AN AFGHAN military commander wants Australia to pull out its troops but leave behind millions of dollars worth of equipment for his soldiers to use.

Brigadier General Mohammed Zafar Khan praised the Australians mentoring his soldiers, but said the Afghan National Army would be able to provide security in Oruzgan province if it was given equipment for night vision, artillery, the capability to address improvised explosive devices and access to medical evacuation helicopters.

"Three years is too much time for the Australians to stay here," General Zafar told Fairfax Media at his Tarin Kowt headquarters.

"The only thing we are short of is some of the modern equipment, mine detectors, night vision, and if we had these things, like medical evacuation choppers to go and pick people up from the battlefield, we are ready at this moment to take over the security of Oruzgan.

"If we receive this equipment, as we request from the Australian government several times, we would say to Australian forces in Oruzgan province: 'we don't need you guys to stay here with us.'"

But Australian commander Lieutenant Colonel Chris Smith says the Afghans need to be convinced they can take on the Taliban without the sophisticated equipment the Australians use.