Procurement: April 23, 2004

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Russia is selling thousands of Hunter SUVs to the United Nations for use in Afghanistan. Russia has long been known for building inexpensive, and rugged, vehicles, and the Hunter (UAZ-31519) is one of the more recent examples of this. The 1.6 ton vehicle is 13.7 feet long and 5.9 feet wide. It is powered by either a 140 horsepower gas engine or a 86 horsepower diesel. The vehicle can carry 1600 pounds of personnel and cargo. Simple and rugged, the Hunter retails for $6,500. The UN is getting a better deal, closer to the $5,840 wholesale price, and 2,000 have already been delivered. Several thousand more are on the way. While the Afghans prefer more luxurious American and Japanese SUVs, the Hunter will be used for humanitarian and reconstruction projects. The current supply of Hunters will be used mostly by Afghans in the massive voter registration project going on now. The Hunter will also be used by some UN peacekeeping troops, and serve as a low cost jeep. The Russians are hoping that the success of the Hunter in Afghanistan will result in more sales to armed forces that cannot afford the $50,000 (or more) hummer type vehicles favored by more affluent armed forces. 


 

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