The U.S. government watchdog charged with overseeing aid to Afghanistan has recommended delaying the delivery of additional cargo aircraft to the nascent Afghan Air Force (AAF).
John Sopko, special inspector-general for Afghanistan reconstruction (SIGAR), said the AAF may not need all the C-130 airplanes to be provided by the U.S. military in a deal worth over $100 million.
The U.S. military has already delivered two C-130 cargo aircraft, with plans to deliver two more.
In a July 10 letter to Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel and other top U.S. military officials, Sopko questioned whether the AAF was making full use of the aircraft.
He said elimination of a single C-130 could save U.S. taxpayers up to $40.5 million.
SIGAR disclosed the contents of the letter on July 16.