What would you think if you saw a military helicopter just sitting in someone’s yard? Well, those of us in Huntsville, AL have that possibility.
It’s called the Blackhawk Exchange and Sales program. The Army is auctioning off military helicopters. The first attempts were made to sell them to foreign governments. Then, they were offered to the manufacturer for parts. Next, the bidding opens up to the public.
The army is trying to make room for newer, modernized technology by auctioning off helicopters. You can buy one if you have a LOT of money. It is a common practice throughout the military to auction old equipment.
You can go to this website to see all of the equipment for sale. The program product manager, Bradley Bruce, says these helicopters are 40 years old, but they have been kept in flyable condition. They are also stripped of any equipment the military deems sensitive (i.e. weapons).
The buyers are subject to background and credit checks, so the military knows who has them. The bidding starts at $100,000 to $200,000. The military uses this money to buy newer technologies. The helicopters are often re-purposed for fire-fighters or construction companies.
They are sold “as is,” and the purchasers are told to inspect the vehicles before buying them. The winning bidder will have to complete an “end use certificate,” and the Department of Defense must approve the purchase before the helicopters are released to the new owners.
The helicopters are not the only pieces of government equipment being sold in Alabama. There is also a crane truck, exercise equipment, computers, projection equipment, scanners, and even sound recording equipment. Even international residents are allowed to participate in the auction if they have a Social Security number and a valid credit card.
Federal employees are allowed to buy things from the auction if their agency allows it, although they can’t buy equipment if they have any non-public information about the item in question.
Do we want just anyone buying government equipment? Let’s just hope the background checks are thorough enough.
Featured image by Tori Rector via Flickr, available under Creative Commons 2.0 license.
