Five F-16 fighter jets for Afghan security

[Oqaab]

Five Dutch fighter jets for Afghan security

BISHKEK: Five Dutch air force F-16 fighter jets have arrived at a coalition base in Kyrgyzstan to help boost security during coming elections in Afghanistan, a base spokesperson said on Saturday.

US Air Force Capt Alisen Iversen said the jets arrived on Friday night. In August, the Dutch cabinet decided to send six F-16s and up to 210 supporting troops to the region to boost security during national elections in Afghanistan scheduled for Oct 9. This is a second deployment of Dutch troops to the Central Asian nation. They first served here between September 2002 and October 2003. Kyrgyzstan has hosted the US-led coalition base, which supports operations in nearby Afghanistan, since December 2001. There are around 1,100 American troops and several dozen Spanish troops at the base, located 30 kilometres from the capital, Bishkek.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=story_12-9-2004_pg4_19

 

[yasin_khan]

I think these five planes are no sufficient.Atleast the number should be 20.

 

[P.A.F]

i know. i don't see the point in sending 5 :

 

[tatra]

The point is to have Dutch flyboys in the area to provide support to Dutch troops on the ground so as not to have to depend on some other country to provide that support. SInce there are few Dutch troops on the gorund in Afghanistan there is no need to send many jets.

 

[mysterious]

You need more 'ground' troops to keep the security situation in check firstly! Air power comes 'next'!!! :smokingc:

 

[webmaster]

Didn't the USAF won the "air war" in afghanistan already? I think ground troops would be more practical if you look at the current situation in afghanistan.

 

[tatra]

Guys, don't try to get smart with me here.... :

Most ground troops are of course US and they have their own stuff. However, there is this "international coalition" remember to which various nations contribute in proportion to their mean. Now the Netherlands is 16 million people and military number total about 60.000 personnel (air force, naby and army all together)

The coalition comprises in this case a few but specialized (MP) Dutch troops. The jets are clearly not there to combat other aircraft so the remark about the air war is inappropriate. Perhaps some of you remember Szrbernica in former Yogoslavia, where the Dutch contingent of UN peacekeepers requested air support against overwhelming Serbian nationalist forces and never got it. That's one reason they are now bringing their own, however few. Incidentally, it was a Dutch F16 that downed one of the few Serbian Mig29 that managed to take off to oppose Nato air forces during their campaign in that region. They do know their stuff.