Will the $ 55B Invested in Afghan Forces Pay Off?

The U.S. HAS Spent $ 55 one billion to recruit, train and equip Afghan security forces. And as the U.S. and NATO transition from leading the fight against the Taliban to pushing the Afghans into the lead, the world will see what the U.S. got for its money.

One of the MOST Closely Watched Initiatives Undertaken by the 195.000-strong Afghan National Army (ANA) is icts nascent quick-reaction capability, Which HAS Already tens of cost millions of dollars to field more than 300 640 vehicles of a Planned. The strength will grow to a strength of seven kandaks - each about the size of a battalion - two of Which will be special operations forces.

The Plan is for the kandaks to be able of driving to the fight in the ANA's fastest, most is advanced and well-protected vehicle: the mine-resistant mobile strike force vehicle, a derivative of Textron Marine and Land Systems' M1117 armored security vehicle, used by U.S., Canadian and other forces, around the world.

The power elite will be ble to crises sponds to Quickly and with mass and firepower, giving a new set of Kabul options When faced with a variety of fast-moving and unpredictable terrorism threats.

Increase the area to cover They Can, five kandaks are slated to Remain in the Kabul area, while two more will go to Kandahar in the south oz Their training is complete, officials Involved with the program said. Two units Have already gone through training, one is stationed in Darulaman outside Kabul, and the other is Deployed to Kandahar.

Brian Feser, Textron's director of operations Afghanistan, Said he Expects all of the vehicles to be fielded by September 2014.

DESPITE a recent Special Inspector General for Afghan Reconstruction (SIGAR) report found That That only 60 to 80 percent of Afghan soldiers are present for duty at Any Time or injury due to desertion, October and year Pentagon report That Placed Between the desertion numbers at 2.400 and 5.500 soldiers a month, Feser Said attrition "Has not beens a problem for us."

He Said the kandaks "are doing phenomenally well" in training and Have Been Conducting a train-the-trainer program to allow the Afghans to Train Their Eventually recruits.

Key to the quick-reaction forces's success, Feser Said, is the fait que "they're specially selected.

"The staffs are selected Kandak by the chief of the staff" of the Afghan Army sergeant down to level, Feser said. The soldiers are veterans Who Have already gone through training and deployment.

Aside from the quick-reaction capability ambitious, Lt. Col. Michael Parry, head of the U.S. Army's foreign military sales office in Kabul, Said MOST of the Afghans' critical equipment HAS Already Delivered beens.

The issue is now training the Afghans in the difficulties of logistics and sustainment tasks so They Can keep Their Humvees, Ford Ranger, Mi-17 helicopters transporting and Mi-35 attack helicopters working oz NATO Forces leave.

Parry is "looking to get it 'right Afghan," Said he, as Opposed to setting up a system the Americans are comfortable with. "The Afghans do not Have a technical base here, and we're trying to build and get Them That They Can That equipment sustain over the long haul."

With corruption, waste and poor bookkeeping Remaining Major problems in contracting in Afghanistan, Parry Said he is impressed by the initiative Afghan Defense Minister Bismillah Khan Mohammadi Showed in December When he ordered his staff to come up with a two-month course to teach procurement, logistics and financial issues. The Afghans Invited Their top 250 of logistics officers to Kabul for the race.

"We heard about it and how we Asked Could help, we found out very purpose Quickly That They HAD races ready to go," Parry said. "I was very Encouraged to see how adamant people are about 250 thesis what they're trying to do."

The Afghans are aussi Their Own Beginning to write memos foreign military sales of request, as Opposed to Having the Americans do it for 'em.

"They have the organic capability service, and now they're ordering parts for the next year," Parry said.

While Parry is optimistic, there are still major issues to contend with. One of the sore spots in the efforts to equip the Afghan forces, has-been the $ 600 million contract with Finmeccanica filiale Alenia Aermacchi for 20 C-27A Transport plane. The U.S. Air Force in December Announced That It is walking away from the aircraft.

While the U.S. Air Force cited poor performance and high maintenance as the reason Costs for the cancellation and Supplying HAS COMMITTED to the Afghan Air Force with four C-130H Transport planes in 2013 and 2014, it Has No Plans for the 20 aircraft It Has Already Purchased.

Alenia HAS not commented Officially, sources close to the goal firm Alenia That Have argued shoulds not shoulder all the blame, pointing to Difficulties in training Afghans and Adding que la USAF did not order enough spare parts.

Purpose equipment can only do so much. While the independence of the Afghan and efficacité Army Appears to be Increasing, this spring and summer will be a huge test of icts capabilities, and Its Ability to operate indépendamment.

Australian Army Brig. Gen. Mark Smethurst, International Security Assistance Force Special Operations Forces commanding general from 2011-2012, Told a special operations conference in Washington on January 29 That Afghan-led ops HAD Increased to 86 percent from about 20 percent just one year before.

Still, selon the Pentagon, of the 292 ANA units rated for efficacité and readiness in October, 168 Were Highest rated at the two levels, either "with independent advisers" or "effective with advisers." Eighty-one units Were Not Assessed.