Restored Soviet Helicopter Commemorates First CIA Operations in Post-9/11 Afghanistan

Twenty-five years after the September 11 attacks, a Soviet-era Mi-17 helicopter has undergone restoration at CIA headquarters in Langley, Virginia, to commemorate the agency’s initial covert operations in Afghanistan. The aircraft is now displayed outside the facility, serving as a tangible link to the opening phase of what would become the United States’ longest military conflict.

On September 26, 2001, just 15 days after the terrorist attacks, a seven-man CIA team designated JAWBREAKER was inserted into the Panjshir Valley aboard this helicopter. Carrying millions of dollars in cash to fund and arm local allies, the team aimed to gather intelligence and solidify ties with the Northern Alliance. This mission occurred against a backdrop of urgent crisis, as Northern Alliance military commander Ahmad Shah Massoud had been assassinated by al-Qaeda operatives only two days prior to the September 11 attacks.

The selection of the Mi-17 was a strategic decision based on its prevalence in the region. CIA historian Rob Byer noted that both the Northern Alliance and the Taliban utilized these Russian helicopters, describing them as the “pickup truck” of the area. Flying a Western Blackhawk would have drawn immediate attention, whereas the Mi-17 allowed operatives to blend in behind enemy lines. Additionally, the aircraft possessed the altitude performance necessary to traverse the Anjuman Pass, which sits at approximately 14,500 feet.

To avoid identification by American warplanes, the crew removed the transponder and painted “USA” and an American flag on the stabilizers. Due to a lack of blue paint, the flag was left incomplete, and the aircraft was given the call sign “9-11-01.” Former CIA officer David Tyson, who flew on the same model with Team Alpha weeks later, recalled the arduous conditions of the flight, noting significant shaking and fuel leaks despite the pilots’ assurances of the aircraft’s airworthiness.

Tyson was part of Team Alpha, the first Americans to enter Taliban-held territory during the invasion. Inserted on October 17, his unit operated alongside forces led by Uzbek commander Abdul Rashid Dostum. Tyson described the harsh realities of the campaign, including traveling on horseback for up to 14 hours a day through mountainous terrain with ill-equipped animals.

The mission turned deadly in late November at Qala-i-Jangi, a historic fortress near Mazar-e-Sharif where hundreds of surrendered foreign fighters were being held. On November 25, Tyson and fellow officer Johnny Micheal “Mike” Spann entered the facility to identify prisoners, which included American convert John Walker Lindh. The detainees launched a revolt, resulting in an exchange of gunfire and explosions. Spann, aged 32, became the first American combatant killed in action in Afghanistan. Tyson fought his way to safety using Spann’s rifle, which is now exhibited in the CIA Museum along with Tyson’s deployment boots.

Following its retirement from service in 2012, the Mi-17 was moved to CIA headquarters in 2018 but suffered deterioration from weather exposure. Over the past year, agents sealed leaks and repainted the fuselage to match its 2001 appearance, restoring the call sign “607” used by the Afghan pilot to signal friendly status to allied air support.

For Tyson, the restoration serves as a reminder of his fallen colleague. He continues to honor Spann’s legacy through Badger Six, a nonprofit established in 2022 after Spann’s call sign. The organization provides essential aid, including food, medicine, and resettlement assistance, to approximately 35 Afghan families who supported Team Alpha. Tyson emphasized that this humanitarian effort reflects a lasting obligation to those who fought alongside American forces, even after the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.