A Costly Abandonment: The Left-Behind Military Arsenal In Afghanistan

The US military left behind tens of millions of dollars' worth of military vehicles and other equipment in Afghanistan during its withdrawal in August 2021. This included approximately 40,000 military vehicles, such as Humvees, armoured vehicles, and helicopters. The total value of the equipment left behind is estimated to be around $7 billion, according to a Pentagon report. The US military disabled some of the equipment before leaving, but the Taliban has still gained access to a significant amount of functioning vehicles and weaponry.

The US abandoned military vehicles worth $7 billion

The US abandoned military vehicles and other equipment worth approximately $7 billion in Afghanistan following the withdrawal of US troops in August 2021. This figure was revealed in a report submitted by the US Department of Defense to Congress in April 2022.

From 2005 to 2021, the US provided a total of $18.6 billion in military equipment to the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF). This included a range of vehicles, aircraft, weapons, and other gear. Of this total, equipment worth $7.12 billion was left behind in Afghanistan after the US withdrawal.

The abandoned equipment included approximately 40,000 military vehicles, such as Humvees and Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles. In addition, 78 aircraft worth $923.3 million were left at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul and rendered inoperable before the US departure.

The US military has confirmed that it does not intend to return to Afghanistan to retrieve or destroy the abandoned equipment. This decision has been met with criticism and has refocused attention on the chaotic nature of the US withdrawal from the country.

The Taliban, the very group the US sought to drive out, now has access to the abandoned military equipment. While some of the equipment may require specialized maintenance, the Taliban has reportedly been able to operate and utilize some of the vehicles and weapons in parades and displays of power.

70 Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles were left

The US military left behind a significant amount of equipment in Afghanistan, including 70 Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles. MRAPs are highly effective in protecting soldiers from improvised explosive device (IED) attacks and ambushes. With a price tag of around $1 million per vehicle, the US military has spent a substantial amount on these vehicles, which are now in the hands of the Taliban.

MRAPs are designed with a V-shaped hull, which deflects explosive forces from IEDs or land mines below the vehicle, protecting both the vehicle and its passengers. The development of these vehicles was prompted by US casualties from IED attacks during the Iraq War. The program began in 2007, and by 2012, over 12,000 MRAPs had been deployed in the Iraq War and the War in Afghanistan.

The decision to leave these vehicles behind was likely influenced by the challenging logistics and high costs associated with bringing them back to the US or destroying them in-country. However, the Taliban may face difficulties in utilising the MRAPs due to their specialised maintenance requirements and fuel consumption.

The abandonment of the MRAPs, along with other military equipment, has raised concerns about the potential impact on the Taliban's military capabilities and the safety of US troops in future engagements. While the Taliban has acquired a substantial amount of US military equipment, including armoured vehicles and aircraft, the lack of proper maintenance may render some of these acquisitions useless over time.

The US withdrawal from Afghanistan, which ended two decades of Western involvement in the country, has brought to light the challenges and complexities associated with military operations and the difficult decisions that must be made.

27 Humvees were abandoned

The US military left behind 27 Humvees in Afghanistan. Humvees are light tactical vehicles that were replaced by MRAPs in Iraq and Afghanistan after they proved vulnerable to IED attacks. Humvees were also abandoned by US troops at Kabul's Hamid Karzai International Airport when the US pulled out of the country in August 2021.

The US military likely abandoned tens of millions of dollars' worth of equipment in Afghanistan, including aircraft, armoured vehicles, and defensive systems. The Pentagon left behind tens of billions of dollars' worth of equipment given to Afghan security forces.

The US gave a total of $18.6 billion of equipment to the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF) from 2005 to August 2021. Of that total, equipment worth $7.12 billion remained in Afghanistan after the US withdrawal. This included aircraft, air-to-ground munitions, military vehicles, weapons, communications equipment, and other materials.

The US military conducted its non-combatant evacuation from Afghanistan in August, primarily through Hamid Karzai International Airport. The US left 78 aircraft procured for the Afghan government at the airport before the end of the withdrawal. These aircraft were demilitarized and rendered inoperable before the US military left.

In addition to the 27 Humvees, the US military also left behind as many as 70 MRAPs, Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles built to withstand blasts from improvised explosive devices. The US military also left behind 73 aircraft, whose types were not specified.

The equipment left behind in Afghanistan will likely be displayed by the Taliban as trophies of their decades-long fight to retake their country. However, the equipment will likely have little more than symbolic value, as the Taliban will likely not be able to operate or maintain it without outside help.

73 aircraft were left on the airstrip

The U.S. military left behind a significant amount of equipment and weaponry during its withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021. Among the items abandoned were 73 aircraft left on the airstrip of Kabul's Hamid Karzai International Airport. This abandonment of aircraft was part of a larger trend of equipment left behind by the U.S. military as they pulled out of Afghanistan, which included vehicles, weapons, and other materials.

The 73 aircraft left on the airstrip were intentionally disabled by U.S. troops before their departure. Marine Gen. Kenneth McKenzie, head of U.S. Central Command, confirmed that these aircraft would never be operational again. He stated, "Those aircraft will never fly again... They'll never be able to be operated by anyone." This intentional disabling of the aircraft involved the use of thermate grenades and explosives to destroy key components.

The types of aircraft left behind included MD-530 helicopters, A-29 light attack planes, CH-46 Sea Knight transport helicopters, and a C-130 Hercules transport plane. In addition to the aircraft, other equipment left on the airstrip included counter-rocket, artillery, and mortar defence systems.

The abandonment of the 73 aircraft and other equipment on the airstrip in Kabul was a result of the rushed and chaotic nature of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. While the U.S. military attempted to destroy or render equipment inoperable, the sheer volume of equipment provided to the Afghan government over the years made it challenging to retrieve or destroy everything.

The total value of the equipment left behind by the U.S. military in Afghanistan is estimated to be in the billions of dollars. This includes not only the aircraft but also vehicles, weapons, and other specialised equipment. The impact of this abandoned equipment has been a source of concern, with some worried about its potential use by the Taliban or other adversarial groups.

The Taliban gained access to 2000 armoured vehicles

The Taliban gained access to approximately 2000 armoured vehicles, including Humvees, when the US withdrew from Afghanistan in August 2021. This equipment was originally provided to the Afghan National Army by the US government, which spent $18.6 billion on equipment for the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF) from 2005 to 2021.

The US had been supporting the Afghan government in its fight against the Taliban, but when the Taliban took control of the country, they seized the military equipment that had been left behind. This included not only armoured vehicles but also aircraft, weapons, and other materials. The US had attempted to destroy some of the equipment before leaving, and some of it was also evacuated to Uzbekistan by Afghan pilots.

The Taliban's acquisition of these vehicles raised concerns among US officials, who worried that the equipment could be used to kill civilians or be transferred to other militant groups or adversary countries. However, it was noted that the vehicles required specialised maintenance and technical support, which the Taliban likely lacked. Additionally, the US had removed sensitive electronics from the vehicles before transferring them to the Afghan Army. As a result, it was predicted that the vehicles would eventually become inoperable.

Despite these limitations, the Taliban's access to such a large number of armoured vehicles, along with other military equipment, posed a significant threat to the US and its allies. It also granted the Taliban a powerful tool for enforcing their rule and suppressing dissent within Afghanistan.

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