The Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF) received 4 light attack MD-530 Cayuse helicopters in north of Afghanistan. (Photo: 438th Air Expeditionary Wing)
The Afghan Air Force commander Gen. Abdul Wahab Wardak told reporters in Mazar-e-Sharif city that the helicopters will be used by the 209th Shaheen Corps of the Afghan army.
He said the helicopters have been deployed to 22 provinces and are currenty involved in counter-insurgency activities in at least 10 provinces.
Gen. Wardak further added that the Afghan Air Force is currently having 35 MD-530 Cayuse helicopters which have been delivered by the United States.
According to Gen. Wardak the pilots of the helicopters have been trained in the United States and the newly deployed helicopters in north will be used to cover operations in Baghlan, Sar-e-Pul and Kunduz provinces.
MD-530 helicopters are designed for high altitude and/or hot weather operations to provide close-air support to the ground forces.
The US army awarded a contract worth $13.2 million to add the seven-tube M260 launcher for the 70mm (2.75 inch) rockets to MD-530Fs nearly a year ago.
