Huge funds, huge waste in Afghan aircraft unit: US inspector

[bemildred]

Last edited Sat Jun 29, 2013, 07:27 AM - Edit history (1)

WASHINGTON — The Pentagon is spending $771 million on aircraft for Afghanistan in a project that is at risk in part because of a lack of literate, non-insurgent recruits, an inspector warned Friday.

The Afghan Special Mission Wing (SMW) was created in July 2012 with help from the US Department of Defense, which has committed to replace the unit's fleet of 30 aging Russian helicopters with 48 new aircraft.

But "the Afghans lack the capacity -- in both personnel numbers and expertise -- to operate and maintain the existing and planned SMW fleets," the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction said in a damning report on the unit's progress.

SIGAR is responsible for assessing and controlling how US government funds are being spent on reconstruction in Afghanistan.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5j3sCHQ6f16IayCwanDyFKs7nk1BQ?docId=CNG.bedf7c60c7a6e3f5c246f1000992380b.71

[msongs]

1. the taliban will thank us for the new helicopters they will own soon nt

[indepat]

2. No problem: that $771 million can be offset up with cuts in the social safety net.

[n2doc]

3. k n r nt