KABUL (SW): The Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) has raised concerns over procurements of equipment and vehicles valued at $ 634 million for the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces (ANDSF).
The watchdog has raised these concerns in a letter to General John F. Campbell Commander, United States Forces – Afghanistan Major General Todd T. Semonite Commanding General, Combined Security Transition Command – Afghanistan Dear General Campbell and General Semonite.
“I am concerned that we may be buying equipment and vehicles in quantities that exceed the needs of the ANDSF. I am also concerned that such large acquisitions could prompt the premature disposal of equipment and vehicles that have already been issued to the ANDSF and that have significant service life remaining”, John F. Sopko, the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction wrote.
The procurements are listed as High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles (HMMWVs) for the Afghan National Army (ANA) ($166 million; 14-E1A-207A); M16A4 Rifles for the Afghan National Police ($35 million; 15-E1P-300A), Medium Tactical Vehicles (MTV) for the ANA ($381 million; 14-E1A-205A), and, Ammunition for the ANA ($52 million; 14-S1A-407X).
SIGAR has asked the US military leadership following questions regarding the procurements;
1. What is the final quantity required for the procurement?
2. How did CSTC-A determine the need for each procurement and the quantity of the equipment or vehicles to be procured?
3. Were Afghan officials involved in generating the requirements for each procurement, and do they continue to believe that each procurement is necessary?
4. Prior to initiating each procurement, did the Department of Defense consider whether excess equipment or vehicles in its possession were available and whether transfer of those items would have been a suitable alternative to a new procurement?
5. For items purchased to replace currently-issued items, what criteria were used to determine the need for replacement? How those criteria were determined, and how did CSTC-A determine the quantity of the items to be procured?
6. When procuring replacement items, are the requirements reevaluated at any point in the process to ensure that they are still needed?
7. Regarding the MTVs and HMMWVs, how did CSTC-A determine that brand-new vehicles were needed?
ENDS
