Capt. Adam Solomon, an airfield operations flight commander, discusses the Kabul airlift, including challenges in coordinating flight operations, logistical hurdles, and the tragic killing of 13 Marines. The conversation also explores the chaotic conditions, shared use of Kabul International Airport, establishing security, Taliban's role, and shots fired at C-17s.
Implementing an air flow plan and a Google Doc system improved coordination and efficiency of the Kabul airlift.
Engaging with the Taliban and extending airspace control were necessary measures to ensure the safety of the evacuation from Afghanistan.
Deep dives
Key Point 1: Consolidation of operations and improved coordination
The podcast episode features an interview with Adam A.I. Sullivan, an airfield operations flight commander who was involved in overseeing the withdrawal from Kabul, Afghanistan. Sullivan explains that before his involvement, the evacuation efforts were decentralized and lacked efficiency. His role was to bring cohesion to the process and streamline operations. By proposing an air flow plan and implementing a Google Doc system to coordinate arrivals, departures, parking, and the number of refugees per aircraft, Sullivan and his team were able to improve coordination and make the evacuation more efficient.
Key Point 2: Security concerns and chaotic circumstances
Throughout the interview, Sullivan emphasizes the tense and chaotic environment during the evacuation. He recounts the constant sound of gunfire and the overall feeling of tension that grew as the deadline for evacuation approached. Sullivan acknowledges that security was a major concern, with the Taliban controlling access to the airport from the south. He shares that the Marines and Army personnel handled security and perimeter control, ensuring the safety of both incoming aircraft and refugees. Despite the security challenges, the evacuation operations progressed, and aircraft were turned around efficiently with the help of the manifest system Sullivan implemented.
Key Point 3: Engagement with the Taliban and expanded airspace control
Surprisingly, Sullivan reveals that part of his job was to engage with the Taliban and offer guidance on managing the airfield once the coalition forces left Afghanistan. In addition to coordinating with NATO allies and non-NATO allies for flight approvals, Sullivan extended the airspace control of the US military from approximately five miles to 60-65 miles to enhance security measures. He mentions instances of C-17s being targeted by surface-to-air missiles, leading to the launching of flares for protection during takeoff. Despite these challenges and the dynamic with the Taliban, the evacuation continued with the aim of safely getting people out of Afghanistan.
On this special edition podcast, listeners will get to hear the first 20 minutes of Unspent Rounds, a members-only War on the Rocks podcast that features interesting conversations with interesting people. On this episode, Aaron Stein spoke with Capt. Adam "AI" Solomon, an airfield operations flight commander. Adam was in charge of airfield operations and oversaw almost all aspects of flight operations during the evacuation from Kabul. The conversation explored the withdrawal, how it all went down, how challenging it was to coordinate flight operations, how Adam dealt with logistical challenges when evacuating people from the country, and the tragic killing of 13 Marines guarding the airport.
To listen to the show in its entirety, and to other episodes of Unspent Rounds, sign up to become a War on the Rocks member.
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