The Beasts of Kabul: Inside the Afghan Army's Soviet Tanks

[@nathanielday649]

*correction; Inside the Taliban's soviet tanks

[@forlornhope1116]

Tecnically they just "liberated" them as they themselves kept them running after they captured/inherited them from the Red Army.

[@christo6068]

@@forlornhope1116 yes

[@jeffrey7454]

I doubt the Taliban is keeping them running

[@c32amgftw]

First T-55 were released in the late 40's. Pretty crazy how nearly 80 year old tanks are still fulfilling their intended function.

[@distance5000]

Same with M48 Pattons that are still in active service in Turkey, Taiwan etc.

[@ShengTheCraftsman]

if they can run a decade they can run forever as long as well maintained and use nicely and wisely

[@archer24]

@@ShengTheCraftsman T-55 was produced in the late 50 to 60s

[@lukedontknow9283]

distance5000 the m48 isn’t as good this are fare better

[@some2guy]

t-62

[@shutup2751]

such beasts they didn't even fire a shot, these guys made the 1940 french army look exceptionally good

[@ComasGhost]

US LEFT LMAO

[@ssgus3682]

This aged about as well as French film reels highlighting the strength of the Maginot Line.

[@larryzeldin7561]

What? It’s not un penetrable? Maginot line worked fine,it’s the surprise move through the Ardennes that screwed France. No one expected meth fueled soldiers to go through a thick,dense Forrest. You maybe forgot about the “ phony war”. France and allies just sat back and waited for an attack meanwhile they were the ones to declare war on Germany. Pure stupidity.

[@JoeOvercoat]

Kudos to Col. Ali Reza and his crews. Keeping those running is no mean feat. That said, Russian technology is hardy stuff. Thank you, S&S, for the footage of the T-62: I can only wish there was more,..of the empty engine compartment, for example.

[@jormakivinen4690]

ja.9

[@inouelenhatduy]

lol you should have watch donesk rebel turn on a museum is3 that on the stand for over 60+ year lol or the t34 85 :) soviet tank man

[@vonkaunaz]

Which is exactly how the Abrams tanks the U.S. has supplied to Iraq will look within 30 years from now.

[@RockMohican]

why don't US send abrams to afghan army in afghan like they do in Iraq?

[@furgali1997]

Rock Mohican because the afghans have more experience with russian/soviet weapons and tanks

[@RockMohican]

then why don't the Russian sell them their new tanks?

[@jwenting]

Rock Mohican because the Afghans have no money for them, and the Soviets support the Taliban... If they had money, they could easily get spare parts from other places like India, China, and more tanks to dismantle for parts from all over the world, but they don't have it.

[@furgali1997]

jwenting sorry but thats wrong , russia even donated tanks for the afghan army and india too . And the taliban has also no relation to the russians

[@ardhyaanargha2194]

Even from outside we can see that's not a battle-scarred tank. Its like they're using it right from museum, even the insides were poorly maintained and lubricated..

[@ragzaugustus]

They are very proud of their old monsters aren't they, pretty cool really. And hey, they fight mostly against infantry, so old Russian tanks are perfectly good for fighting tribal fighters.

[@TeddyKrimsony]

unless they have RPGs then it's game over

[@profosyoneloyuncu8161]

Nope welding Cage armor it Will work

[@AkhandBangladesh]

Taliban have ATGMs so yea... these things are coffins

[@gkhobby7722]

Theses tank still works well as infantry support vehicle

[@s1ck-s1de39]

Having a tank is better than none

[@eriksvsirocco]

*Taliban's tanks

[@vintageradioman]

Afghanistan graveyards of the empires.

[@knightlife98]

With these older tanks, I know one thing is for sure....., "Grease is your friend!!!!" Lol...!!!!

[@stummstefan9735]

ur damn right

[@stealth7476]

Vintage tank, still badass as ever.

[@W.Stryker]

The tank museum called. They want their exhibits back

[@sessiontelemetric5618]

Tanks a lot for bringing us this video!

[@haneefkhan7425]

At the end of 2017 all these 50 Tanks will be ready for service. Now we have only 16 of the which work and used in battle. Russia said they will supply the part of these Tanks.

[@safethamzagic7226]

thats a fucking tank fighting for the last 30yrs

[@snb9887]

So weird these guys won't get slightly better tanks. Would surely be helping them. Also would keep up the morale i think. Every army feels recognized with that kind of steel.

[@uchihasurvival]

Haha, they've put an Afghan sticker at 1:38 to cover the Soviet Arm & Sickle symbol. Not trying to hate on Afghan armies.

[@rossmum]

Likely not covering anything. Soviet tanks carried tactical markings (numbers, unit recognition flashes) and for Guards regiments, the Guards badge. The only place you will find a hammer and sickle on a post-WWII Soviet tank is the small ones used for factory markings on individual pieces - not painted all over it like in American movies.

[@joelim5010]

Person i wanna say something back too like you know how to build a tank. Its the people who are working hard that build tank in your country and definitely not you who stay in your house enjoying luxuries your mum provided.

[@alrighty4456]

Person i wanna say something back too they can but it too much to produce. Why make something if it is already there?

[@satryatamasatrya7236]

Not trying to hate on afgan army.... I love it man

[@bevgranger]

This is the coat of arms of the northern alliance

[@TiberiusMaximus]

I'm sure we can give them some old M60s. I understand the hesitation but they need something.

[@ForgotowToUserName]

nearly all middle east countries have shit unit cohesion. and tanks require unit cohesion between crew and infantry to be effective, we would end up just handing these guy's faster gas guzzling coffins.

[@TiberiusMaximus]

for the most part that is true and shit maintenance as well, pretty much non existant

[@gamecubekingdevon3]

technycally, no. M60 is slower, bigger, too much ground pressure, his mecanics need more work to work properly. (and about the firepower, the 115mm smoothbore gun 5UTS/2A20 offer more firepower than the 105L7, in RHA penetration and in antipersonel purposes (stronger HE because bigger caliber)).

[@majorborngusfluunduch8694]

gamecube-king/ devon3 The gun on the M60 is not an L7. It's the M68. And no, it's not a copy of the L7, that's a myth.

[@grobsop6688]

Yes pls give them something. It hurts seeing them have to put up with this crap

[@SithSereyPheap1]

Any tank is a good tank,if it help offer some kind protection in the field of battle....

[@Cinemaphile7783]

"It belongs in a museum!" - Indiana Jones

[@DerDudelino]

Totally makes sense - the Taliban were advancing in nonarmored Jeeps - one shot would be enough to destroy one or two close to each other.

[@frankcastle7777]

People are hating on these tanks but better to have 50 old tanks that means 20 working tanks - mobile cannons basically.

[@peterhewel8984]

Why don't we supply them with some non-Russian parts from someone like Romania? We could probably get refurbished T-62s dirt cheap. For T-72s or T-64s it might be medium priced, but T-62s and T-54/55s should be bargain priced.

[@hebleh5771]

Get some T-34-85 , i hear they're cheap....

[@inouelenhatduy]

+Peter Hewel t64 only can buy from the ukraine but the price are not dirt cheap , t72 are dirty cheap , t62/t55 are pretty good nowday to fight agian terrorist/terrorist light armor car and they pretty cheap + shitload of parts + why buy from romania when you can get part from czech or poland they are dirty cheap + romania are know for low quality weapon :)

[@cuntinakia8122]

+HEBLEH MAN *they´re

[@hebleh5771]

Blitzpunk de Whadaya talking about?

[@cuntinakia8122]

HEBLEH MAN it is called grammar.

[@rkkastarshina3989]

These tanks are nearly 70 years old, but they're still running and they're doing pretty good for their age against the Isis

[@rc59191]

They should of kept those tanks they could of halted the Taliban in their tracks if they stayed sober long enough to drive them into position.

[@podnozulo4213]

Keep training guys because your country needs you.

[@deliriousmvp8791]

Russian equipment was built to last!

[@jpersonen98]

+DeliriousMVP it wasn't tho. Since the average life-legth for a tank (ww2) was just 2,5 months they didn't even bother trying to make em to last lol

[@dr.alangrant8969]

+Joel B that was in World War Two though when resources were low

[@dodododes]

they didnt but it still lasts.... soviets are so damn good

[@PanzerGlowa]

Those tanks were probably build in Poland... btw....

[@kamitorrorga4568]

PanzerGlowa T-62s were only produced in Russia. While at the time of their conception, they served their designer's goals of having a bigger, more powerful gun with some better armor then the T-55, albeit slower. But quickly, the T-55 quickly became better and still cheaper than the T-62 due to new ammo and upgrades to the faster and more reliable chassis. In the end, there were very few buyers of the T-62 because of a lack of real long term advantage, which therefore led to little or no foreign production of the T-62, excluding the Chinese light tank, the Type 62.

[@metalmadsen]

The US didn't build tanks as good as these in the 50ties and 60ties ...

[@peadardonnelly1685]

Didn't need them

[@gamer645464]

+Gert Madsen we had the M48 patton as well as the M60

[@nibotkram7743]

Thank God

[@flight2k5]

Yea we did

[@NewNationale]

+Gert Madsen if i recall we still used m60s in 1989, and some in operation iraqi freedom

[@robertosovietunion7567]

Some of these Soviet era Maìn Battle Tank or MBT the T55 even now Russia supply and used these by the Northern Alliance or NA in Panjshir Valley

[@MatoVuc]

rusty museum piece or not, all take 100, 115 and 125mm HEFrag direct fire support when charging the enemy position without hesitation, especially if i've got no arty support

[@almaguire3492]

Fire the interpreter. He doesn't know the difference between a mortar and an artillery.

[@HeiligerHeuler]

+Al Maguire maybe there's only one word for it in the other language which he may be better at anyways it's not a howitzer (artillery) but a High velocity cannon (tank main gun, what used to be AT guns, pretty sure at guns aren't really a thing anymore though)

[@almaguire3492]

AUT, there is an actual word for it that this guy does not know.

[@almaguire3492]

+AUT_Znarf - I have seen errors in translation cost the lives of our soldiers and the fact that the contracting companies just hire linguists and say "Who cares about accuracy as long as we can bill the army," is awful. Anyhow, thanks for the replies.

[@mathiasbartl9393]

The confusion is probably because the gun is a smoothbore like lot of mortars.

[@chrischong6613]

Anyone who knows more than one language (especially ones that are vastly different) can tell you that there's no such thing as a perfect translation. Things get lost in translation and often official translations of words or phrases can't really convey the entire meaning as understood by native speakers. For example, in Chinese I would translate 地球 as 'Earth' but someone else might translate it as 'globe'.

[@goodknightunited5918]

These beasts were surely roaring when the taliban came.

[@Rob-vv5yn]

30 years of war that's value for money.

[@marcusdanizel9816]

What's so special about Afghanistan 30 years of war Afghanistan has to b clean or make deal with Taliban clean Afghanistan they really need peace prosperity

[@johnsmith-yj2cn]

the joystick don't work?( those handle that is normally used in t-55 /t-62)

[@clintonscottwalsh]

problem with those tanks is the ammo is stored arount the turret making a cook off to happen all the time when striked.

[@thechosen254]

better equipped than the British army 😂

[@coconut6468]

You must be a happy lad.

[@alex3373]

Bet it smells like shit in those tanks

[@DmitriyKurzin]

+alex3373 you are the shit

[@alex3373]

+Dmitriy Kurzin mediocre foolish soldiers, mediocre foolish equipment, mediocre foolish country👎🏻

[@dodododes]

yea nobody uses 50/60s american tanks becose they ARE shit

[@matty9699]

why do you guys assume hes american right of the bat like that he might be from spain or some shit with but right of the bat when he saids something wrong you guys are like yup hes american

[@mzmadmike]

doodoo: Is that why the Israelis made the entire Arab world their bitch in 6 days using upgraded Shermans?

[@zidfih1176]

For me, the T-62 is the most beautiful tank ever made, too bad it's a useless piece of junk.

[@13thSystem]

Well if they are still running after decades of service, they must really be reliable being maintained and repaired with nothing but scrap metal.

[@hitoshisawa8479]

hand cranking the turret dam

[@4555joe]

You do not see weapons from any other countries lasting this long!!!! Great tanks..

[@benlaskowski357]

'Rusting museum pieces'? They WORK, don't they? A tank's only as good as its crews, not its age.

[@alfalfa6293]

They are now part of the Taliban's force.

[@u.s.militia7682]

You fight with what you’ve got.

[@ScipioXII]

Once Afghanistan is peaceful they should use those tanks as a tourist ride. "Drive and fire from a Russian tank! Only $50.00 a shot + $29.99 for every mile driven"

[@gamecubekingdevon3]

even if they are obsolete as anti MBT units, their smoothbore 115mm 2A20/5UTS is still enough to destroy light AFV and any kind of infantry units.

[@dustinmiller7317]

that and most neighboring country that they might get into a fight with are not going to have anything much newer than that anyway

[@dustinmiller7317]

gotta realize some country's over there are still using Shermans that they fitted with a 105

[@kchiang4]

They look like scared puppies. 300,000 puppies vs 80,000 wolves

[@freshfrozen3035]

Better than nothing, so leave em alone

[@nationalistpersia5279]

Our antiques and we want em back

[@maciejrusser9503]

Holy shit those things don't need a smoke screen, they are one

[@josephmontanaro2350]

Maciej Russer they actualy have a feture where fuel can be burned to make a smoke screen, most tanks from that era have the ability to do this, if I recall it has something to do with burning fuel on top of the engine on a dedicated surface so tanks could lay smoke for other AFVs and dismounted infentry when attacking a fixed position (additionally smoke grenade launchers can be added for a multi directional smoke screen for personal defense of the tank, where smoke laying is used to cover other maneuvering elements)

[@maciejrusser9503]

Joseph Montanaro Thats actually really interesting. I'll read into it

[@SupesMe]

Noticed they Moved the Turret & Elevated the Gun Manually. I wonder if they always do it that way? Like maybe all the Hydraulics that do it are shot? Hope not

[@MidnightmoonRR]

Rusting museum pieces? Oh screw you Buddy, the T-62 has a lot of life left in her. but still, that is really cool, Id love to get that close and mess around with a T-62

[@Sunsetgunmenlol]

Most look like T-62A's but when i saw one at the beginning i thought i saw a obj 140 or IS-8

[@jokeen2006]

U.S: Let's throw away our M60's they trash Russia: TANK IS TANK

[@isacchris1]

The parts can’t be hard to find if you send someone out of the country! A good master mechanic should be able to recreate or refurbished most all of the parts!!!

[@Tappettava]

0:38 How is the audio quality so bad when narrated, but seconds later the audio from the location is great?

[@hadiahmadi8006]

زنده‌باد(‌🇦🇫ارتش‌🇦🇫)افغانستان‌جانم‌فدای‌افغانستان🇦🇫🇦🇫🇦🇫💚❤🖤👍

[@MrCatlolz]

He doesn't even know the caliber of the tanks main gun... and they use the OLD ammunition? o_O

[@1joshjosh1]

Who made this guy a colonel?

[@router9717]

Beautiful technological marvels

[@batman-cw2hd]

someday all this will belong to the taliban.

[@foxtrotwhiskey874]

Someday lol, they already belong to them.

[@Sakkehattu]

Its weird to think how far we've come with technology. 2-3 modern MBT's could take out that whole battalion, most likely without suffering any losses or significant damage.

[@theodorbutters141]

+Sakkehattu Training makes the biggest difference. You can have the best tanks in the world, but if you don't have a highly trained crew behind them, you're just in a metal coffin, waiting to be hit...

[@Jaksel88]

Theodor Butters train tank crew on this video 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@theodorbutters141]

lol You'll get huge biceps by hand-turning the turret and improved eyesight from aiming with a $5 telescope taped on the barrel. Also because it'll break down more often, you'll be an expert in tank repair ;) ;)

[@sherbetgod3066]

Hmmm T-55 being produced from 40-s and still works and looks nice! Abrams being produced from 70-s and the best looking trophy Abrams is corpse without cannon and tracks... explain to me pls, how can people call this tanks trash if even their best mbt’s can’t survive enough...

[@viditjain4818]

these tanks are older than the crew of these tanks, they are probably of their parents age.

[@Diegovnia]

Welcome to Soviet Union where safety and crew comfort is our no. 1 priority :D Cost of low profile.

[@SpaceTestMonkey]

Turkey still operates M60s. but they've been modernized, these things are all original...

[@2lbsTrigrPull]

They move the turret by hand? Isn't it operated mechanically with electric motors?

[@Kevin-fj5oe]

For precise aiming in those time they still use hand since electric control isn't as precise, or simply broken from time

[@TenebrusI07]

Glorified metal coffins.

[@lmlmd2714]

The Americans could easily help. Modern tanks would be useless, to expensive, tempremental and hard to maintain - but the US has ties with Ukraine, Georgia and the baltic states which have an abundance of old Soviet kit that hasn't been worn out in consant battle. They could scrape together 50-100 or so T-62 and T-72 units to replace these, and a warehouse load of unused spares. Alternatively, it would be sensible for Afghanistan to start talking to Russia or a friendly intermediary like Tajikstan or Turkmenistan to get a direct supply line of spares

[@takroo2282]

the transletor can't translete his english is too weak

[@ШамильЛатыпов-в9й]

Т-62 безопасней для экипажа чем Т-72.

[@imperialcomputersolutions9488]

Old is gold and gold is never old thanks Russia

[@chooyongming110]

Looks like Afganistan tanks need some better technology and increase in the number of tanks. One thing to notice inside the tank in this video, it looks very cramped.

[@marcusdanizel9816]

I'm an Indian I want Afghanistan to increase its export make good economy so it can buy some new stuff use it as long as you can Buy new Russian stuff we are there to help

[@1joshjosh1]

Serve proud tankers!!

[@kylelemire6049]

What a joke a trained tank crew would eat these fools

[@safa111]

There were many Aircrafts, tanks and other military equipment, but the US and NATO destroyed it for no reasons.

[@dragontp99]

Thanks Afghan Army,now I know how to manipulate a T-62 tank.

[@geminivega2219]

This tanks Still Deadly It can literally Destroy my Neighbors House

[@geminivega2219]

@@gawgaw6941 yah but still deadly

[@alannguyen2221]

I was expecting to see a lot of hate in the comments towards the ANA...I'm surprised

[@raycom32]

They are using the Russian Bias, there’s a reason why they are old but they work

[@suprask8r]

now in possession of the taliban

[@thedoghunter98]

wow thats cool old abandoned soviet tanks revived fuck look how dusty they were shit nice russia like 50 years of neglect and they still workm

[@bobpew9567]

Russian stuff works but it doesnt work well ahah There is videos of ww2 tanks just firing straight up which is amazing

[@thedoghunter98]

Lol cool

[@mmmcheeseyes8655]

Are those T-62’s and T-55’s?

[@alejandrocasalegno1657]

Are T-62.....the chassis is similar, the great diference is the cannon, smoothbore U-5TS in 115 MM.

[@mmmcheeseyes8655]

alejandro casalegno I thought I saw a T-55 sonewhere, But alright, perhaps I do know the differente between the T-62 and T-55

[@alejandrocasalegno1657]

ECs Di. Are a some T-55 at 0.05 , but are not operational.

[@hermantinoherman5319]

no offense...these stock basic model t 62 can only effectively function as a long range fire support..or self propelled gun.rpg 7 of 60s design can and almost all the time do penetrate the frontal armour during battle..rasulting in ammunation explosion.i hope the afgan knew about this...

[@halnineooo136]

Any modern ATGM would cut through this like butter. Merely coffins on tracks.

[@briskxd1093]

HAL NineOoO Even a RPG would as well pretty sure.

[@michealstevenson4137]

were doing a great job arming these guys to fight our enemy

[@MrBlonde294]

you dont need better weapons for this kind of war, we need better tactics!

[@friedmurmur]

The city of Cobble?

[@bodyboardingtoday4897]

Tankers lead the way. Why turquoise beret?

[@Juzgames]

in todays modern warfare a tank is like an iron coffin....

[@gamecubekingdevon3]

in todays modern warfare, air units are just SPAAG's breakfast, foot infantry are just tank's breakfast. and tanks are the cheapest units to offer an good level of protection against NBC.

[@virduarte100]

Leave Afghanistan in peace!

[@Dba5675]

they don't need to fire a shot they can jack up the Taliban with their exhaust.

[@seoulkidd1]

Damn that turent is small. They'll love a AMX30, LEO1 or a M60a3

[@TotalRookie_LV]

Can't China help? Not with T-62, perhaps, but with parts for T-54 / T-55, as China made copies of those. Or maybe ask Iraq, if they could sell their old Soviet and Chinese tanks for spares.

[@gamecubekingdevon3]

technically, china could even trying to sell some VT4 (MBT3000) wich got an EXACT copy of M1A2's electronics, an similar armor (little bit thinner to be lighter) and an 125mm gun with autoloader. but, afghanistan don't got the money.

[@Carlos-nq7up]

China ? They can't make a decent bicycle, I have relatives that live in Cuba and own shitty Chinese bicycles, they fall apart after less than a year of usage.

[@NeoPsychosis-zg2ki]

Damn, somebody sell them T-72's or some chinese tanks start from type 96 !

[@lukedontknow9283]

Couldn’t they just put truck engines in to use them it would be worth it

[@eltsennestle998]

I wouldn't want to be depending on these sad looking soldiers in antique vehicles.

[@messerknartz]

5:33 Well, that's why the US intervented in the first place..