Afghan Special Mission Wing: DOD Moving Forward with $771.8 Million Purchase of Aircraft that the Afghans Cannot Operate and Maintain

Abstract

The U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) developed a concept of operations to address a need for air support for Afghan Special Forces that execute counternarcotics and counterterrorism missions in Afghanistan. In July 2012, the Afghan Special Mission Wing (SMW) was established to meet that need. The SMW has an existing fleet of 30 aging aircraft, 10 of which are on loan from the Afghan Air Force; DOD s concept calls for 48 new aircraft costing a total of $771.8 million. This report identifies (1) the extent to which the SMW has the capacity to operate and maintain its current and planned fleet; and (2) the effectiveness of U.S. government oversight of two task orders valued at $772 million to provide ongoing maintenance, logistics, and supply support to the SMW. To accomplish these objectives, we obtained data and met with officials from DOD, the Department of State, Drug Enforcement Administration, the SMW, U.S. contractors, and the Counter-Narcotics Police of Afghanistan. We also reviewed the status of the SMW s current aircraft, as well as contracts to purchase new aircraft. Furthermore, we reviewed two major U.S. task orders that provide maintenance and repair services to the SMW, with a total obligation of approximately $772 million.

Open PDF

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jun 01, 2013
Accession Number
ADA587705

Entities

Organizations

  • Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms
  • Human Systems
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Aircrafts
  • Airframes
  • Business Administration
  • Command And Control
  • Fixed Wing Aircraft
  • Flight Training
  • Governments
  • Logistics
  • Maintenance
  • Management Personnel
  • Military Science
  • National Security
  • Organizational Structure
  • Personnel Management
  • Rotary Wing Aircraft
  • Warfare

Fields of Study

  • Business

Readers

  • Aerospace logistics and air mobility.
  • Defense Financial Management and Audit.
  • Military and Counterinsurgency Studies.