Airspace of Afghanistan

CZIB-2017-08R4
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Status: 
Active
Issued date: 
01/10/2019
Revision: 

This CZIB is revised to extend the validity period of CZIB-2017-08R3, and to amend reference publications.

 

Referenced publication(s):

  • United Kingdom AIP ENR 1.1 issued 31 January 2019 (see Appendix 1).
  • United States Federal Aviation Administration KICZ A0027/18 issued 23 December 2017 and FAA Background Information issued 23 December 2018 (see Appendix 2).
  • AIC France Circular 03/19 issued 24 January 2019 (see Appendix 3).
  • Germany NOTAM B0588/19 issued 04 July 2019 (see Appendix 4).
Affected Airspace: 

Afghanistan airspace, Kabul Flight Information Region (FIR OAKX).

Affected Countries: 
Applicability: 
Applies to operators
Description: 
The Agency draws the attention of the aviation community to the above referenced information, copies of which are attached to this CZIB.
Recommendation(s): 

Operators should take this information and any other relevant information into account in their own risk assessments, alongside any available guidance or directions from their national authority as appropriate. Latest operational information on ‘Closures and warnings’ issued by means of ICAO State Letters, NOTAMs, AICs/AIPs, EASA CZIB may be found in the Network Manager NOP Portal (password protected version).

Valid until: 
30/03/2020

Appendix 1

Source: United Kingdom AIP ENR 1.1 
United Kingdom Aeronautical Information Service 

Hazardous Situation in Afghanistan Potential risk to aviation overflying Kabul FIR at less than 25,000 ft above ground level (agl) from dedicated anti-aviation weaponry.

Operators are advised to take this potential risk into account in their risk assessments and routing decisions.

Contact UK Department for Transport +44 (0)207-944 4426or +44 (0)207-944 5999 out of hours.

Appendix 2

Source: United States Federal Aviation Administration KICZ A0027/18

KICZ A0027/18
SECURITY..UNITED STATES OF AMERICA ADVISORY FOR THE KABUL FLIGHT INFORMATION REGION (OAKX).

THOSE PERSONS DESCRIBED IN PARAGRAPH A BELOW ARE ADVISED TO EXERCISE EXTREME CAUTION WHEN FLYING INTO, OUT OF, WITHIN, OR OVER THE KABUL FLIGHT INFORMATION REGION (FIR) (OAKX) AND OPERATE ONLY ON ESTABLISHED AIR ROUTES AND AT ALTITUDES AT OR ABOVE FL330 TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT POSSIBLE. HIGH ELEVATION TERRAIN IN PARTS OF AFGHANISTAN MAY CREATE THE POTENTIAL FOR SOME OF THE THREATS DESCRIBED IN PARAGRAPH C TO BE ENCOUNTERED AT OR ABOVE FL330 IN THOSE AREAS. SUCH PERSONS SHOULD ALSO MINIMIZE GROUND TIME IN AFGHANISTAN TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT POSSIBLE.

A. APPLICABILITY. THIS NOTAM APPLIES TO: ALL U.S. AIR CARRIERS AND COMMERCIAL OPERATORS; ALL PERSONS EXERCISING THE PRIVILEGES OF AN AIRMAN CERTIFICATE ISSUED BY THE FAA, EXCEPT SUCH PERSONS OPERATING U.S.-REGISTERED AIRCRAFT FOR A FOREIGN AIR CARRIER; AND ALL OPERATORS OF AIRCRAFT REGISTERED IN THE UNITED STATES, EXCEPT WHERE THE OPERATOR OF SUCH AIRCRAFT IS A FOREIGN AIR CARRIER.

B. PLANNING. THOSE PERSONS DESCRIBED IN PARAGRAPH A PLANNING TO FLY INTO, OUT OF, WITHIN, OR OVER THE ABOVE-NAMED AREA MUST REVIEW CURRENT SECURITY/THREAT INFORMATION AND NOTAMS AND COMPLY WITH ALL APPLICABLE FAA REGULATIONS, OPERATIONS SPECIFICATIONS, MANAGEMENT SPECIFICATIONS, AND LETTERS OF AUTHORIZATION, INCLUDING UPDATING B450.

C. OPERATIONS. EXERCISE EXTREME CAUTION DURING FLIGHT OPERATIONS. DUE TO ONGOING MILITARY OPERATIONS AND EXTREMIST/MILITANT ACTIVITY, TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT POSSIBLE, OPERATE ONLY ON ESTABLISHED AIR ROUTES, AVOID OPERATING AT ALTITUDES BELOW FL330, AND MINIMIZE GROUND TIME IN AFGHANISTAN. THE DETERIORATING SECURITY SITUATION IN AFGHANISTAN PRESENTS A SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASED CONCERN FOR U.S. CIVIL AVIATION INTERESTS, PARTICULARLY FOR AIRCRAFT ON THE GROUND AND AIRCRAFT OPERATING AT LOW ALTITUDES, INCLUDING DURING THE
ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE PHASES OF FLIGHT. THERE IS A RISK OF ATTACKS AGAINST U.S. CIVIL AVIATION IN THE KABUL FIR (OAKX). AIRPORTS/AIRFIELDS IN AFGHANISTAN MAY BE TARGETS OF DIRECT ASSAULT AND/OR INDIRECT FIRE AND ARE SUSCEPTIBLE TO INSIDER THREATS. AIRCRAFT ON THE GROUND AT AIRPORTS/AIRFIELDS HAVE BEEN DAMAGED OR DESTROYED BY INDIRECT ROCKET OR MORTAR FIRE FROM EXTREMIST/MILITANT ATTACKS. AIRCRAFT ARE AT RISK OF ENCOUNTERING ANTI-AIRCRAFT FIRE AND SHOULDER-FIRED MAN-PORTABLE AIR DEFENSE SYSTEMS (MANPADS), PARTICULARLY AT LOWER ALTITUDES. THOSE PERSONS DESCRIBED IN PARAGRAPH A MUST REPORT SAFETY AND/OR SECURITY INCIDENTS TO THE FAA AT +1 202-267-3333 OR 1-844-412-1794.

THE JUSTIFICATION FOR THIS ADVISORY WILL BE RE-EVALUATED BY 24 DEC 2019. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION IS PROVIDED AT:

HTTPS://WWW.FAA.GOV/AIR_TRAFFIC/PUBLICATIONS/US_RESTRICTIONS

FAA Background Information Regarding U.S. Civil Aviation in the Kabul Flight
Information Region (OAKX)
The combination of ongoing military operations and extremist/militant activity has resulted in a
fragile security situation across Afghanistan. There is increasing risk to U.S. civil aviation
operating in the Kabul Flight Information Region (OAKX) at altitudes below Flight Level 330
(FL330), particularly for aircraft operating at low altitudes, including during the arrival and
departure phrases of flight. For this reason, on 23 Dec 2018, the FAA published Notice to
Airmen (NOTAM) KICZ A0027/18, which advised U.S. civil aviation to exercise extreme
caution during flight operations when operating into, out of, within, or over the Kabul FIR
(OAKX), and, to the maximum extent possible, operate only on established air routes, remain at
or above FL330, and minimize ground time in Afghanistan.
The primary risk to U.S. civil aviation comes from indirect fire targeting airports and from
surface-to-air fire targeting aircraft operating at low altitudes, including during the arrival and
departure phases of flight. Airports and airfields in Afghanistan have frequently been targeted
by direct assault and/or indirect fire and are also susceptible to insider threats. Flight operations
at airports have been disrupted, and aircraft have been damaged by, rocket or mortar fire attacks,
as demonstrated by a late-September 2017 high-profile indirect fire attack on Kabul International
Airport (OAKB) when multiple munitions impacted within the airport perimeter and disrupted
flight operations. Bagram Airfield was targeted by indirect fire in August 2018. The insider
threat risk remains a concern, as demonstrated by the September 2017 suicide bomber attack at
an entry control point at Bagram Airfield, and a November 2016 insider attack that killed four
people, also at Bagram.
While operating at low altitudes, including during the arrival and departure phases of flight,
aircraft are primarily at risk of encountering small-arms fire, rocket-propelled grenades, and antiaircraft
fire. U.S. and Afghan military aircraft operating at low altitudes have encountered a
multitude of anti-aircraft incidents. There is also a risk from shoulder-fired man-portable air
defense systems (MANPADS) when operating at altitudes below FL330, subject to the caveat
previous discussed regarding high elevation terrain. Although, to date, MANPADS have only
been fired at military aircraft, there is a potential that they may be used against civil aviation with
little or no warning. Some MANPADS are capable of reaching a maximum altitude of 25,000
feet above ground level.
The FAA is closely monitoring the security conditions in Afghanistan to determine whether
further action is necessary to minimize risk to U.S. civil aviation operations in the Kabul FIR
(OAKX).
Posted: 23 Dec 2018

Appendix 3

Source: AIC France Circular 03/19

From 17/01/2015 and until further notice, French carriers are requested to ensure that their aircraft maintain at all times a flight level equal to or above FL240 in the airspace of Afghanistan (OAKX FIR (KABUL)).

Appendix 4

Germany: B0588/19

B0588/19 (Issued for EDMM EDGG EDWW)
SECURITY AFGHANISTAN POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS SITUATION FIR KABUL (OAKX)

POTENTIAL RISK TO AVIATION WITHIN FIR KABUL (OAKX) BELOW FL330 INCLUDING LANDING, TAXIING, PARKING AND TAKE OFF AT ALL AIRPORTS FROM DEDICATED ANTI-AVIATION WEAPONRY AND FROM BEING SUBJECT TO COLLATERAL DAMAGE DUE TO ATTACKS ON NON-CIVILIAN TARGETS AT ALL AIRPORTS WITHIN FIR KABUL (OAKX). CIVIL GERMAN AIR OPERATORS ARE ADVISED TO TAKE POTENTIAL RISK INTO ACCOUNT IN THEIR RISK ASSESSMENTS AND ROUTING DECISIONS.

EMERGENCY SITUATION: IN AN EMERGENCY THAT REQUIRES IMMEDIATE DECISION AND ACTION FOR THE SAFETY OF THE FLIGHT, THE PILOT IN COMMAND MAY DEVIATE FROM THIS NOTAM TO THE EXTENT REQUIRED BY THAT EMERGENCY.

04 JUL 15:31 2019 UNTIL 03 OCT 23:59 2019. CREATED: 04 JUL 15:31 2019

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