As the war in Afghanistan winds down, commanders face the question of what to do with all that equipment. It costs too much to bring it home where it is not needed so, as Richard Sisk at DoD Buzz reports:
The U.S. has been looking to sell about 4,000 vehicles that the services have said are “in excess” of their needs — MRAPs, Humvees, medium trucks and others – to friendly countries but so far there have been few takers, said Marine Gen. Joseph Dunford, commander of the coalition and U.S. Forces-Afghanistan.
One option that looks increasingly likely and unavoidable is the destruction of all this rolling stock. (At the cost of about $10,000 per vehicle.) This seems especially wasteful in the case of the MRAPs:
… (Mine Resistant/Ambush Protected) vehicles, which originally cost about $1 million apiece. If any friendly countries want to buy them, it’s an “as is-where is” deal, Dunford said. By that he meant the buyer would have to pick up the vehicles from Afghanistan, Dunford said.
One wonders … has anyone mentioned this opportunity to the Ukranians?
Perhaps we could help with the financing.