Red Army's war-winning weapons are up for sale
(Filed: 21/01/2005)

Russia is to sell thousands of Second World War tanks, machineguns and cannons in an attempt to raise funds and remind the world of its pivotal role in defeating Hitler.



The Kremlin hopes that they will be bought by museums and enthusiasts as interest in vintage weaponry peaks during the 60th anniversary of the end of the war, a landmark that will be celebrated with great fanfare in Russia.

The Russian state arms dealer, Rosoboronexport, has sold a few vintage weapons piecemeal since the late 1990s but now it has launched a serious sales campaign.

The hardware has been stored in warehouses even though most of it was decommissioned decades ago.

The company is tempting collectors with a selection of weapons that includes Maksim machineguns, 76mm ZiS-3 field guns, PPSH sub-machineguns and T-34 tanks, the backbone of the armoured columns that drove the German army out the Soviet Union in 1944.

For the more ambitious there are T-54 tanks, built in the immediate post-war period and used to defeat the Hungarian uprising in 1956, and even Soviet-era submarines.

Rosoboronexport said it took the decision to market the weapons because of growing interest abroad.

"In many battles during the Second World War, home weapons won a victory many times over those of the fascist Wehrmacht, surpassing them in quality and reliability, combat effectiveness and simplicity in use," the company boasts.

"After 60 years, demand for them is still growing among foreign museums, military-technical associations, state and private collections."

While it has not yet published a price list, it is likely to sell rifles and pistols for a few hundred pounds each. Tanks in good working order are expected to cost upwards of £10,000. Alexander Ouzhanov, a Rosoboronexport spokesman, said: "There are two main aspects to this trade. One has to do with the country's image. The second is commercial."

Marat Kenzhetayev, a researcher with the Centre for Arms Control, Energy and Environmental Studies, said: "The move is probably more to do with PR than making serious money. Russia's arms exports in 2004 came to $5.6 billion (£2.98 billion). Sales of the vintage arms sales might make, at best, a few million dollars. No collector will buy tanks by the hundreds or thousands.

"As regards prices, they will be much cheaper than their modern equivalents.

"Unfortunately, it's not like the market in antique furniture."

The company is also selling German and Allied equipment captured during the war or received as part of the Lend Lease programme.

How much fer de tank, Kommrade?

I'd pick up a T34 tomorrow if I could...demilled breech and all, it'd be just too cool.

A T54 would be cool, too

I'd love to have a KV-1.  Nothing like a tank that could shrug off a hit from an 88mm gun.  

O boy. More parts kits. Not much good without reliable sources of receivers...

Quoted: I'd pick up a T34 tomorrow if I could...demilled breech and all, it'd be just too cool. A T54 would be cool, too

Screw that pay the tax and register it as a DD!(actually don't think that can be done but not sure)

Some real nice toys here...


www.rusarm.ru/p_frame/main.htm

Special Forces Weapons
4.5 mm SPP-1M Underwater Pistol 5.66 mm APS Underwater Assault Rifle
7.62 mm PSS Silenced Pistol 7.62 mm SVD Sniper Rifle
9 mm VSS Sniper Rifle 9 mm 9A-91 Assault Rifle
9 mm AS Silenced Assault Rifle 9 mm PP-93 Machine Pistol
9 mm GYURZA Pistol 12.3 mm UDAR Revolver Complex
9 mm PP-90M Submachine Gun 9 mm KIPARIS Submachine Gun
9 mm KLIN Submachine Gun 9 mm BISON-2 Submachine Gun

 Fixed-Wing Aircraft
Tu-22M3E Long-Range Missile-Carrying Bomber

Sukhoi Su-32 Fighter-bomber
Sukhoi Su-24MK Tactical Bomber Sukhoi Su-39 Attack Aircraft
Sukhoi Su-25SMK Attack Aircraft. Modernization of Su-25K Sukhoi Su-27SK Air Superiority Fighter
Sukhoi Su-30MK Multi-role Fighter Sukhoi Su-33(Su-27K)Ship-Borne Fighter
Sukhoi Su-35 Multi-role Fighter Mikoyan MiG-21-93. Modernization of MiG-21
Mikoyan MiG-29 Tactical Fighter Mikoyan MiG-29SMT. MiG-29 and MiG-29UB Modernisation Programme
Mikoyan MiG-29K Multi-role Ship-Borne Fighter Mikoyan MiG-29M2 Multi-role Fighter
Mikoyan MiG-31E Fighter-Interceptor Ilyushin Il-76MF/Il-76MD Transport Aircraft
Ilyushin Il-78MK Convertible Refuelling Tanker Ilyushin Il-76P Fire-fighting aircraft
Geofizika M-55 High-Altitude Aircraft Antonov An-70 Transport Aircraft
Antonov An-74 Light STOL Transport Aircraft Antonov An-32B-200 Multi-Purpose Military Transport
Antonov An-38-100/An-38-200 Light Utility Aircraft Antonov An-3 Light Utility Aircraft
Beriev Be-200 Multi-role Amphibian Beriev Be-103 Light Utility Amphibian
Beriev Be-12P Fire-fighting Amphibian Tu-214, Il-96-300 and Yak-42D VIP Aircraft
A-50 Aircraft

 Kalashnikov Small Arms
 5.56 mm AK-101, AK-102 Assault Rifles

7.62 mm PKMSN2, PKM Machine Guns
5.45 mm AKS-74U, AK-74M, AK-105 Assault Rifles 7.62mm PECHENEG Standard Machine Gun
RPK203 KALASHNIKOV Light Machine Gun 12.7mm KORD Heavy Machine Gun
 
 
 Close Combat Weapons
30mm AGS-17, 30mm AGS-30 Automatic Grenade Launcher

RPG-26, RPG-27, RShG-1 Rocket Launchers
GP-30 Underbarrel Grenade Launcher RPO-A, RPO-Z, RPO-D SHMEL Infantry Rocket Flame Thrower
RPG-7V1 Portable Anti-Tank Rocket Launcher RPG-29 Portable Anti-Tank Rocket Launcher
DP-64 Grenade Launcher RShG-1 Assault Rocket Grenade with single-shhot Grenade Launcher
RSHG-2 Assault Rocket Launcher
 Artillery Systems
152 mm MSTA-B Towed Howitzer

155 mm self-propelled howitzer 2C19M1-155
152mm 2S19M1/155mm 2S19M1-155 MSTA-S Modernised Self-Propelled Howitzers NONA-SVK Self-Propelled Gun/Mortar System
120 mm 2S31 VENA Automated Self-Propelled Gun GRAD MLRS Upgrade
300 mm 9K58 SMERCH Multiple Launch Rocket System GRAD, Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS)
SMERCH, Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS), Upgrade KAPUSTNIK-BM Automated Fire Control System
125-mm 2S25 SPRUT-SD Self-Propelled Anti-Tank Gun MASHINA-M AUTOMATED FIRE CONTROL SYSTEM

I wonder if they would accept an offer on the Kaspian Sea Monster?

Kaspian Sea Monster

I'll take 3 PPSH's, 2 SVD's, 1 Su-35, a couple RPK 12.7mm's and........an Su-23 Bomber.

anyone have any info on that underwater assault rifle?

Quoted: anyone have any info on that underwater assault rifle?

IBTABC

That's worthy of a group buy for ARFCOM's amphibious assault team

Quoted: I wonder if they would accept an offer on the Kaspian Sea Monster? Kaspian Sea Monster

Quoted: That'a worthy of a group buy for ARFCOM's amphibious assault team Quoted: I wonder if they would accept an offer on the Kaspian Sea Monster? Kaspian Sea Monster

Dibs on the door-gunner spot!

Quoted: anyone have any info on that underwater assault rifle?

Thinkin about doing some bumpfiring?

Ok..........I want to fly the thing!

Quoted: Quoted: That'a worthy of a group buy for ARFCOM's amphibious assault team Quoted: I wonder if they would accept an offer on the Kaspian Sea Monster? Kaspian Sea Monster Dibs on the door-gunner spot!