{"id":63739,"date":"2017-08-02T20:07:17","date_gmt":"2017-08-02T20:07:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/uncategorized\/2017\/08\/02\/blackwater-founder-wants-to-run-the-afghan-air-war-with-his-private-air-force\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T12:20:16","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T12:20:16","slug":"blackwater-founder-wants-to-run-the-afghan-air-war-with-his-private-air-force","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/flashpoints\/2017\/08\/02\/blackwater-founder-wants-to-run-the-afghan-air-war-with-his-private-air-force\/","title":{"rendered":"Blackwater founder wants to boost the Afghan air war with his private air force"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

WASHINGTON \u2014 Erik Prince, the former CEO of the private military company known as Blackwater, wants to step up the Afghan air war with a private air force capable of intelligence collection and close-air support, according to a recent proposal submitted to the Afghan government.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to a senior Afghan military official, Prince has submitted a business proposal offering a \u201cturn-key composite air wing\u201d to help the fledgling Afghan air force in its fight against the Taliban and other militant groups.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The development comes as the White House is considering a plan to draw down<\/a> the U.S. involvement in Afghanistan and replace the ensuing power vacuum with contractors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pentagon officials are skeptical of that plan. Moreover, a senior Afghan defense official told Military Times that U.S. Army Gen. John Nicholson, the commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan, has refused to meet with Prince regarding the contractor plan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Military Times has reached out to U.S. military officials in Afghanistan for a comment on Nicholson\u2019s meeting or lack thereof with Prince and have yet to receive a reply.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The proposal submitted to the Afghan government in March boasts an impressive array of combat aircraft<\/a> for a private company. The aircraft offered in the proposal includes fixed-wing planes, attack helicopters and drones capable of providing close-air support to maneuvering ground forces, according to a copy of the proposal obtained by Military Times. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The proposal promises to provide \u201dhigh speed response\u201d close-air support and \u201dthe entire country can be responded to in under 1 hour.\u201d  The proposal states that weapons release decisions will still be made by Afghans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The air frames are also outfitted with equipment to provide intelligence collection that includes imagery intelligence, signals intelligence and communications intelligence. The aircraft would be operated by the private company\u2019s employees. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

One tool in particular is an iPhone application called Safe Strike. Safe Strike is a deconfliction tool for air tactical controllers to safely and accurately call in precision airstrikes or indirect fire, according to the proposal. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The proposal also promises to \u201dconduct medical evacuation in combat situations\u201d with \u201dex-military medics and door gunners,\u201d according to a copy of the proposal. 
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Blackwater CEO and founder Erik Prince listens during a panel discussion on protecting people and physical security hosted by North Carolina Technology Association in Cary, N.C., Thursday, June 7, 2007. (Sara D. Davis\/AP)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Afghan air force is in the first stages of transition from its old fleet of Russian Mi-17 transport helicopters to U.S. UH-60A model Black Hawks \u2014 a development Nicholson deemed as necessary to help break the stalemate in Afghanistan.
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, those helicopters won\u2019t be arriving in Afghanistan for almost two years, and training isn\u2019t expected to begin until later this fall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With battlefield casualties rising and the continued seesawing of territory between Afghan and Taliban control, Prince\u2019s proposal seeks to provide an interim private air force while the Afghan air force reaches full operational capability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, not everyone is on board with the plan. Ronald Neumann, the U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan from 2005 to 2007 and now president of the American Academy of Diplomacy, said Afghanistan won\u2019t accept a private contractor force.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cPresident Ghani has told me he won\u2019t accept it,\u201d Neumann told Military Times in an interview. \u201cAfghans will never accept this.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Neumann also questioned the legality and cost of using a private contracted force compared to using U.S. military assets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt cannot be cheaper,\u201d he said. \u201cThis idea that it is somehow cheaper is ridiculous. Any force is going to have the same [support and logistical] requirements.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Contracted forces would also not have the same legal protections under international law, Neumann said.<\/p>\n\n\n\t