U.S. Military Weapons Found in Taliban Hands

The Taliban have a trove U.S. Military Weapons since the fall of the Afghan National Army. Here are some of the items they have. The chaos that ensues as the U.S. Military leaves Afghanistan fills YouTube videos, nightly newscasts, and other media outlets. The dramatic scenes of Afghan nationals trying to escape the Taliban fighters are among the most turbulent chapters of American history. The trove of military arms currently in the hands of insurgent forces is less obvious. These weapons are almost as big as the gun and come from the U.S. Military. The situation is so dire that Reuters reports that the White House is considering launching an attack against some of the larger equipment. The Taliban will be well-armed even if this happens. According to a 2016 U.S. Government Accountability Office Report, the Department of Defense has provided the ANA with 884,311 pieces of military gear since 2003. This includes almost 600,000 weapons, nearly 208 aircraft, 76,000 vehicles, and 76,000 vehicles. According to the Wall Street Journal over $80 billion has been spent on Afghan forces in 20 years. Most of this equipment appears to be in the hands of the Taliban, as a result of the country’s collapse. What exactly are they missing? Taliban fighters August 2021 in Kabul. Gun Digest has compiled a list of small arms, aircraft, and other equipment that may have been left behind in Afghanistan. Our research is not definitive. Even the U.S. Military has struggled to keep track of exactly what it supplies to the ANA. According to the Wall Street Journal, a December 2020 study found that “[T]he Pentagon failed to meet U.S. inspections for weapons, inventing only 40% of applicable military equipment from May 2019 to April 2020.” There are records that show what the U.S. has provided the ANA over the past two decades, and more than $80 million in military spending. We found the most likely U.S. Military Arms currently in Taliban’s possession. U.S. Military Equipment Sent to AfghanistanBeretta M9Beretta M9Recently, the Sig Sauer P320 (designated as the M17) replaced the M9, which was the standard-issue sidearm for the U.S. Military from 1985. Although the DA/SA-9mm replaced the M1911A1 as the standard-issue sidearm of the military, it never gained the same popularity with soldiers as its predecessor. The Center For Naval Analysis’s 2006 survey found that only 58 percent of soldiers who used the pistol to engage the enemy were satisfied with it. This is the lowest percentage of any survey. Sig Sauer manufactures striker-fired double-stack 9mm pistols. They are known for their modular design that includes an internal chassis separate from the frame. This allows for multiple configurations and increases the handgun’s longevity. The pistols can feed from both 17-round or 21-round magazines. They have been praised for their precision and ergonomics compared with its predecessor, the M9.M16A2 RifleM16A2 Likely the most common American weapon provided to the ANA is M16A2. The M16A2 rifle was first used by the U.S. Marines in 1980. It was eventually adopted by all branches of the military until it was replaced by the M4 carbines in late 1990s. Some of these rifles are still in use with rear-echelon units such as the Reserves or the National Guard. The M16A2 chambered for 5.56 NATO, but the barrel was specifically rifled to accept the new SS109 62-grain projectile or M855 62 grain projectile. The M16A2 was modified to include a more adjustable rear sight, a brass deflector, and furniture made from improved materials. M16A2s were a huge asset to the United States and made them prime candidates for the Afghan army’s equipping. The M4 carbine is a modified M16A4 derived from the CAR-15, which was originally designed for special forces in Vietnam. The M4 has a 14.5 inch barrel and an external profile that allows for the mounting of an M203 underbarrel grenade rocketer. They also feature a shorter gas system and handguard, as well as a telescoping buttstock that is similar to the one for the CAR-15. The M4’s most significant change is the replacement of the carry handle’s rear iron sight with a Picatinny rail section for mounting modern optics. The United States sold M4 carbines to ANA on a few occasions, but they were not issued to standard ANA infantry such as the M16A2. M24 Sniper SystemsM24 Sniper SystemsThe M24 is the primary sniper rifle of U.S. Army over the past 30 years. It is highly regarded for its accuracy in the field and reliability. The rifle was based on the bolt-action, push-feed Remington 700. It was chambered at 7.62x51mm NATO (M24A2 and M24A2). However, the rifle has been modified to accept.338 Lapua Magnum in recent years, increasing its range. Comparably, the 7.62’s effective range is 875 yards and the.338 Lapua is 1,640 yards. The 5-round rifle used the Leupold UltraM3A 10x42mm fixed-power scope or the Leupold Mk4 LR/T MM3 10x40mm fixed-power scope to hit the target for the majority of its service. Many of the stocks were provided by H-S Precision. They could be adjusted for length of pull and had fixed cheekpieces. The light machine gun was first adopted in 1984. It has been a staple in almost every U.S. conflict that involves ground combat. The 5.56x45mm NATO chambered machine gun manufactured by FN Herstel is operated by a long-stroke piston that is gas-actuated and air-cooled. Its feed mechanism can also be used to graze 30-round ATANG magazines and M27 disintegrating belts. The gun weighs in at 18 pounds and can be easily transported to any fight. M240B Machine GunM240B medium machine gunGeneral-purpose machine guns, the weapon is designed to bring more firepower to bear against the enemy than the M249 SAW. FN Herstel manufactures other versions of the 7.62x51mm NATO gun. However, the M240B is primarily an infantry weapon that can be mounted on a tripod or an integral bipod. Each M240B comes with a spare barrel that can be used to swap barrels and keep the weapon cool. The M240B has a maximum fire rate of 950 rpm and feeds from a 100-round belt containing a disintegrating metal split-link belt.M2 browning machine gunM2 Browning M2The.50-caliber heavy-machine gun is one of the most versatile weapons in the U.S. Military arsenal. The M2 or “Ma Deuce”, also known as the M2, can be mounted on any vehicle, aircraft, or ship and used off tripods. It has both anti-personnel as well as anti-material machine guns and can fire an overwhelming amount of firepower at a target. The John M. Browning-designed weapon has been in service since World War I. It has a range of 2,000 yards and can ratify up to 575 rpm. It is recoil-operated and belt-fed.M134 minigun M134 minigunThe six-barrel rotary gun has been a symbol of American military power since its inception in the 1960s. The machine gun can fire at speeds of up to 2,000 to 6,000 RPM downrange. The M134 is generally mounted to aircraft and vehicles with a 41- to 85-pound mass, making it prohibitive for infantry. 7.62x51mm NATO chamber, weapon feed from either disintegrating M13 link belts or linkless feeds. It can use 500- to 5,000-round belts depending on how it is installed. M203 Grenade RocketM203 Grenade BoosterThe single-shot 40mm Grenade launcher was first adopted in 1969 and has been an infantry standard ever since. The original under-the-barrel rocket was intended for the M16A1 gun, but it has been modified to work with the M4 carbine in modern conflicts. It has a range of approximately 400 yards and is intended for close fire support. This is to help enemies that are not easily hit by direct fire. The launcher can fire a variety of rounds, including high-explosive, illumination, and buckshot. The M203 is manufactured by several companies and weighs in at around 3-pounds. It has been in service since World War II. It is widely used by U.S. allies worldwide. A versatile artillery piece, the 155mm howitzer is capable of shooting high explosive, smoke, chemical, nuclear and illumination rounds.VehiclesUp-armored HUMVEEs (M1151/M1152)M1151 HumveeEssentially the traditional Humvee, armored to provide ballistic and mine protection. It can carry a variety of weaponry. M113 APC M113 BPC The M113 is a fully-tracked armored personnel vehicle. It has armor that ranges from 28mm to 44mm in 5083 aircraft-grade aluminum. Protects approximately 7.62x51mm. M1117 ASV M1117 SV An armored, wheeled and turreted all-wheel vehicle that is used to support police operations. It is mine-resistant and has composite Modular Expandable Armor Systems (MEXAS). MEXAS can protect against small arms fire up to RPGs (Rocket Propelled Grenades), depending on its level. The Black Hawk is typically equipped with a Mk19 Grenade Launcher or M2 Machine Gun, and can carry up to 11 combat-loaded troops. It can also transport large amounts of artillery. The Sikorsky Aircraft Black Hawk is a turboprop light-attack aircraft with four blades. It can carry up to 11 combat-loaded troops at a time and can move large pieces of artillery. The aircraft can carry a variety weapons, including laser-guided munitions. It was extensively used in counter-insurgency operations against insurgents in Afghanistan. Rock Island Auction Company. Not every ANA troop received an American-supplied weapon. This was because there wasn’t enough in the early years of the conflict. Many of the equipment used by the ANA force was Soviet-made, some dating back to the ’60s and ’70s when the USSR was supporting the Shah and then Daoud governments. Further, weapons likely remain from the Soviet-Afghan War, which saw Eastern Bloc weapons being brought into the country by the USSR and the CIA as part of their support for the Mujahadeen. Although Soviet forces used AK-74s with 5.45 capacity, these weapons are not in widespread use in Afghanistan. The availability of 7.62×39 ammunition and magazines, as well as rifles, ensured that AKMs (and older AK-47s) remained in common use. An unscientific sample of Afghani AKs would likely include examples from Russia and all other major AK-producing nations. The AK’s reliability and longevity is due to their widespread use in the region. They have been used extensively and poorly maintained for literally decades of fighting. Most of them still work perfectly fine. ANA forces used some contemporarily manufactured AKs before surrender. Many PKMs, like the AK, were left over from past conflicts in the region. However, more were supplied later by the U.S. or NATO. The PKM is a belt fed general-purpose machine gun that can fire the full-powered 7.62x54R cartridge. The original PK version was used in Soviet service in 1961. A modernized version is still being used by the Russian army today. It is still used by many armed groups around the world, both state and not-state. It is light for a machine gun, and very reliable. Many consider the PKM to be the best general-purpose machine guns ever made. Both the Taliban and ANA used these extensively for ground troops as well as vehicle-mounted weapons.RPG-7RPG-7Perhaps the most iconic shoulder-mounted rocket launcher of all time, this Soviet-designed weapon has been used in most major conflicts since Vietnam. The RPG-7 was not only made by the USSR/Russia, but also several Warsaw Pact countries and China. It can fire unguided, rocket propelled grenades in a variety of different types, with warheads that can do everything, from engaging enemy personnel to penetrating armor. These grenades have been used extensively by both sides in the Afghan conflict since before America’s involvement. The ANA’s stockpiles of RPG-7s, rockets, and other weapons will merely augment the existing arsenal of the Taliban. The RPG is unguided but can pose a serious threat to helicopters if used correctly.
Reuters: Night-vision goggles, guns, planes: The Taliban’s new U.S. war chest
Wall Street Journal: Taliban seize U.S. Weapons in Afghanistan, Stockpiling Helicopters and Guns, and TrucksMore Military Firingarms:NEXT STEP – Download Your Storm Tactical Printable Target pack 62 Printable MOA targets with DOT drills – Rifle Ranges in YARDS Storm Tactical’s impressive target pack contains 62 printable targets that can be used for rifle and handgun range usage. Target grids and bullseye sizes can be found in MOA. Perfect for long-range shooting! Get free targets