Afghan Rebels Down an Aircraft Every Day, U.S. Reports

Soviet and Afghan government forces in the Afghan war have been losing aircraft at the rate of one a day over the last three months, a senior State Department official said Tuesday.

“That represents an unprecedented rate of aircraft losses, a significant increase over any comparable period in the history of the war,” Robert Peck, deputy assistant secretary of state for Near Eastern and South Asian affairs, said.

At a news conference marking the seventh anniversary this month of Soviet military intervention in Afghanistan, Peck refused to say whether the increased aircraft losses were related to use by the Afghan rebels of U.S. Stinger anti-aircraft missiles.

Press reports have said that the shoulder-fired weapons have been supplied to the resistance forces.

“Obviously the resistance capabilities have increased,” Peck said.

Causes Change in Tactics

Peck said that Communist losses of more than 1,000 aircraft--both helicopters and fixed wing--in seven years of war have forced Soviet and Afghan pilots to change their tactics. They are now flying higher, releasing their munitions less effectively and apparently avoiding certain areas.