Initially, the Special Mission Wing (SMW), Afghanistan’s most elite helicopter unit tasked with the most dangerous missions, provided continuous combat air superiority to coalition assisted Afghan Special Security Forces (ASSF) with operational reach and manned intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities to support counter-terrorism and counter-narcotics missions. The SMW conducted day and night vision goggle (NVG) operations under the auspices of the Afghan Ministry of Interior (MOI) and Ministry of Defense (MOD).
The SMW was organized in 2005 as the MOI’s Air Interdiction Unit to support clandestine operations against terror and narcotics operations and was created from a former Ministry of Interior air unit that provided support to multi-agency and Afghan special units.
In the summer of 2012, the Afghan MOI stood up the Special Mission Wing with shared leadership of MOI and MOD mentored and assisted by US/UK Special Operations personnel with approximately two hundred aviators and maintainers. Renamed it the 777th Special Mission Wing and expanded operations in 2015 - 2016 under MoD as an independent Air Wing to include four squadrons: two in Kabul, one in Kandahar, and one in Mazar-e-Sharif.
The SMW was the only air intelligence capability in Afghanistan able to project Special Operations Forces (SOF) combat power in low visibility and provide ISR capability utilizing a fleet of PC-12NG single engine turboprop fixed-wing aircraft. The PC-12 aircrews received basic pilot training mostly from US D0D contractors followed by mission training from US Air Force Special Operations Air Advisors. The PC-12 aircraft provided real-time coverage of a potential target, guiding troops on the ground with an infrared laser known as sparkle – making the SMW one of the most advanced units in the region.
The backbone of the SMW fleet was Mi-17 helicopters, which provided infil/exfil, personnel transport, casualty evacuation (CASEVAC), and Quick Reaction Force (QRF). The three rotary wing squadrons operated Mi-17s and HH-60s. The Mi-17 and HH-60 aircrews received their training from contractors and the U.S. Army Special Operations Advisory Group (SOAG).
The crews flew missions 24/7 and were the only night vision asset capable of direct-action missions in support of coalition Special Forces and Afghan Special Mission units known as the triples. Their call sign, KING KONG brought fear to the enemy and a will to fight to the Afghan Special Forces on the ground. The SMW dismantled numerous terrorist and narcotics operations.
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