Six Lockheed Martin F-16 fighter aircraft left the Netherlands' Volkel air base on 8 September for Manas air base, Kyrgyzstan.
Accompanied by a Dutch air force McDonnell Douglas KDC-10 tanker/transport, the aircraft will provide close air support services as part of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF).
The F-16s will be deployed to Manas over an eight-week period, with this to span the national elections to be held in Afghanistan on 9 October. Comprising 185 personnel, the detachment could be extended if required due to any second round of elections.
The Dutch air force will later this month send a replacement Boeing AH-64DApache attack helicopter to Afghanistan to support ISAFactivities there. The service lost one of its four Apaches deployed to the Afghan capital Kabul during a 29 August accident, the cause of which is still being investigated.
The UK's planned nine-month deployment of six Royal Air Force BAE Systems Harrier GR7 ground-attack and reconnaissance aircraft to Afghanistan's Kandahar air base is expected to cost £35.5 million ($64 million), says defence secretary Geoff Hoon (Flight International, 31 August-6 September).ANNO GRAVEMAKER / ARNHEM
Source: Flight International
