The United States has provided $83 billion in training and equipment to Afghan security forces since 2001. This year alone, US military aid to Afghan forces is worth $3 billion.
Putting a price tag on US military equipment in Afghanistan is no easy task. In the fog of war – or retreat – Afghanistan is always a black box with little sunshine.
Failing to contribute to transparency, the Biden administration is now covering up major audits of Afghanistan’s military equipment. This week, our auditors at OpenTheBooks.com hid two major reports about the use of American war chests by the military in Afghanistan from federal websites.
#1. US Office of Government Responsibility (GAO) Audit Provides Military Equipment in Afghanistan (August 2017): Reposted Report (Dead Link: Report).
# 2. A $174 million audit on the missing Scan Eagle drone (July 2020) by the Special Inspector General for the Reconstruction of Afghanistan (SIGAR): Dead Link: Report.
US Taxpayers have paid for these audits and instruments provided by the United States and must comply with the payment.
After the release, a GAO spokesperson responded to our request, saying, “The State Department has requested that the report on Afghanistan be temporarily removed and reconsidered to protect the US recipients identified by our statements. “However, these statements only contain numbers and do not contain recipient information.
Also, if not specified, when estimating “cost of acquisition”, our source is the Department of Logistics (DLA) and their comprehensive military equipment database.
vehicles and aircraft
According to the Office of Government Liability Office, between 2003 and 2016, the United States purchased and supplied 75,898 vehicles and 208 aircraft to the Afghan military and security forces.
Here are the details of the estimated vehicle cost:
Armor personnel carriers such as the M113A2 cost $170,000 each, and the latest purchases of the M577A2 post carrier were $333,333 each.
My resistance vehicles range from $412,000 to $767,000. The total cost can range from $382 million to $711 million.
The base model of the super powered version of the rescue vehicles ‘Truck Raker’ will cost between $168,960 and $880,674.
Medium-sized tactical vehicles include 5-ton cargo and public transportation trucks priced at $67,139. However, each family of MTV heavy vehicles costs between $235,500 and $724,820. Cargo trucks cost $800,865 to deliver flights.
Humvees – Ambulance types (from $37,943 to $142,918 and over $96,466); Listing price of $104,682. Utility hummies typically cost $91,429. However, 12,000 ed. Transport troops cost up to $329,000.
Light Tactical Vehicles: Fast Attack Combat Vehicles ($69,400); and motor vehicles ($65,500). All-wheel drive vehicles total $42,273 in the military database.
The Taliban seized a Black Hawk helicopter and an A-29 Super Dugano attack aircraft earlier this month. Last month, Reuters reported that Afghanistan’s Defense Ministry had posted photos of seven new helicopters from the United States to social media.
The Black Hawk helicopter costs up to $21 million. In 2013, the United States ordered 20 A-29 Super Dugano attack aircraft worth $427 million – $21.3 million per aircraft. Other special helicopters cost up to $37 million each.
The Afghan Air Force in March 2018 contracted the C-208 attack aircraft: seven aircraft for $84.6 million, or $12.1 million. The aircraft are highly sophisticated and carry Hellfire missiles, anti-tank missiles and other weapons.
The PC-12 intelligence, spy and surveillance aircraft use the latest technology. It is surprising that these plans are coming under the control of Taliban. Civilian models sell for about $5 million each new, and military aircraft can sell for many times that price.
Major fixed-aircraft in the DLA database range from $3.1 million to $22 million.
Helicopter prices also vary based on technology, purpose, and equipment. For example, general-purpose helicopters cost between $92,000 and $922,000, according to the DLA. Surveillance helicopters cost up to $92,000 and utility helicopters up to $922,000.
The Taliban may not be able to fulfill our dreams, but the parts are very important. For example, the acquisition price of a control stick for some military aircraft alone is $17,808 and a fuel tank sells for up to $35,000.
drones gone
In 2017, the US military lost $174 million on drones as part of an effort to help the Afghan National Army (ANA) defend itself. But the ANA did not immediately use drones and then did not monitor them.
This week, the SIGAR audit for drone damages worth $174 million disappeared from its website.
Weapons, communication equipment and night vision Google
The GAO report states that since 2003 the United States has provided Afghan forces with at least 600,000 infantry weapons, including M16 rifles, 162,000 communications equipment, and 16,000 night vision goggles.
The howitzer is a state-of-the-art gun for the US military and costs up to $500,000 per unit; Most, however, are in the $200,000 price range. On the high end, the Baked Tiles have GPS guidance.
According to the DLA, the regular price for the M16 rifle is $749. Adding a grenade launcher could raise the price of the M16 to $12,032. The unit price of M4 Carbine rifles is as high as $1,278.
Night-vision sniper rifles can run for just $35,000, however, most vary from $5,000 to $10,000.
Here are the prices for other types of weapons supplied to the Afghan forces:
The machine gun i.e. the M240 model costs between $6,600 and $9,000.
Grenade launchers cost between $1,000 and $5,000 each; However, by 2020 Labor will be sold for $15,000 to $53.
According to the DLA, military guns worth $150 each were confiscated.
army pistol
