22 August, late in the evening the first Air Force Advisory Team returned from Afghanistan by military aircraft "Spartan C27J" which landed in Lithuanian Air Force Air Base in Šiauliai.
Seven Lithuanian Air Force and two Latvian soldiers served in the first rotation of the Air Force Advisory Team (OPPG-1).OPPG-1 soldiers trained Afghanistan National Army soldiers to conduct squadron level air operations by helicopters. OPPG-1 rotation was changed by OPPG-2.
Lithuanian - led Air Force Advisory Team's soldiers are deployed in Kandahar airport, in southern Afghanistan, where, in coordination with U.S. troops they train Afghan helicopter pilots and maintenance personnel. This group also trains how to plan air operations, organize aircraft maintenance and repair work.
While implementing the new NATO-led International Security Assistance Force's (ISAF) in Afghanistan strategy, more and more attention is given to the Afghan National Security Forces Training. Besides OPPG, which started operating in February this year, since November last year Lithuanian-led international Police Operational Mentor and Liaison Team, which assist in training of Ghor police officers, operates in Afghanistan Ghor province. Soldiers of Lithuanian Special Operations Squadron operating in the south of Afghanistan also contribute to the training of Afghan police combat company
