Afghanistan Rolls Out Cayuse Warrior Attack Helicopters

The US Department of Defense (DoD) revealed last Saturday that the Afghan Air Force (AAF) has conducted a maneuver during a live-fire demonstration after receiving six MD-530F Cayuse Warrior light attack helicopters from the US.

The first six helicopters delivered performed a live-fire demonstration of its twin FN Herstal Heavy Machine Gun Pods (HMPs) during the roll-out function held at Kabul.

Deputy spokesman for the Afghan Ministry of Defense (MoD), Dawlat Wazir, said “the helicopters will provide close air support to ground forces during the military operations.”

The new helicopters will augment machine gun-equipped Mil Mi-17 and Machine gun and rocket equipped Mi-35 helicopters as well as Embraer A-29 Super-Tucano light attack turboprop aircraft that will be inducted in service by the end of this year.

Pentagon awarded MD Helicopters a maximum $44.2 million contract last year to develop and provide an armament package for the MD-530F helicopters that were already supplied to the Afghan Air Force.

Around 17 of the Afghan Air Force’s MD-530F helicopter will be upgraded under the contract which is expected to be completed early next year.