A most important part of ISAF's work in Kabul has been to help the Afghan Interim Authority restore Kabul International Airport to operations. A speedy return of functionality at the airport was vital not just to allow the delivery and support of ISAF's personnel and equipment, but also to open up the delivery of a huge tonnage of humanitarian aid from around the world, and the resumption of civil air traffic. Within a few days of the arrival at the airport of the first teams of experts from the Royal Air Force and Royal Engineers, they and local workmen managed sufficient repairs to the war-ravaged infrastructure to allow a basic level of operation.

Work has continued ceaselessly to increase and improve the airport's capabilities. Thousands of pilgrims were flown out to attend the Islamic Hajj in the spring, and the airport has been able to receive much vital aid, particularly in the aftermath of the earthquake at Nahrin in late March. Although ISAF personnel continue to assist the Afghan authorities in operating the airport, the international community has not neglected the need to help train local staff to take over the key functions. RAF experts have provide the Airport's fire-fighting and emergency team with their first proper training for 23 years, and the UK and United Arab Emirates have provided modern emergency vehicles to replace very elderly equipment.

Three RAF experts from 5131 Bomb Disposal Squadron, who flew out from RAF Brize Norton on 9 January to help make Kabul Airport safe to reopen	The state of the airport when the RAF and Royal Engineers began repair work (High resolution version)	The Air Traffic Control tower (High resolution version)
The operations room, on the first day the RAF team moved in (High resolution version)	Another badly damaged building (High resolution version)	Afghan workmen take a short break from the heavy labour of repairing the surfaces (High resolution version)
Afghan workmen repair the surfaces at Kabul International Airport, working alongside British Army and Royal Air Force experts	A British Explosive Ordnance Disposal expert makes a safety check on the cockpit of a derelict bomber at Kabul International Airport	An aircraft of Ariana, the Afghan airline makes the first civil flight from Kabul International Airport (High resolution version)
A French Armee de l'Air C-130 Hercules at Kabul International Airport (High resolution version)	A member of the Royal Air Force Regiment providing security at Kabul International Airport (High resolution version)	A Deployable Universal Combat Earth Mover (DEUCE) of the Royal Engineers clears aircraft wreckage at Kabul International Airport (High resolution version)
Warrant Officer Ross of 34 Airfield Support Squadron Royal Engineers directs the repair of a crater at KIA (High resolution version)	A mechanical digger gets to work on the crater. A Turkish Air Force transport can also be seen unloading (High resolution version)	One of the wrecked aircraft needing to be cleared from the airport (High resolution version)
An RAF expert from 5131 Bomb Disposal Squadron at work, clearing ordnance from the airport (High resolution version)	Bomb disposal operators prepare to conduct a safe explosion at the airport, against the backdrop of wrecked aircraft (High resolution version)	A Royal Engineer mechanical digger at work (High resolution version)
RAF Regiment gunners build a machine-gun post to protect the airport (High resolution version)	An RAF Regiment General Purpose Machine Gun team, on guard at the aiport (High resolution version)	The main terminal building, centre of continual deliveries of humanitarian aid, supplies and personnel (High resolution version)
Men of 34 Squadron RAF Regiment, normally based at RAF Leeming, a key part of the airport security force (High resolution version)	An Afghan carpenter at work repairing airport buildings (High resolution version)	An RAF Warrant Officer and his interpreter arrange for the supply of furnishings for the airport renovation work from a local Afghan supplier (High resolution version)
The operation room, restored to working order (High resolution version)	A huge Antonov transport was able to land for the first time on 23 January, whilst work continued to fill in craters (High resolution version)	As repairs progress, Afghan workmen are able to attend to more cosmetic improvements, repairing kerbs (High resolution version)
Sunset over Kabul International Airport (High resolution version)
A Kabul glazier unloads sheets of glass from his horse-drawn cart as the windows are repaired at the airport (High resolution version)	An RAF technician installs a temporary runway light (High resolution version)	An RAF Flight Sergeant Air Traffic Controller in the tower at Kabul (High resolution version)
Senior Aircraftswoman Philips at the wheel of her Atlas cargo transporter used to unload aircraft at Kabul (High resolution version)	The airport repairs allow Kabul to now receive even the largest tranports: an Antonov full of humanitarian aid supplies (High resolution version)	Captain Wharton of 34 RE Squadron supervises the final stages of filling-in a crater (High resolution version)
An RAF technican at work on the satellite communications equipment set up at the airport (High resolution version)	British and Norwegian air movements experts consult over the daily schedule of flights (High resolution version)	UK, Spanish and Norwegian personnel relax off duty at the airport (High resolution version)
A tractor hard at work to keep the runway clear even in a snowstorm (High resolution version)	A Union Jack, wedged amongst the sandbags of an RAF Regiment position, seen amidst the snow (High resolution version)	After a controlled explosion by bomb disposal experts amongst aircraft wreckage, RAF firefighters move in to ensure no fire is started (High resolution version)
Following the sad news of the death of HRH The Princess Margaret, the RAF standard at Kabul airport was lowered to half-mast as a mark of respect (High resolution version)	Afghan Hajj pilgrims aboard an RAF C-130 Hercules transport, en route to Saudi Arabia. The RAF has made available spare capacity on transport flights to help the devout Moslem pilgrims reach Mecca (High resolution version)	An RAF Load Master helps a Hajj pilgrim strap himself aboard a Hercules (High resolution version)
The Hajjis arrive at an airport in the Gulf, for onward transfer to Mecca	A Turkmen Ilyushin 76 transport taxies past RAF fire-fighting appliances (High resolution version)	A massive Antonov transport follows an RAF vehicle to its allocated parking space (High resolution version)
	A spectacular controlled explosion, as 5131 Bomb Disposal Squadron make safe a dangerous ejector seat mechanism on an old aircraft wreck (High resolution version)
Some unxploded ordnance is less easy to reach. A specialist drilling team from 33 Explosive Ordnance Disposal Regiment, Royal Engineers, positions their T30 drill, ready to drill down to an unexploded bomb buried deep beneath the concrete at Kabul airport	The location of the bomb was beneath the hardstanding used by Ariana airlines	A Royal Engineer keeps a close eye on the drill's progress as it descends towards the bomb. The bore hole is used to confirm the bomb's position - further excavation is then required to gain working access to the weapon to make it safe
The elderly emergency vehicles of the Kabul International Airport fire-fighting section (High resolution version)	A surplus RAF fire-engine is delivered to help modernise the Airport's emergency capabilities (High resolution version)	The Mark 10 fire-engine, recently replaced in Royal Air Force service, but still a very modern and capable appliance (High resolution version)
RAF firefighters demonstrate advanced rescue equipment to Afghan officers and officials (High resolution version)		The United Arab Emirates have also donated new equipment, including a water tender (High resolution version)
The RAF commander at Kabul airport (right) with his Turkish successor as they prepare for Turkey to take over as ISAF Lead Nation (High resolution version)		Thunder and lightning greets a Turkish Air Force transport as it delivers more Turkish troops to Kabul in preparation for the transfer of command

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