Why did America buy retired warplanes from Russia's neighboring country?

Washington has reportedly purchased 81 aircraft from Kazakhstan, the average price of which is less than 19 thousand dollars. America can gift these planes to Ukraine.

The US has purchased 81 aircraft from Kazakhstan.

The US government has purchased fighter jets from Russia's neighboring country Kazakhstan. You will be surprised to know that these fighter planes have expired from the Kazakhstan Army and are not fit for use in war. But now the question is being raised, why is the US, which has new-age fighter jets and weapons, buying old planes from Kazakhstan? According to Russian media, these planes can be used against Russia in Ukraine.

According to a report by Kyiv Post, Washington bid for 81 out of 117 aircraft and purchased them for about $1.5 million. The report did not say how many aircraft had been purchased, but it said that the purchase included a MiG-29 fighter jet, a MiG-27 fighter bomber, and a Su-24 bomber.

America is buying bad planes

Kazakhstan had put up many of its old fighter planes in this auction. All the aircraft were presented as being in poor ‘unusable condition’. All these are aircraft which have been retired after the modernization program of the Kazakhstan Army. These planes were built in the 1970s and 1980s. There are speculations that the American Army may repair them and gift them to Ukraine. However, the US Army has not yet given any information about how they will be used.

A cheap deal

The cost incurred by America in purchasing each aircraft is less than 19 thousand dollars. The entire fleet of 81 jets costs only ten AGM-114 Hellfire missiles, which are commonly used on US drones and fighter jets.

Kazakhstan is growing closer to western countries

Kazakhstan has historically been an ally of Russia. But after the Ukraine crisis in February 2022, it has become closer to Western countries. Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev hosted British Foreign Secretary David Cameron's visit to Astana earlier this month. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken also visited Astana last year for talks with Central Asian leaders.