What happened to US military equipment left behind in Afghanistan?
The U.S. military likely abandoned tens of millions of dollars’ worth of aircraft, armored vehicles and sophisticated defensive systems in the rush to leave the airport in Kabul safely.
Marine Gen. Kenneth McKenzie, head of U.S. Central Command, said some of the equipment had been “demilitarized,” essentially rendered inoperable. Troops probably used thermate grenades, which burn at temperatures of 4,000 degrees, to destroy key components of the equipment, according to a defense department official who was not authorized to speak publicly.
Some pieces of equipment probably were blown up. Another defense official, also not authorized to speak publicly, acknowledged that a blast heard last week at the airport was related to destroying equipment.
McKenzie rattled off a list of the items Monday during the announcement of the end of the 20-year involvement in Afghanistan, America’s longest war:
MRAPs
As many as 70 MRAPs, Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles built to withstand blasts from improvised explosive devices, were left behind. They have been credited by the Pentagon with saving the lives and limbs of thousands of troops. The vehicles cost about $1 million apiece.
Humvees
The military left behind 27 Humvees, light tactical vehicles that were replaced by MRAPs in Iraq and Afghanistan after they proved vulnerable to IED attacks. A Humvee’s price tag was less than one-third of an MRAP.
Aircraft
On the airstrip, the military left 73 aircraft. McKenzie didn’t specify what kinds of aircraft, whether helicopter or fixed-wing.
“Those aircraft will never fly again,” he said. Pentagon officials acknowledged, and photos showed, that the soldiers operated Apache attack helicopters at the airport. A new one costs more than $30 million.
Afghan pilots flew some of the advanced aircraft to foreign countries. Much of the rest was abandoned.
Counter-rocket, artillery and mortar systems
McKenzie didn’t specify how many such units, which at $10 million apiece detect and shoot down incoming rockets and artillery and mortar rounds, were left behind. But he did say they were kept until the end to ensure that the Kabul airfield was defended from rocket attacks such as the one launched Monday.
"Certainly, our objective was not to leave them with any equipment, but that is not always an option when you are looking to retrograde and move out of a war zone,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki said.
McKenzie stressed that the equipment would be of no use in combat. But it will likely be displayed by the Taliban as trophies of their decadeslong fight to retake their country.
The systems and material will have little more than symbolic value, said Loren Thompson, a defense industry consultant and military analyst at the Lexington Institute.
"The helicopters are the most expensive item, but the ability of the Taliban to operate and maintain them without outside help is modest," Thompson said. "The absence of U.S. logistical support will lead to a steady decay in the state of the residual Afghan military arsenal. Even small arms will gradually become unusable if not properly maintained. MRAPs are real gas-guzzlers, so their value in a country where fuel supplies are scarce and terrorist attacks have largely ceased is doubtful."
All told, the Pentagon left behind tens of billions of dollars' worth of equipment given to Afghan security forces. The U.S. government spent $83 billion to train and equip the Afghan army, according to the special inspector general for Afghanistan reconstruction. The Pentagon and White House had maintained that Afghan army ranks totaled 300,000 soldiers, but in reality there were far fewer. In the weeks and months before the Taliban takeover, facing the withdrawal of support from U.S. support, many Afghan troops stopped fighting for a corrupt, ineffective government.
Contributing: Rebecca Morin
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What military equipment did the US leave behind in Afghanistan?
