U.S. Buys 81 Soviet-Era Combat Aircraft from Kazakhstan, Potentially for Supply to Ukraine

(DEFENCE SECURITY ASIA) — In October last year, the Kazakh government advertised the sale of 117 fighter and bomber aircraft acquired during its time as part of the Soviet Union.

These Cold War-era aircraft, including MiG-31, MiG-27, MiG-29, and Su-24 models along with their engines, were put up for sale by the Central Asian nation due to their obsolescence and the uneconomical nature of their repair.

Kazakhstan sought to offload these Soviet-era aircraft as they were no longer operational, with an immediate offer of ten MiG-31s priced at US$1 million for the entire set.

Recent reports indicate that a portion of Kazakhstan’s 117 former Soviet aircraft has already found a buyer.

 The United States, reportedly purchasing 81 of the 117 advertised fighters for an average price of US$20,000 per aircraft, or about US$2.26 million in total, through an offshore company.

 

The primary motive behind the U.S. purchase of these outdated combat aircraft remains unclear, but there is widespread speculation that they may be transferred to Ukraine, to be used against Russian forces.

The Ukrainian Air Force still relies on fighter and bomber aircraft from the Soviet era.

Speculation suggests that the Ukrainian Air Force might either use the still well-maintained aircraft from Kazakhstan or convert them into spare parts stock for their existing combat planes.

However, if Kazakhstan indeed sold these aircraft to the United States, it would certainly exacerbate the already frosty relations between Kazakhstan and Russia.

Bilateral relations between Astana and Moscow have been cooling recently, with Kazakhstan, which traditionally had close ties with Russia, now forging closer relations with Western countries.

Kazakhstan’s president, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, made an official visit to Germany last year, while French President Emmanuel Macron visited Kazakhstan a few months ago.

Furthermore, France has been attempting to attract Kazakhstan’s interest in purchasing Rafale fighter jets, but the attempt fall short as Astana chose Russian-made aircrafts to equipped its air force.

U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and former British Foreign Minister David Cameron have also visited Kazakhstan, in an attempt to lure Kazakstan away from Russia.

Previously, the sale process of Kazakhstan’s combat aircraft was managed by a government agency known as “Kazspecexport.”

Kazakhstan, a former Soviet republic, inherited many assets from the Soviet, including fighter and bomber aircraft when the communist bloc dissolved in the 1990s.

Kazakhstan then gained independence but has maintained close military and security relations with Russia.

It is also a member of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO), established in 2002 and involving six former Soviet states: Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Russia, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan.

To replace the aging Soviet-era fighter aircraft, Kazakhstan has acquired more modern aircraft from Russia, such as the Su-30SM, along with various other advanced defense systems.

Kazakhstan plans to acquire three squadrons of 36 Su-30SM aircraft. — DSA