AZ: Scud Missle and BRDM in Arizona Desert

Gun Watch ^ | 30 April, 2016 | Dean Weingarten

[marktwain]

This picture was taken near Tacna, Arizona at the beginning of April, 2016.  I believe the missile is a mock-up of a Scud B and the MAZ-543 launcher, mounted on a trailer.  I do not think a dually Ford would be able to move around a real Scud and launcher, but maybe.  The Scud B, loaded, would be about 7 tons.  But I cannot see sane U.S. military forces  allowing an missile fuelled with tons of kerosene and nitric acid out on the highways and desert for a training exercise.  Without the fuel or warhead, maybe the Ford could handle it.

The armored vehicle, which looks to be a real BRDM-2 (Combat Reconnaissance Patrol Vehicle), is another matter.  This one is capable of being driven about.  Some have been reported being used as taxis in Russia today.

If you wonder what it would take to purchase one, they are available for about,$23,000 to $27,000, not counting shipping or import fees.  They are meant to withstand small arms fire up to 7.62 mm. I do not know if that is the NATO 7.62X51 armor piercing, or the East Block 7.62X39 or 7.62X54.  The 7.62X54 is  roughly the ballistic equivalent of the NATO round.

It is not every day that you see former Soviet/Russian or East block missile launchers and armored vehicles in the Arizona desert; unless you are on Yuma Proving Ground.  These were not, and that made them interesting.

Back in the middle 1990's, there were rumors and conspiracy theories floating about of Soviet armor being "prepositioned" in the United States, supposedly for a Red Dawn type take over, facilitated by traitors in the Clinton administration.  I considered them all bereft of plausibility.

I was shocked and stunned when travelling through West Texas.  I saw a whole trainload of Soviet armored vehicles heading West, while I was heading East.

There were T-72 tanks, BMPs, and one or more  BRMDs.  The train was not short, and I watched with wonderment as dozens of Soviet era armored vehicles headed West on American railroad tracks. This was before widespread cell phones, digital cameras, and only a rudimentary Internet.

When I returned to Yuma Proving Ground a few days later, I thought my tale of Soviet armor would brand me a conspiracy theorist of the first order.  But I told my colleagues of the sighting anyway.  Truth deserves an audience.

I expected scepticism and disbelief.  Instead, I got a "Yeah, we just unloaded them over the last week.  They are here for target ID and research use."

I wonder if the BRMD was one of those that came over with that shipment.

©2016 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.
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[marktwain]

I am fairly certain the Scud is a mockup. The MAZ-543 clearly is. It is mounted on a U.S. semi-trailer, so none of the motive parts of the MAZ are there.

I have read other reports of East Bloc Armor being transported by train around the U.S. to military bases for testing, evaluation, and training.

[Hulka]

Tactical targets for the Goldwater Range.

Nothing more.

[GreyFriar]

I also think the Scud is a mockup. The train loads of Soviet equipment in the 90s were probably captured Iraqi tanks and other Soviet/Chicom vehicles captured after the Gulf War. I remember driving home after work when I was assigned to Ft, Knox in 1974 of seeing a dozen or so flat cars with tarp covered tanks on one of the rail sidings on post. I didn’t think much of it until I got to a stop light and had time to look at the profile and the road wheels. that was when I realized that the tanks were T-62s.

[jneesy]

more than likely a mockup for our pilots to practice target id

[mylife]

BRDMs and all types of soviet armorment roam the desert hills and skys of Ft Irwin in Ca as OPFOR

[calljack]

Movie prop maybe?

[nascarnation]

Ford commercial? Trying to cut into the Toyota lock on raghead mil vehicle sales?

/s/s/s/s/s

[mylife]

When a Hind pops up over the mountain it can ruin your day.

[BenLurkin]

Movie magic

[Celtic Conservative]

Attack helicopter on steroids. That thing has its own troop compartment. In Afghanistan they would load up the troop compartment with spare ammo and rockets. When they ran low on ammo they would land, reload and go back into combat.

CC

[dynachrome]

Lot’s of fun soviet stuff for sale at the link from the article, including a WW2 German/austrian tugboat. I want one of their amphib vehicles.

http://sovietarmor.com/catalog/armored/brdm_2.html

[mylife]

I had one pop up on me at Ft Irwin. Holy Carp!

[Celtic Conservative]

That would be a pucker up moment!

CC

[Hulka]

On the range there are huge complexes plowed out, airfields for example, with SAM sites, runways, aircraft in revetments, even railroad cars, etc. . .lots of fun to plan an attack and strafe and bomb.

I have many fun memories of doing just that when I was at D-M, checking out in the A-10.

Just a few targets:
Airfield: 32.71496, -112.600429
Airfield: 32.637677, -113.200029
Runway: 32.463065, -113.183013
SAM Site: 32.71496, -112.600429
Target: 32.690845, -113.296456

[Hulka]

Another airfield: 32.463065, -113.183013