Kazakhstan to auction off more than 100 Soviet combat aircraft | Airlines

The authorities of Kazakhstan are attempting to auction off more than 100 Soviet-made combat aircraft.

The lot was put up for sale by the state enterprise Kazspetsexport, and includes MiG-27, MiG-29, MiG-31, and Su-24 combat aircraft. The starting price for the entire lot of 117 aircraft was set at approximately 1.8 billion Kazakhstani tenge ($3.85 million).

These aircraft, delivered between 1975 and 1989, are currently in storage at various military facilities. Their condition is so deteriorated that restoration was deemed impractical due to the high cost involved, with some even reported to be unsuitable for “cannibalization,” meaning their parts cannot be used to refurbish other aircraft.

However, part of the MiG-31 fleet should still be close to flying conditions. As recently as April 2020, an aircraft of this type crashed near Karaganda, 185 kilometers (115 miles) southeast of the capital city Astana, after one of the engines caught fire.

The Mikoyan MiG-31 Foxhound heavy supersonic interceptor was introduced into active service in 1981. With a maximum takeoff weight of 46 tons (over 101,000 pounds), it boasts the capability to transport a wide variety of weaponry.

The MiG-31 fighters flown by the Kazakh Air Defense Forces were from the final batch ever produced, after the dissolution of the Soviet Union. 20 were still counted as active in the 2023 World Air Forces directory.

In the meantime, the Kazakh Air Defense Forces are harmonizing and modernizing their fleet with the recent acquisition of at least 24 Su-30SM multirole fighter jets.

Is Russia the most likely buyer?

A first sale was scheduled for October 26, 2023, as reported by Forbes Kazakhstan. However, for an unknown reason, it did not take place.

A new tender is scheduled for November 11, 2023, according to the Russian news portal Reporter. The entire lot will be put up for auction again, but this time at half the original price.

Some…

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