T-34s in Afghanistan

[Hans_Rudel]

I read somewhere (Probable on http://www.achtungpanzer.com) that a number of T-34/85s were sent to Afghanistan after the war ended for service in their military. In also stated that in 1996, they were still in service. I didn't get a specific number so I can't really confirm anything.

But, my question is, in the American invasion of Afghanistan, did the T-34 see action against either American or Northern Alliance forces? I heard that there was one relatively concentrated tank battle in the war that was pretty much ended due to the fact that American airpower was present.

So, were the tanks still in service and did they see action in the war?

[Aufklarung]

Hello Hans_Rubel
A bit on those T-34s in Afghani service prior to and during the Soviet Invasion:

The immediate post-World War II period was one of further adjustment between internal security forces and the army. The autocratic Sardar Mohammad Daoud Khan, proclaimed prime minister after a palace coup in 1953, required a strong army. Although Daoud relinquished his prime ministerial duties in 1963, he resumed power in 1973 and ruled until 1978 as the first president of the republic.

Daoud sought United States aid for Afghanistan's armed forces. The United States was unable to help, however, because Daoud's strong stance on the Pashtunistan issue would have embarrassed the American government. (The Pashtunistan issue basically was the insistence by the Afghan government and others that the Pashtu- and Pakhtu-speaking residents of Pakistan be granted autonomy, independence, or the right to join Afghanistan.) When Daoud's requests to the United States proved fruitless, he decided to turn to Afghanistan's northern neighbor and successfully obtained arms from the Soviet Union.

In August 1956 Afghanistan and the Soviet Union concluded their first military agreement. Afghanistan received US$25 million in jet airplanes, tanks, and heavy and light weaponry at a greatly discounted price. By October 1956 an IL-14, 12 MiG-15s, and a few helicopters appeared at Mazar-e Sharif's new airstrip. Nine years later foreign observers reported Afghanistan's possession of about 100 Soviet T-34 and postwar T-54 tanks. The new air force employed about 100 aircraft, including a few helicopters, as well as IL-28 bombers and MiG-17 fighters.

and

Daoud's foreign policy notwithstanding, he was able to arrange additional Soviet aid, including 300 T-54/55 medium tanks and more than 50 T-34 tanks, as well as 90 37mm antiaircraft guns, 30 120mm mortars, and SA-2 Guideline surface-to-air missiles (SAMs). The air force also received its share of Soviet hardware: 36 MiG-17 Fresco-C fighters and spare parts for the 27 IL-28 bombers-Beagles-stationed near Shindand (see fig. 6). In addition, Czechoslovakia sold 12 L-39 airplanes to Afghanistan to be used for training purposes.

Armored units in 1985 had a variety of Soviet-supplied armored vehicles. These included 100 T-62 main battle tanks, 300 T54/55 main battle tanks, 50 T-34 medium tanks, and 60 PT-76 light amphibious tanks.

Bold type by me
http://www.gl.iit.edu/govdocs/afghanist ... urity.html

With regard to the most recent war in Afghanistan and T-34's; I recall seeing a picture quite awhile ago of Northern Alliance soldiers with a "captured" Taliban T-34 but don't remember where I saw it. Sorry.


Hope that helps somewhat.

regards
A

[Hans_Rudel]

Thank-you for that, it is greatly appreciated.

[Aufklarung]

H_R
You're most welcome.

I'll continue to look for that photo for you.

regards
A

[Cantankerous]

Although this thread is about 20 years old, I found this passage from a WordPress page about WW2 vehicles in Afghan service regarding the beginning of T-34 operational use by the Afghan armed forces:

The Royal Afghan Army ordered twenty-five T-34s in 1955, as replacements for the aging SU-76s. Soviet records indicate that even this small number was delivered in batches, as there were not enough T-34-trained crews and mechanics available. The T-34s were transported by rail to Termez (then in the USSR, today Uzbekistan), floated by barge across the Amu Darya river, and accepted by the Afghans at Hairatan. They were apparently self-driven to Kabul as Afghanistan lacked an internal railway. The final tanks of the twenty-five unit order were delivered in 1957, along with some MiG-15s, Afghanistan’s first combat jets. Part of the purchase was funded by a $3.5 million arms sales credit from the Soviets.

The T-34 was popular with Afghan troops, however no further T-34s were ordered before the monarchy was overthrown in 1973. Maintenance declined after the revolution and for a while in 1975, none of the twenty-five T-34s were fully operational.

In 1978, the communist regime placed an order for a further one hundred and fifty T-34s. The WWII-design T-34 was already three and a half decades old at the time. This second T-34 order was surprising as Afghanistan had already been operating the better, postwar-design T-54/55 tank since the late 1960s. It’s possible the Soviets just gave the T-34s to the Afghans for free, as they had likely been sitting in warehouses for many years by then.