Abandoned Soviet Military Hardware

[cmac2012]

http://totallycoolpix.com/2010/10/abandoned-soviet-military-hardware/

Some wild pictures of a bunch of mothballed jet trainers and helicopters. I wonder what those helis would have been worth if maintained?

[layback40]

you would think that the trucks could be used & much of the air craft could be sold for scrap.

[cmac2012]

Russians are a puzzle. They and their nation are arguably the only peer, or anything close, that our nation has had since the end of WW2. Culturally, we're not that far apart - ballet, literature, Olympics competition. Some ancestral common ground as well with the Nordic component (probably much larger than any of the other shared ancestries). I don't mention that from any sort of Aryan pride, just that it's a different dynamic than with say, Iran where there is very little common ancestry unless you go back 50,000 years.

Some Russian hardware is rough but some is very effective. The AK47 is far better than our weapons, best I can gather, at least for the purpose of dependable function. We used (still maybe, I forget?) their lift rockets to get into space. Crude but effective. Probably uses less energy than the shuttle, not sure though.

Having said that, they can be pretty thick headed. Some kid was recently beaten by police so bad his genitals had to be amputated. I read of the same thing in a Russian military hazing incident.

And all that usable hardware sitting in a field for years. Those helicopters look like death traps at this point, but what do I know? Spare parts?

[strelnik]

Originally Posted by cmac2012

Russians are a puzzle. They and their nation are arguably the only peer, or anything close, that our nation has had since the end of WW2. Culturally, we're not that far apart - ballet, literature, Olympics competition. Some ancestral common ground as well with the Nordic component (probably much larger than any of the other shared ancestries). I don't mention that from any sort of Aryan pride, just that it's a different dynamic than with say, Iran where there is very little common ancestry unless you go back 50,000 years.

Some Russian hardware is rough but some is very effective. The AK47 is far better than our weapons, best I can gather, at least for the purpose of dependable function. We used (still maybe, I forget?) their lift rockets to get into space now. Crude but effective. Probably uses less energy than the shuttle, not sure though.

Having said that, they can be pretty thick headed. Some kid was recently beaten by police so bad his genitals had to be amputated. I read of the same thing in a Russian military hazing incident.

And all that usable hardware sitting in a field for years. Those helicopters look like death traps at this point, but what do I know? Spare parts?

Imagine an economy our size in the 1980s going full blast building 90% military hardware, then stopping. That's the Russian inventory.

Plus when they demobilize one of their combined arms army-- the size of a four-star army in the US-- they mothball most equipment but don't have the storage facilities to hold them.

However, I agree with you, the GaZ trucks would last, they are bullet proof.

I'd love one, they never die. Especially the diesels.

[Fulcrum525]

Those aircraft and helicopters are both very very old so they wouldn't be worth much even restored. There are plenty of newer more effective air and rotor craft mothballed in Russia to choose from.
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showthread.php?t=285223

Besides, the Americans can beat this...

[WVOtoGO]

Originally Posted by strelnik

Imagine an economy our size in the 1980s going full blast building 90% military hardware, then stopping. That's the Russian inventory.

Plus when they demobilize one of their combined arms army-- the size of a four-star army in the US-- they mothball most equipment but don't have the storage facilities to hold them.

However, I agree with you, the GaZ trucks would last, they are bullet proof.

I'd love one, they never die. Especially the diesels.

X2 on everything you said.

Add -
Those helicopters (and jet trainers for that matter) would never be worth anywhere near the cost of maintaining them.

So what would it take to get those trucks over here for our civilian market?
I know the physical mechanics of it. But is there an EPA issue, or no import agreement issue here? They look like something we would love to have some fun with, like Penz and Emogs. I know I’d be interested.

[WVOtoGO]

Originally Posted by cmac2012

http://totallycoolpix.com/2010/10/abandoned-soviet-military-hardware/

Some wild pictures of a bunch of mothballed jet trainers and helicopters. I wonder what those helis would have been worth if maintained?

Awesome.
Thanks for the pics!!

I'd love to walk through there and hear all the silent stories they would tell.

[Pooka]

Just going from memory here, but...

I recall that an arms reduction treaty was signed by, I think, Reagan that was very specific in what it covered. There was no lee-way given to either side on what had to be destroyed.

Destroyed is the word here. The 'weapon', and those trucks were considered weapons, had to be destroyed. Taken out of service was considered to be destroyed since neither side wanted to spend the money it would take to really 'destroy' what had to go.

At the time is was somewhat lamented, but the only solution was to go back and redo the treaty and neither side wanted to do this. So... Some machines were destroyed that could have been put to other uses.

I got involved in this when I was looking to buy some Russian rocket launch trucks to convert to oil-field equipment. Super cheap, crew cabs, eight wheel drive.... Real swamp buggies.

Sorry, they had to be 'destroyed'.

[cmac2012]

Originally Posted by WVOtoGO

X2 on everything you said.

Add -
Those helicopters (and jet trainers for that matter) would never be worth anywhere near the cost of maintaining them.

So what would it take to get those trucks over here for our civilian market?
I know the physical mechanics of it. But is there an EPA issue, or no import agreement issue here? They look like something we would love to have some fun with, like Penz and Emogs. I know I’d be interested.

One of the posted comments was something like: aluminum cans and engine parts. But the trucks do look interesting, although parts would be a royal *****. Would need to machine many things.

I finally got around to watching "Lord of War" the other day. Good flick. I imagine he would have sold these if he could have found a buyer. Not surprising he didn't. An African warlord has guys who can operate an AK47 but not many who can maintain helicopters, not to mention access to spare parts.

I just Googled "Viktor Bout," the guy the movie was loosely based on. Cage played him as a semi babe magnet, I don't think the real Bout was in that category but who knows, plenty of women are suckers for money/power.

[TheDon]

Whitewalls on a military truck.. Awesome

[WVOtoGO]

Originally Posted by TheDon

Whitewalls on a military truck.. Awesome

Yep - Pretty weird.

Not the norm.
Painted on for parades.

[tonkovich]

Originally Posted by cmac2012

One of the posted comments was something like: aluminum cans and engine parts. But the trucks do look interesting, although parts would be a royal *****. Would need to machine many things.

I finally got around to watching "Lord of War" the other day. Good flick. I imagine he would have sold these if he could have found a buyer. Not surprising he didn't. An African warlord has guys who can operate an AK47 but not many who can maintain helicopters, not to mention access to spare parts.

I just Googled "Viktor Bout," the guy the movie was loosely based on. Cage played him as a semi babe magnet, I don't think the real Bout was in that category but who knows, plenty of women are suckers for money/power.

viktor bout is still in a thai jail awaiting extradition to the u.s. he's kind of a patsy, i think, as he's (allegedly) moved weapons for everyone, from so called legitimate governments to "rebels" and "terrorists". kind of interesting that the world's largest arms dealer (the united states) wants to put him on trial for.... selling arms. (by the way, the u.s. is about to sell $60 billion worth of arms, planes etc. to saudi arabia - presumably for defense against iraq?)

[Ara T.]

Ask truckin_nik he knows all about it.

[Fulcrum525]

Originally Posted by tonkovich

viktor bout is still in a thai jail awaiting extradition to the u.s. he's kind of a patsy, i think, as he's (allegedly) moved weapons for everyone, from so called legitimate governments to "rebels" and "terrorists". kind of interesting that the world's largest arms dealer (the united states) wants to put him on trial for.... selling arms. (by the way, the u.s. is about to sell $60 billion worth of arms, planes etc. to saudi arabia - presumably for defense against iraq?)

And as of yesterday....
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101004/ap_on_re_as/as_thailand_us_arms_suspect

And the summarized somewhat humorous version of Viktor Bout
http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/thu-september-13-2007/douglas-farah

[Hatterasguy]

As they said in Lord of War, the government will use him until they don't need them anymore.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GfU9_rS64kc&feature=related

Cool job, wish I could figure out how to do it.