Does the military ever sell retired cargo/fighter planes to other countries?

[jtvang125]

Or is it too much of a liability issue? If not can't they sell them "AS IS"?

 

[flyboy84]

Yes, there was a story in the news about this not too long ago, I'll see if I can dig it up.

 

[pontifex]

didn't we sell a bunch of old stuff to russians? i'm thinking it was tanks, but i'm sure we sell lots of old stuff to our allies.

 

[foghorn67]

All the time.

 

[rudder]

If your on the A-list you get the latest and greatest... if your on the B-list you get the Vietnam era stuff.

 

[jemcam]

I'm pretty sure they do. I know when my Army unit turned in our 8 inch Howitzers at the start of our conversion to MLRS (Multiple Rocket Launcher System) they told us our old guns were going to be sold to some other country.

I hated to see that happen, I really loved those old guns.

Pics of the good old M110A2 8 inch howitzer

I may have a couple of pictures of me on the big boys. I'll see if I can find it.

 

[jtvang125]

Originally posted by: foghorn67
All the time.

So besides Iran we should see F14s back in action soon?

 

[HeroOfPellinor]

Yeah, but they leave a remotely administered self-destruct device hidden in it so they can't use it against us.......without hillarious results.

 

[K1052]

Originally posted by: pontifex
didn't we sell a bunch of old stuff to russians? i'm thinking it was tanks, but i'm sure we sell lots of old stuff to our allies.

Not to the Russians, though we purchase their top line hardware to study. Even though they arm a good chunk of the world they are nice enough too sell to us too so we can defend against it.

Allies usually get deals on surplus or lightly restricted hardware/weapons fom the US. Most surplus/worn aircraft are used for parts to support those still flying or stored for later use, IIRC. If you are ever in Tucson, AZ you can actually take a tour of the Air Force boneyard where they keep everything.

 

[jemcam]

Found a picture. That's me up on top of the gun.

The good old days

 

[K1052]

Originally posted by: jemcam
I'm pretty sure they do. I know when my Army unit turned in our 8 inch Howitzers at the start of our conversion to MLRS (Multiple Rocket Launcher System) they told us our old guns were going to be sold to some other country.

I hated to see that happen, I really loved those old guns.

Pics of the good old M110A2 8 inch howitzer

I may have a couple of pictures of me on the big boys. I'll see if I can find it.

The new GMLRS with GPS packages are some nifty crap.

 

[everman]

How do you think Canada got their tank?

 

[foghorn67]

Originally posted by: jtvang125

Originally posted by: foghorn67
All the time.

So besides Iran we should see F14s back in action soon?

We only sell things to approved nations. I used to work for an aerospace company, we sold parts to nations so they can maintain out of production aircraft.
Phantoms, Starfighters, Tigers (Freedom Fighters), C-123's, C-130's, you name it. If it's old it's sold.
US sells current hardware as well. IAF has some great F-16's on delivery, joint venture between Lockheed-Martin and (doh, I forgot the name of the Isreali contractor), F-16's in S. Korea, F-15's in Japan.
Just to name a few. Lookup any nations AF on google, you could see a list of their current inventory.

 

[HeroOfPellinor]

Originally posted by: everman
How do you think Canada got their tank?

Legos. Lots of 'em.

 

[pontifex]

Originally posted by: everman
How do you think Canada got their tank?

i thought it was a potato gun mounted to a bulldozer?

 

[jemcam]

Originally posted by: K1052

Originally posted by: jemcam
I'm pretty sure they do. I know when my Army unit turned in our 8 inch Howitzers at the start of our conversion to MLRS (Multiple Rocket Launcher System) they told us our old guns were going to be sold to some other country.

I hated to see that happen, I really loved those old guns.

Pics of the good old M110A2 8 inch howitzer

I may have a couple of pictures of me on the big boys. I'll see if I can find it.

The new GMLRS with GPS packages are some nifty crap.

That was after my time. It sure would save a lot of time calibrating the damn things every 30 km or so. I forget what the exact requirements were.

 

[K1052]

Originally posted by: jemcam

Originally posted by: K1052

Originally posted by: jemcam
I'm pretty sure they do. I know when my Army unit turned in our 8 inch Howitzers at the start of our conversion to MLRS (Multiple Rocket Launcher System) they told us our old guns were going to be sold to some other country.

I hated to see that happen, I really loved those old guns.

Pics of the good old M110A2 8 inch howitzer

I may have a couple of pictures of me on the big boys. I'll see if I can find it.

The new GMLRS with GPS packages are some nifty crap.

That was after my time. It sure would save a lot of time calibrating the damn things every 30 km or so. I forget what the exact requirements were.

An interesting story about them I ran across a while ago: http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/15936155.htm

 

[jemcam]

Originally posted by: K1052

Originally posted by: jemcam

Originally posted by: K1052

Originally posted by: jemcam
I'm pretty sure they do. I know when my Army unit turned in our 8 inch Howitzers at the start of our conversion to MLRS (Multiple Rocket Launcher System) they told us our old guns were going to be sold to some other country.

I hated to see that happen, I really loved those old guns.

Pics of the good old M110A2 8 inch howitzer

I may have a couple of pictures of me on the big boys. I'll see if I can find it.

The new GMLRS with GPS packages are some nifty crap.

That was after my time. It sure would save a lot of time calibrating the damn things every 30 km or so. I forget what the exact requirements were.

An interesting story about them I ran across a while ago: http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/15936155.htm

I can't even begin to fathom what the cost of one of those rockets were. The MLRS ballistic rockets were about $30,000.00 apiece. That may have been for a pod of 6 though, I forget. In any case, they were really, really expensive.

 

[ForumMaster]

Originally posted by: foghorn67

Originally posted by: jtvang125

Originally posted by: foghorn67
All the time.

So besides Iran we should see F14s back in action soon?

We only sell things to approved nations. I used to work for an aerospace company, we sold parts to nations so they can maintain out of production aircraft.
Phantoms, Starfighters, Tigers (Freedom Fighters), C-123's, C-130's, you name it. If it's old it's sold.
US sells current hardware as well. IAF has some great F-16's on delivery, joint venture between Lockheed-Martin and (doh, I forgot the name of the Israeli contractor), F-16's in S. Korea, F-15's in Japan.
Just to name a few. Lookup any nations AF on google, you could see a list of their current inventory.

only about 75% of the plane's systems are designed by Lockheed. Elbit and Rafael (Israeli weapon research companies) design about 25% of the plane's systems to be custom built. Israel has really good technology. i doubt we'll get the F-22 anytime soon, but i suppose it will happen.

 

[Atheus]

Pretty sure they sell even new planes - I know Britain is selling 72 brand spanking new Eurofighters to Saudi.

 

[amish]

Originally posted by: jemcam
Found a picture. That's me up on top of the gun.

The good old days

how long ago was that? thanks for your service btw.

 

[K1052]

Originally posted by: jemcam

Originally posted by: K1052

Originally posted by: jemcam

Originally posted by: K1052

Originally posted by: jemcam
I'm pretty sure they do. I know when my Army unit turned in our 8 inch Howitzers at the start of our conversion to MLRS (Multiple Rocket Launcher System) they told us our old guns were going to be sold to some other country.

I hated to see that happen, I really loved those old guns.

Pics of the good old M110A2 8 inch howitzer

I may have a couple of pictures of me on the big boys. I'll see if I can find it.

The new GMLRS with GPS packages are some nifty crap.

That was after my time. It sure would save a lot of time calibrating the damn things every 30 km or so. I forget what the exact requirements were.

An interesting story about them I ran across a while ago: http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/15936155.htm

I can't even begin to fathom what the cost of one of those rockets were. The MLRS ballistic rockets were about $30,000.00 apiece. That may have been for a pod of 6 though, I forget. In any case, they were really, really expensive.

According to what I can find they are looking for the guidance package to cost $12,000 each in addition to the the rocket itself. Since these are basically prototypes I'm sure its a lot more than that.

But hey, it's the military. I'm sure the guys on the ground like to be able to call in the GPS coordinates and not have to wait for a regular airstrike.

 

[jemcam]

Originally posted by: amish

Originally posted by: jemcam
Found a picture. That's me up on top of the gun.

The good old days

how long ago was that? thanks for your service btw.

That particular picture was taken around 1991 IIRC. We took those guns to Desert Storm and turned them in about a year after returning. I think this picture was taken shortly after we fired them for the last time. I kept the lanyard off of one of the guns as a keepsake. The lanyard is a piece of rope about 3 feet long that has a hook on one end that hooks to the firing mechanism and the other end has a wooden knob to grip it. The lanyard is what you pull to fire the gun. Hoooaaah!

And thanks for appreciating the service of a veteran!

 

[BoomerD]

"DON'T WORRY ABOUT THE NOISE...YOU'LL GET USED TO IT"

Spent a little time around some Marine Artillery crews during Vietnam...youse bunch of noisy bastards! HTH am I supposed to sleep with all those fvcking "big guns" going off all the time!??


It's very common for the US to sell outdated aircraft and weapons to other countries. Gotta keep feeding that "military-industrial complex" monster...

 

[jemcam]

Originally posted by: BoomerD
"DON'T WORRY ABOUT THE NOISE...YOU'LL GET USED TO IT"

Spent a little time around some Marine Artillery crews during Vietnam...youse bunch of noisy bastards! HTH am I supposed to sleep with all those fvcking "big guns" going off all the time!??


It's very common for the US to sell outdated aircraft and weapons to other countries. Gotta keep feeding that "military-industrial complex" monster...

WHAT!?!

What's really funny is that we were officially required to wear hearing protection at all times when firing but you better never get caught not hearing a radio call. Thus, no one ever wore their hearing protection in order to keep our asses from getting chewed out for not answering the radio.

But it is true you get used to the noise. I have slept through many many rounds asleep right next to the gun. You just have to get tired enough. Unfortunately, it takes three or four days of sleep deprivation to get tired enough for it not to wake you.

Yes, I have hearing damage after 15 years in the Field Artillery.