Two CH-146 Griffon helicopters from the Task Force Kandahar Air Wing escort a CH-147D Chinook to deliver supplies to a forward installation in the Horn of Panjwa'i (HoP) region in Afghanistan.Cpl J-F Carpentier Image Tech, Roto 10, Task Force Kandahar
One of the Canadian air force's most significant front-line combat units folded its tent today in Kandahar and is ready to come home.
The air wing in Afghanistan, which continued to operate following last month's departure of battle group soldiers, was formally consigned to the history books.
Some elements of the group, mostly C-130J Hercules transport planes, will continue to ferry equipment out of the war zone, but the country's attack helicopters, transport choppers and unmanned surveillance drones have ceased operations.
Col. Al Meinzinger, the wing commander, says the addition of the CH-147D Chinook helicopters to the Kandahar mission in late 2008 saved countless lives by getting soldiers off the bomb-strewn roads.
The choppers were one of the conditions of the Manley report, which set the conditions for Canada to remain involved in Afghanistan until 2011.
Griffon helicopters were also a late edition, retrofitted with weapons that Mr. Meinzinger says proved a powerful deterrent against Taliban insurgents.