CIA Restores Mi-17 Helicopter Used in Post-9/11 Afghanistan Operations
The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) has restored an Mi-17 helicopter that played a crucial role in the initial U.S. response to the September 11 attacks. This aircraft delivered the first group of CIA officers, code-named JAWBREAKER, to Afghanistan’s Panjshir Valley on September 26, 2001. The team arrived 15 days after the attacks, carrying significant funds to recruit and equip Afghan allies, gather intelligence, and prepare for the U.S. campaign against al-Qaeda and the Taliban. The Mi-17 was chosen for its Soviet origin, allowing it to blend in with local aircraft used by both the Northern Alliance and the Taliban. It lacked a transponder for identification by U.S. aircraft, so 'USA' markings and an unfinished American flag were painted on its stabilizers, visible only from the air. The helicopter, given the call sign '9-11-01', flew over 300 missions in Afghanistan before its service concluded in 2012. It is now displayed near CIA headquarters in Langley, Virginia, following a year-long restoration e...
