At 10.58 am on April 9, two Tornados of the Mazar-e-Sharif operational wing took off for their first familiarization flight in a fresh gale under a clear sky at a temperature of 40 °C.
Thus, the transfer of authority (TOA), i. e. the assignment to NATO, was completed as planned. Additional familiarization flights are scheduled until mid-April to establish full operational capability (FOC) for NATO. Afterwards, the reconnaissance flights and the air photograph interpretation under ISAF (International Security Assistance Force) HQ authority can start. They will help to get a clear picture of the situation, thus improving protection both of the ISAF soldiers and the civilian population.
