Hi,
I think that's easier to send an already existing unit instead of reorganise it is one reaseon why the ASU-85 was send to Afghanistan. The other I guess is that it was unclear how the afghan army whould react to the soviet intervention. Especially if the assasination attempt on Amin had failed the afghan army couldturn against the soviets. Then an vehicle with enough firepower to oppose afghan tnaks would be needed.

I found the other half of the picture I already posted. it's a color photo but only one ASU-85 in the background visible.
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_dyPBuGgzcss/Sb6ZqqW08tI/AAAAAAAAB_w/8YRPzaa3eCk/s1600-h/Lochon.jpg

It's from an french journalist Francois Lochon. I try to find out if this photo is part of a series but I couldn't the only thing i found also is this video of the Kabul airpot in 1979. no ASU-85 visible only BMDs but maybe helpfulhow soviet vehicles look in general in the early stage of the Invasion(dirt,etc,...)

http://www.ina.fr/histoire-et-conflits/autres-conflits/video/CAA7902074501/afghanistan-aeroport-kaboul.fr.html

i saw the photo which Eduard posted on a russian website 8 I can't find anymore) where it was underwritten with 1982 but i don't know how reliable thisI don't no how reliable this allegation is.

I would tend to agree with Kurt, especially concerning the Soviets. They tended to "stick to the plan" far more fervently than we might think because "the plan' often worked well even if more soldiers got killed. Also, this would have given them a excellent deployment practice.

I would guess that the ASU-85 was deployed and then very quickly reloaded and returned to the USSR. At that time there was absolutely NO reason to just leave them in Kabul...if nothing else, there was practice reloading and unloading/dropping them again...

Kral was very kind to send me the pic of the ASU-85 in Afghanistan. I'm very surprised to see that the one in the pic does not have the MG cupola mount. Can someone one teach me the external differences between the 1970 and the 1956 Trumpeter models? I want to know which would best match the vehicle in question.


Erik

Hi,

to clarify. You mean the photo in which Frenchy pointed or is it a diffent one? Because the first is taken during the "Dvina" exercise in March 1970 and not during the Afghanwar.

Perhaps not much info but for the record the picture of the ASU's in Kabul airport can be found at gettyimages. Here's the provided information on that photo:

AFGHANISTAN - DECEMBER 29: Army Soviet in Kabul in Kabul, Afghanistan on December 29, 1979. (Photo by Francois LOCHON/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images)
Date created: 29 Dec 1979
Editorial image #: 108570585


http://www.gettyimages.co.uk/detail/news-photo/army-soviet-in-kabul-in-kabul-afghanistan-on-december-29-news-photo/108570585

So IMHO it seem safe to state that they were there during the first invasion stage.

Cheers,
/E