U.S. general sees problems, progress in developing Afghan air force

 
(Reuters) - The U.S.-led effort to train the Afghan air force faces big challenges ranging from security threats to possible repercussions from a new review of infrastructure and equipment projects, the U.S. general in charge said.

"This is a hard deal. We're far from 100-percent guaranteed on delivery," said Air Force Brigadier General John Michel, who leads NATO Air Training Command Afghanistan, which is due to complete its training of the Afghan air force by December 31, 2017 - three years after most U.S. forces leave Afghanistan.

 

 

The one-star general cited progress in training and planning for Afghanistan to assume control over the air force but said many factors were outside his control.

Michel spoke to Reuters this week during the annual Air Force Association conference here.

He said the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force was re-examining all infrastructure projects after a report that one $37 million aviation facility may have been used to store opium and other concerns raised by Congress.

A group of U.S. lawmakers this week called on U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder to use all available resources to back up the Pentagon's criminal investigation into potentially improper payments made by an Army aviation unit that awarded contracts to Russian and U.S. firms to maintain and overhaul Russian-made Mi-17 helicopters.