Taliban recovers Cheetal helicopters from India after Afghan government collapse

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Taliban recovers Cheetal helicopters from India after Afghan government collapse
Taliban recovers Cheetal helicopters from India after Afghan government collapse (X @ArianaNews_)

The Afghan Taliban has restored Cheetal helicopters, which were showcased during the parade celebrating the 106th anniversary of Afghanistan’s independence, alongside models such as the Mi-17, Mi-35, UH-60, and MD-530F.

India had transferred three of these aircraft to Afghanistan in 2014 as part of efforts to strengthen relations with the local government.

The Cheetal are upgraded versions of the HAL Cheetah helicopter, equipped with a 1,100 hp Turbomeca TM333-2M2 engine, offering higher power, a range of 640 km, and up to 4 hours of flight endurance. Despite engine improvements, the model retained the classic look of the 1960s SA-315 Alouette II. Initially, the helicopters arrived unarmed and were mainly used to support military operations in mountainous regions.

With the fall of the Afghan government in August 2021, the Taliban took control of much of the aviation equipment, including the Cheetal. While American forces tried to disable aircraft when leaving Kabul, Afghan technicians who joined the Taliban managed to restore the helicopters, allowing them to be operated again and displayed publicly.

Source: Militarnyi | Photo: X @ArianaNews_ | This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team

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