Monday 16 August 2021

The Taliban Air Force - An Inventory Assessment

 
By Stijn Mitzer and Joost Oliemans

 
The list only includes captured Afghan aircraft of which photographic or videographic evidence is available. Therefore, the amount of aircraft captured is undoubtedly higher than what is listed here. Not all aircraft captured in intact condition are operational at the time of capture. Thus, the number of aircraft captured by the Taliban thus doesn't translate into an operational fleet of similar size. Civilian aircraft are not included in this list.
 

Aircraft captured intact:

 

Aircraft (13)

  • 1 A-29B light attack aircraft: (1)
  • 1 Cessna 208 utility aircraft: (1)
  • 3 L-39 jet trainer: (1, 2 and 3) [Inoperational for several years at the time of capture]  
  • 8 An-26/32 transport aircraft: (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8) [Inoperational for several years at the time of capture]  
 

Helicopters (44)

 

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (7)


Aircraft captured at Kabul International Airport but rendered disabled by U.S. forces (73 reported):

 

Aircraft (28)

 

Helicopters (44)

 
This list is constantly updated as new footage becomes available.

 1x A-29B light attack aircraft:
 

Mazar-i-Sharif, captured on the 15th of August 2021

1x Cessna 208 utility aircraft:
 

Kandahar, captured on the 15th of August 2021

8x An-26/32 transport aircraft
 

Kabul, captured on the 29th of August 2021

Kabul, captured on the 29th of August 2021

Kabul, captured on the 29th of August 2021

4x UH-60A Blackhawk:

Ghazni, captured on the 13th of August 2021

Ghazni, captured on the 13th of August 2021

Kandahar, captured on the 14th of August 2021

Kandahar, captured on the 14th of August 2021

13x Mi-24/Mi-35 Hind

Kunduz, captured on the 11th of August 2021

Kabul, captured on the 29th of August 2021

Kabul, captured on the 29th of August 2021

Kabul, captured on the 29th of August 2021

Kabul, captured on the 29th of August 2021

11x Mi-8/17 Hip

Unknown, captured on the 14th of August 2021

Unknown, captured on the 14th of August 2021

Shindand, captured on the 13th of August 2021

Shindand, captured on the 13th of August 2021

Herat, captured on the 14th of August 2021

Herat, captured on the 14th of August 2021

Kandahar, captured on the 14th of August 2021

Unknown, captured on the 6th of July 2021

Kandahar, captured on the 14th of August 2021

Kandahar, captured on the 14th of August 2021

10x MD 530F Attack Helicopter:

Mazar-i-Sharif, captured on the 15th of August 2021

Mazar-i-Sharif, captured on the 15th of August 2021

Kandahar, captured on the 15th of August 2021

Ghazni, captured on the 13th of August 2021

Bolan, captured on the 13th of August 2021

Unknown, captured on the 15th of August 2021

Helmand, captured on the 15th of August 2021

7x ScanEagle UAV
 

Kunduz, captured on the 12th of August 2021

Unknown, captured on the 12th of August 2021

Unknown, captured on the 12th of August 2021

Unknown, captured on the 12th of August 2021