Taliban Are Terrible News for Afghan and US ForcesThe insurgents’ capabilities are improving and may pose a real threat to the coalition’s ability to “own the night.” BYJoseph TrevithickJun 29, 2019Share
BYJoseph TrevithickJun 29, 2019ShareThe Army Rushes 1,000 Recoilless Rifles to Troops, But What’s a “Carl Gustaf” Anyway?After more than five years, the service is rushing hundreds of recoilless rifles to troops in Afghanistan and elsewhere. BYJoseph TrevithickJun 29, 2019Share
BYJoseph TrevithickJun 29, 2019ShareThe US Is Crafting a Joint Air Force-Army Search and Rescue Super Team in AfghanistanThe new unit will have Air Force PJs together with Army CH-47 Chinooks and might be a model for future operations. BYJoseph TrevithickJun 29, 2019Share
BYJoseph TrevithickJun 29, 2019ShareAt Hearing, Dunford Highlights Plans for Afghan Black Hawk Gunship VariantThe United States expects to deliver nearly 60 armed UH-60s as part of plans to transform the Afghan Air Force. BYJoseph TrevithickJun 29, 2019Share
BYJoseph TrevithickJun 29, 2019ShareTaliban Tries to Kill Mattis as US Struggles With New Afghanistan StrategyUnderscoring the fragile state of the country, the insurgents launched a bold attack on the airport in Kabul. BYJoseph TrevithickJun 29, 2019Share
BYJoseph TrevithickJun 29, 2019ShareMysterious US Army Spy Plane Turns Up at the Boneyard in ArizonaThis aircraft and another just like it previously spent time flying secretive missions over Afghanistan and Libya. BYJoseph TrevithickJun 29, 2019Share