As the UK withdraws all its equipment from Iraq, auctions are being held to sell off kit that won't be brought back to Britain to businessmen in the Middle East.
As the UK withdraws all its equipment from Iraq, auctions are being held to sell off kit that won't be brought back to Britain to businessmen in the Middle East.
While equipment that can be used again is being returned to Britain in good order for refurbishment and redistribution to troops elsewhere, surplus kit, from scrap metal to pick-up trucks, that would cost more to return to the UK than it is actually worth, is being sold off locally.
The auction operation benefits both the expanding Iraqi economy, with good deals on scrap, vehicles and furniture, and the British taxpayer, who stands to recoup in excess of £1m as well as reap savings in dismantling, decommissioning, transportation and storage costs.
Head of Overseas Disposals for the Ministry of Defence's Disposal Services Authority, Scott McCulloch, has made numerous visits to Basra to get the best return on surplus equipment for the taxpayer.
He said:
"The amount of money we save is very important, not only is the price paid quite significant but it’s a big saving when you look at shipping and storage costs in the UK. Overall it’s been a huge saving to the UK taxpayer."
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