U.S. Air drive Spent $486 Million On Planes, Scrapped Them For $32,000

The U.S. Air power spent $ 486 million on 16 C-27A airplane for Afghanistan’s air pressure, and then made up our minds to scrap all of them, selling the metal for simply $ 32,000.

Now, the U.S.’ special Inspector normal for Afghanistan Reconstruction is investigating how this took place – and why.

“i am concerned that the officers chargeable for planning and executing the scrapping of the planes may not have thought to be other possible alternatives with a view to salvage taxpayer dollars,” John Sopko wrote in a letter dated October three to the Secretary of the Air pressure, Deborah James.

“I was once also knowledgeable that an Afghan construction firm paid roughly 6 cents a pound for the scrapped planes, which got here to a total of $ 32,000,” Sopko brought.

in keeping with a Reuters document, the investigation has been ongoing on the grounds that final December, when the obvious waste first got here to public consideration.

there were 20 C-27A aircraft within the original order from the Italian firm Alenia as a part of the G222 application, but it surely was once ended when it was clear the Air drive used to be having trouble maintaining the planes and finding spare parts to refurbish them with.

In Sopko’s words, the challenge faced “sustained, serious performance, repairs, and spare elements issues and the planes have been grounded” in March 2013. Later, they “were grew to become over to the safeguard Logistics agency (DLA) and have considering been scrapped.”

according to Pentagon spokesman major Brad Avots, the destruction was once as a result of a want “to attenuate affect on drawdown of U.S. forces in Afghanistan.”

There are still 4 ultimate C-27As final from the initial order which have now not been scrapped, however their fate has yet to be determined.

“Working in a wartime setting such as Afghanistan brings with it many challenges, and we continually searching for to enhance our course of,” Avots stated when wondered about how the Pentagon planned to handle these four planes.

however the different inspector basic needs a far better explanation, and the protection department and the Air drive should reply to his letters by industry 2 neighborhood

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