Lukas Müller

Ahmad Shah Massoud's Mil Mi-35 (Mi-24V export variant) Black 68 resting in the Panjshir valley, 1997. The machine survived all rounds of the Afghan wars and is currently active within the Taliban air force.

Afghan AF Su-22M3 (or a Su-17 variant) 444 Red of the 355th Regiment carrying Kh-23 Grom (AS-7 Kerry) air-to-surface missile. Bagram AB, probably late 80s.

Former Soviet AF 43 Yellow, later transferred to the Afghan Communist govt. AF (serial 25 Black) and even later operated by Ismail Khan's AF, this Mi-24V has been put on display in the Jihad Museum in Herat. Perhaps someone might be able to find its c/n?

This is an Afghan MTP-1 technical assistance vehicle based on BTR-50P, a very rare sight in Afghanistan. The photo comes from the province of Badakhshan, which means the vehicle probably belonged to Jamiat-e Islami forces (Massoud-Rabbani).

Two Ahmad Shah Massoud's Mi-24Vs (or 35?) carrying B-8V20 and B-8M1 pods, respectively. They were used in an anti-Taliban campaign west of Kabul, 1995.

A MiG-21bis armed with R-60 (AA-8 Aphid) missiles photographed at Herat airport shortly after the Taliban had fled the site and victorious Ismail Khan's forces took over the command in November 2001. The roundel on the fin is a variant of Taliban air force two-sword insignia.

A Massoud/Rabbani forces' Simurgh-decorated KamAZ, south of Kabul, early 1995.

Aircraft Photo of 353 | Antonov An-32 | Afghanistan - Air Force | AirHistory.net #310936 Aircraft photo of 353 - Antonov An-32 - Afghanistan - Air Force, taken by T.Laurent at Dushanbe (UTDD / DYU) in Tajikistan in April 2002. Repainted in all grey few years later.

An-32 of the Afghan National Army Air Corps 🇦🇫 at Dushanbe IAP 🇹🇯, 2002. Love this camo! www.airhistory.net/photo/310936...

Although definitely not being a standard weapon of the Taliban, at least a few BM-27 Uragan heavy rocket launchers were used by the movement on the frontlines to the north of Kabul in the late 90s/early 00s. This photo comes from 1996.

Aircraft Photo of 567 | Mil Mi-8MT | Afghanistan - Air Force | AirHistory.net #296729 Aircraft photo of 567 - Mil Mi-8MT - Afghanistan - Air Force, taken by T.Laurent at Kabul - Hamid Karzai International (OAKB / KBL) in Afghanistan in May 2005. Roundels were masked.

A great shot of Massoud/Rabbani forces' Mi-8MT Black 567. It is one of ex-Russian AF machines delivered in the late 90s or early 00s and financed by India. The photo was probably taken in late 2001 or early 2002 (not 2005 as stated on the page). www.airhistory.net/photo/296729...

This is one of the very few photos of the Taliban Su-22s I've been able to find through the past 20 years. The confirmed serials are 069 (Su-22UM3K), 072 (UM3K) and 82 (M4). The source of the screenshot is this YT interview with a former Taliban pilot. tinyurl.com/2k4h6rm8

Close up

A pile of Scud missiles (no warheads) north of Kabul. Formerly in the arsenal of Ahmad Shah Massoud's forces, they were moved out of the Panjshir valley when the Afghan National Army took over the command of various civil war parties' heavy weaponry. As of 2024, they are probably still there.

The golden variant of the Taliban MoD insignia used in the Kabul area before the fall of the Taliban in 2001.

This is one of a few Taliban Frog-7s serving in the movement's armed forces before 2001. It carries the 'golden' insignia on the door.

Aircraft Photo of 0005 / 005 | Aero L-39C Albatros | Afghanistan - Air Force | AirHistory.net #140338 Aircraft photo of 0005 / 005 - Aero L-39C Albatros - Afghanistan - Air Force, taken by Stephan de Bruijn at Kabul - Hamid Karzai International (OAKB / KBL) in Afghanistan between November 2005 and Dec...

This is one of a few General Dostum's L-39Cs that survived the 1990s Afghan civil conflict. The three small letters on the roundel stand for 'Afghan Melli-e Ourdou', meaning 'Afghan National Army'. The photo was taken by Stephan de Bruijn in 2005. www.airhistory.net/photo/140338...

The Royal Afghan Army used an unknown number of searchlights (probably Z-15-4B) carried on ZIS-12 chassis. The photo comes from Kabul, 1950s.

7,62 mm PKT machine gun in the nose, (plastic?) flowers in the inside. Ahmad Shah Massoud's personal Mi-17 definitely had style!

Ariana Airlines Tu-154M YA-TAP carrying Afghan president Mojaddedi was hit while descending towards Kabul, May 29 1992. The aircraft landed safely with no fatalities. Mojaddedi blamed Hekmatyar for the attack although there were rumors of other parties involved. The airplane was never repaired.

Muhammad Ismail Khan, the ruler of north-western Afghanistan in 1992-1995 period, in front of one of his An-32s. Muhammad Ismail Khan's forces also operated MiG-21 and Su-17/22 fighter jets and Mi-8/17 and Mi-24V/35 helicopters.

A great photo of Ahmad Shah Massoud's air force MiG-21bis sitting derelict at Bagram AB in 2002. Commander Massoud captured Bagram from the communist regime in April 1992 and inherited the airplanes of the MiG-21-equipped 322 Regiment and Su-22-equipped 355 Regiment. Credit x.com/janusz_walczak.

This is the sign at the entrance of General Dostum's Sheberghan airfield. In the 1990s, Sheberghan was the major Dostum's military base. For example, the general's Scud missiles and SA-3 anti-aircraft missiles were stored there. The slogan reads 'Air force headquarters'.

Aviation Photo #1690051: Antonov An-12 - Afghanistan - Air Force Defected to Pakistan during Afghan crisis during the 90's - Photo taken at Karachi - Faisal AB (OPSF) in Pakistan on March 24, 2010.

After the unsuccessful coup against President Najibullah in March 1990, the group of plotters headed by General Shahnawaz Tanai escaped to Pakistan in an Mi-17 and this An-12 Black 380. The aircraft's been put on display in Karachi. www.airliners.net/photo/Afghan...

In the first half of the 1990s, this Afghan Mi-17 (actually, probably an Mi-8MTV) Black 792 served as the personal helicopter of Ahmad Shah Massoud. Its interior was equipped with chairs, tables etc. This photo was taken in 1994.

Btw, by 2024 the airplane is still 'alive', serving in the Taliban Islamic Emirate Air Force.

Aircraft Photo of 350 | Antonov An-32B | Afghanistan - Air Force | AirHistory.net #220199 Aircraft photo of 350 - Antonov An-32B - Afghanistan - Air Force, taken by T.Laurent at Kabul - Hamid Karzai International (OAKB / KBL) in Afghanistan in May 2005. In hybrid Ariana c/s. Repainted in f...

This Afghan An-32 belonged to Ahmad Shah Massoud's forces. When the Taliban were closing in to Kabul in 1996 it was evacuated to Uzbekistan. Uzbek authorities confiscated it and provided it to Gen. Dostum. Note the flag of Dostum's Junbish party behind the cockpit. www.airhistory.net/photo/220199...

Aircraft Photo of 352 | Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21bis | Afghanistan - Air Force | AirHistory.net #245322 Aircraft photo of 352 - Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21bis - Afghanistan - Air Force, taken by T.Laurent at Kabul - Hamid Karzai International (OAKB / KBL) in Afghanistan in May 2005. Not sure if this one was...

A great photo of the same machine by T. Laurent. The date mentioned in its description is, of course, incorrect, as the MiG crashed in April 2002. www.airhistory.net/photo/245322...

In the late 1990s, this Afghan MiG-21bis white 352 operated from the Kulob AB in Tajikistan. It was ordered out of Afghanistan by Gen. Dostum (or Gen. Malik who rebelled against Dostum) when the Taliban threatened their provinces. It returned back in early 2002 and crashed shortly after.

Afghan Communist government Mi-4 shot down in the eastern province of Nuristan in 1979. Unknown number (to me) of Mi-4s was delivered by the USSR to the Royal Afghan AF probably in the early 60s. The type was eventually replaced with Mi-8/17 and withdrawn from service in the 80s.

General Dostum's MiG-21bis, probably mid-1990s. Note R-60 AA missiles (NATO reporting name: AA-8 "Aphid") under the wings.