The War in Afghanistan

[gral]

Beats me if it did happen, @Sobek and @gral
probably can tell you more than me for certain. I don't know what use they could have been against the Taliban back then since as far as I know the theocratic loons still had the Stinger rocket launchers the CIA sent them during the anti-Soviet fighters and the Tucanos don't look like they could resist a Stinger missile impact (granted not much can resist it even though that tech is going to be soon half a century old).

Yeah, the US bought them and transferred them to the Afghans. As for MANPADS, they were a risk, but the Super Tucano was quite well-suited for the Afghan theatre, even with portable SAMs around.

 

[TheRejectionist]

Yeah, the US bought them and transferred them to the Afghans. As for MANPADS, they were a risk, but the Super Tucano was quite well-suited for the Afghan theatre, even with portable SAMs around.

Considering that the Taliban are still using them, you seem to be correct. Now will that be enough for them to repel the Pakistani AF? Who knows.

 

[PsihoKekec]

I know the theocratic loons still had the Stinger rocket launchers the CIA sent them during the anti-Soviet fighters

Those missiles were rendered useless by 2001 (ANAF got Tucanos decade and half later). Manpad seeker heads need careful storage with controlled temperature and humidity along with regular maintenance, something that Talibans were unable to provide, even with Pakistani help, so apart from few fruitless SA-7 launches, all combat losses of helicopters in Afghanistan were to machineguns and RPGs except in one case when helicopter was downed in 2011 by a Stinger that was supposed to be delivered to rebels in Libya (weirdly all articles regarding the story have been scrubbed off the internet couple of years ago).