US Buys 81 Soviet Era Combat Aircraft

[Dynoman]

US buys 81 combat aircraft including MiG-31, Su-27, and Su-24 aircraft. The Russians are concerned that they are destined for Ukraine.

US buys 81 Soviet-era combat aircraft from Russia's ally costing on average less than $20,000 each, report says

The US bought 81 Soviet-era combat aircraft from Kazakhstan, the Kyiv Post reported.

www.businessinsider.com

 

[Archibald]

Talk about a discount sale - from the land of Borat !

 

[AGS-1787]

it is safe to asume that the US has lots of intel on the su-30s by now right?

 

[Q-nimbus]

It’s to prevent the Russians from getting their hands on them, and perhaps the ever resourceful Ukrainians can build drones out of them.

 

[Dynoman]

I would imagine that they are likely to be used for spare parts for the Ukranian Air Force.

 

[F-2]

Anyone know what agency bought these? I’m gunna see if I can FOIA any of the documentation that came with them.

 

[quellish]

Anyone know what agency bought these? I’m gunna see if I can FOIA any of the documentation that came with them.

DIA

 

[Topi]

Anyone know what agency bought these? I’m gunna see if I can FOIA any of the documentation that came with them.

What else could it be than NAFO? On a serious note, I think that these will end up being used as spare part donors and airfield decoys in Ukraine.

 

[Foo Fighter]

When aircraft in that sort of conditiopn are an essential contribution, you know the situatyion is on the dire side of SNAFU. Peace out.

 

[TomS]

The chain of reporting here is sketchy at best -- a Russian source claiming that the US bought the airframes through "offshore" companies, which was then rereported as fact by a Ukrainian source and picked up globally. Meanwhile the Kazakh government says the auction was only open to domestic firms (presumably for scrapping).

And if we look at the original announcement, back in October, the terms were that the aircraft would be scrapped on the property of the owner. The pricing makes it clear we are talking about scrap metal values here.

В Казахстане выставили на торги советские истребители

Боевые самолёты должны быть утилизированы

forbes.kz

 

[Scott Kenny]

When aircraft in that sort of conditiopn are an essential contribution, you know the situatyion is on the dire side of SNAFU. Peace out.

Yall keep forgetting that SNAFU is "Situation Normal, All F*ed Up"
Then there's TARFU: "Things Are Really F*ed Up"
FUBAR: "F*ed Up Beyond All Recognition"
BOHICA: "Bend Over, Here It Comes Again!"

 

[publiusr]

Rats, I should have asked if they wanted fries with those..