The CIA’s Most Wanted Prize: The Stolen Mi-24 Hind #history #coldwar #military #army #education

In the summer of 1985, the Cold War took a dramatic twist. Two Afghan Air Force Mi-24D attack helicopters — fully armed, fully fueled, and ready for combat — suddenly changed course. Instead of flying their mission, they defected straight into Pakistan. What followed was one of the greatest intelligence windfalls for the United States and one of the most embarrassing losses for the Soviet Union.

The Mi-24, nicknamed Hind by NATO, was no ordinary helicopter. Known as the “flying tank,” it combined the firepower of an attack aircraft with the transport capabilities of a troop carrier. In Afghanistan, Mujahideen fighters feared it as an unstoppable predator in the sky. Its thick armor, heavy weapons, and ability to strike hard and fast made it one of the most iconic war machines of the Soviet arsenal.

But on July 13, 1985, two of these machines slipped right out of Soviet control. The Afghan crews landed in Pakistan, requested asylum, and handed over their helicopters. Within days, the aircraft were delivered to the United States.

For the Pentagon, this was the ultimate prize. Engineers and analysts finally had the chance to examine every detail of the Mi-24 — from its avionics and rotor system to its armor plating and weaponry. But most importantly, they wanted to learn how to defeat it. How could NATO forces bring down the helicopter that dominated the skies of Afghanistan?

The incident caused outrage in Moscow. At first, Afghan authorities claimed the helicopters had simply “strayed off course.” But no one believed it. The route was carefully planned, and the pilots had no intention of returning. This was defection — and betrayal.

To make matters worse, it wasn’t the first time. Afghan pilots had already fled to Pakistan with Soviet-supplied helicopters, and they would continue to do so in the years that followed. Despite these warning signs, the USSR still trusted its Afghan allies with state-of-the-art weaponry — and paid the price.

Was the CIA directly involved? Hard evidence is lacking, but Washington’s interest in capturing the Mi-24 was no secret. Reports circulated that the U.S. was willing to pay a million dollars for anyone who could deliver one intact. Whether through bribery, covert influence, or simple opportunism, the Americans got exactly what they wanted.

The stolen Mi-24s were shipped to the United States, where they became test subjects, training aids, and trophies of Cold War espionage. For the Soviets, it was a bitter reminder that their technology was vulnerable — not just to Western firepower, but to disloyalty within their own ranks.

This is the untold story of how America stole one of the Soviet Union’s most feared weapons — not with missiles, but with betrayal and cold, hard cash.

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