DIH YAK, AFGHANISTAN – A U.S Air Force Northrop Grumman E-11A Sentinel jet has crashed in Afghanistan today, killing all 5 people on board. The aircraft crashed in the Dih Yak District of the Ghazni Province in Afghanisten on January 27. According to the Taliban, they shot down the aircraft, but this was contradicted immediately by the USAF.
According to earlier reports today, a Boeing 737-400 from Ariana Afghan Airlines would have crashed in the Taliban-controlled province of Ghazni. Shortly after the news reports the airline said there wasn’t any incident related to any of its passenger aircaft.
Flightradar24 data also showed that the only 2 Ariana passenger aircraft flying today have landed safely.
This confirmed earlier rumors today that an American military aircraft was involved in the crash.
A USAF spokesperson contradicted the Taliban’s claims that the aircraft had been shot down by enemy fire. “There are no indications for that yet,” the spokesperson told U.S. media.
On social media, photos and videos are shared of the crashed jet:
The cause of the crash remains unknown. The USAF has launched an investigation into the crash.
Communication aircraft
The USAF has 4 Northrop Grumman E-11A Sentinel aircraft, operating for the 430th Expeditionary Electronic Combat Squadron (EECS), assigned to the 451st Expeditionary Operations Group and stationed at Kandahar Air Base.
The E-11s are used as a “Battlefield Airborne Communications Node”(BACN) and its primary mission is to provide real-time tactical data across the battle space for airborne and surface operators. Surface operators can communicate fast via these aircraft.
The E-11A Sentinel is based on the Bombardier Global 6000 / BD700.
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