Soviet ASU-85 airborne assault guns of the 103rd Guards Air Assault Division were airlifted into Bagram Air Base outside Kabul. Just prior to to the Soviet motor rifle divisions rolling over the border the Soviets expanded their airborne strength in the Afghan city during early December 1979.

I've seen one picture in a recent publication from Pen & Sword 'The Soviet-Afghan War' from their excellent 'Images of War' series. I will try and get you either a scan or photo of the picture in the book- in the meantime the caption beneath it reads:

Quoted Text

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Soviet ASU-85 airborne assault guns of the 103rd Guards Air Assault Division were airlifted into Bagram Air Base outside Kabul. Just prior to to the Soviet motor rifle divisions rolling over the border the Soviets expanded their airborne strength in the Afghan city during early December 1979.

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The picture is from the authors collection (the author is Anthony Tucker-Jones) and it shows four ASU-85's in the snow behind a line-up of aircraft with the first ASU in the picture numbered '532'. As I said, I will get you the picture at some point.

Hi,
i found this picture


I think it's the same that jamal means. I scanned it from one of those anual review books from 1980. Asu-85 in the background. somewhere I#ve seen a colored version of this picture but I don't no where and the qualitiy was also not the best. The Gaz-66 are also intersting because at least two of them are Gaz-66v with the soft top. And it seems that one of the btr-d is an command variant. I hope this picture helps a bit.

Quoted Text

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I've seen one picture in a recent publication from Pen & Sword 'The Soviet-Afghan War' from their excellent 'Images of War' series. I will try and get you either a scan or photo of the picture in the book- in the meantime the caption beneath it reads:

Quoted Text

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Soviet ASU-85 airborne assault guns of the 103rd Guards Air Assault Division were airlifted into Bagram Air Base outside Kabul. Just prior to to the Soviet motor rifle divisions rolling over the border the Soviets expanded their airborne strength in the Afghan city during early December 1979.

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The picture is from the authors collection (the author is Anthony Tucker-Jones) and it shows four ASU-85's in the snow behind a line-up of aircraft with the first ASU in the picture numbered '532'. As I said, I will get you the picture at some point.

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I have the book, but are you sure that the pic of the ASU is in Afghanistan?, I have a feeling that it isnt.
by the way I have a pic from a local newspaper from the mid 80s in black and white from a Soviet base in Afghanistan with BMDs GAZ-66 and in the back 5 ASUs,but you cant see the paint or the markings, maybe I will scan the pic for you

Hi Guys,
I have just had a quick scan of the Soviet General Staff report on the Soviet Afghan war and I cannot find any reference to the ASU 85, another source stated that each Airborne Assault Division had 1 battalion of ASUs (31) vehicles, but nothing on their deployment in the DRA. I also had a quick look at the DRA forces but again nothing.
Given the Soviet tactics at the time it’s possible they realised very quickly that the vehicle would have a limited utility in country, as their airborne troops quickly took to the sky in helicopters or when on the road in BTRs, BMPs and BMD/BRDM.
Whilst I’m no expert on this subject its possible some did arrive in the initial stages of the war given that the Soviets couldn’t completely trust the DRA forces, politically or militarily and as such believed they could have faced a more conventional military opposition.
I will keep looking and if I find anything will drop it here.
Redprol

Redprol, any link to the general staff report?

The picture is from the authors collection (the author is Anthony Tucker-Jones) and it shows four ASU-85's in the snow behind a line-up of aircraft with the first ASU in the picture numbered '532'.

I think it’s a dead end.

Dear Mauro !

All photos in Your post were made in Russia, in Peace-time.

Well I guess I'm going to have to dig out my videos from the famed "Kabul Boneyard" which was actually closer to Pol-i-Sharki, and see what I have. I took them in 2002, even before jackasses came and started tagging everything. If one pops up I'll let you know. I do know I found an early T-54 and a T-34/85, so anything's possible.