Report: US Acquires 81 Soviet-Era Combat Aircraft from Ally of Russia, with Average Cost Below $20,000 Each

Reportedly, the United States has acquired 81 aging Soviet-era combat aircraft from Kazakhstan, as outlined in a piece by the Kyiv Post.

Kazakhstan, once a staunch ally of Russia, is noticeably increasing its interactions with Western counterparts.

These aircraft, now in the hands of the US, may find utility either as spare parts or as strategic decoys in areas of conflict, suggests the Kyiv Post.

The transaction involved Kazakhstan auctioning off 117 Soviet-era fighter and bomber aircraft, including iconic models like the MiG-31 interceptors, MiG-27 fighter bombers, MiG-29 fighters, and Su-24 bombers from the 1970s and 1980s, as it modernizes its air fleet.

According to the Kyiv Post, the declared sale value stood at one billion Kazakhstani tenge, equivalent to $2.26 million, averaging approximately $19,300 per aircraft.

Sources cited by the Kyiv Post, namely the Ukrainian Telegram channel Insider UA and the Russian news site Reporter, indicate that the US secured 81 of these aged warplanes, the motive behind which remains undisclosed.

The Russian site Reporter mentioned that the sale transpired through offshore companies.

Given Ukraine's reliance on Soviet-era weaponry, these aircraft could serve as a vital resource for spare parts or be strategically deployed as decoys at airfields, the Kyiv Post opines.

Historically, Kazakhstan, once part of the Soviet Union, maintained strong ties with Russia. However, the dynamics have shifted, especially after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, with Kazakhstan increasingly leaning towards the West, much to the chagrin of some in Russia.

Antony Blinken, during his visit to Kazakhstan in February 2023, expressed staunch US support for the nation's independence and territorial integrity, according to Agence France-Presse.

Certain Russian voices, like TV commentator Vladimir Solovyov, have pointed to Kazakhstan as a potential area of concern, warning of similar upheavals to those seen in Ukraine.

The burgeoning relationship between Kazakhstan and Western nations is evident in various agreements spanning trade, education, environment, and mineral supplies, reflecting the nation's strategic recalibration amid geopolitical complexities involving neighboring countries like Russia, China, Afghanistan, and Iran.

Correction: April 28, 2024 — An earlier version of this story misstated the currency conversion rate of the Kazakhstani tenge to the dollar. One billion tenge is worth $2.26 million, not $1.5 million.