Military Model Scene

Title: Afghan Air Wars
Author: Michael Napier
Publisher: Osprey
ISBN: 978-1- 4728-5901-3

A new book from author Michael Napier and Osprey Books. This 320-page hard-cover book is the 12th book from Michael, an ex-Tornado pilot, all published by Osprey.
There is an introduction which provides some interesting background to the fighting in Afghanistan over the last 100 years or so. From British involvement on the 'North West Frontier', while the book then focusses on the ten year Russian invasion, to the Coalition operations that ended up lasting 20 years. For me it echoed a conversation in the early 1980s I had with my uncle, Sir Rex Hunt. He had flown Tempest IIs with 5 Squadron in 1946/7 so had some experience of his own of contact with Afghanistan. He said the Russians would never win, as the various tribes had their own long running local feuds, but they would forget them temporarily to oust any invader. That proved to be the case with Russia, and as we now know, it was also the result of the US/Coalition campaign, which had lasted even longer.
Afghanistan didn't have a good road network, so the widespread use of helicopters by the Russian military was a natural progression. Having looked at the Russian time in the country, after the terrorist outrage of 9/11, the US led Coalition takes up the major part of the book, which it covers in a basic chronological sequence. There were ups and downs over time, and it is amazing to read just how many aircraft types were deployed to the region by the many countries countries who got involved. Some saw their final in-service deployments, such as the F-14 Tomcat, while others saw their first, such as the F-35 and the French Rafale. So much was used, with close air support from A-10s and gunship helicopters, transport by CH-47 Chinooks, C-130, C-17 and more, remotely piloted drones and strategic bombers such as the B-1. Add others to gather signals intelligence, to control the airspace during operations, in-flight refuelling, 'dust-off' medical evacuation helicopters and more. It does include plenty of personal accounts from crewmembers who were there, and who recount what they experienced. The other element that contributes some fantastic content throughout the book are the large number of great quality photographs, illustrating such a wide variety of aircraft types.
When we get to the end there is a good explanation of what happened when individual countries began to withdraw their forces from the country. When the USA finally decided to pull out it came rather quickly, so the account of the final evacuation flights make for quite disturbing reading I thought, however successful they may have been. The aim of handing over to a new Afghan government rather reminded me of the earlier attempt at 'Vietnamization', and in the case of Afghanistan, once the US left, the morale of what they left behind collapsed in the face of a resurgent Taliban. The final chapter has The Benefit of Hindsight, and offers some fascinating observations. Well worth reading if you have any interest in the story of Afghanistan in the 20th/ 21st Centuries.
Thanks to Osprey for the review copy.

Robin