Monday, May 5, 2008

US arms to Pakistan both ‘big ticket’, terror related

 

Pentagon says military sales to Pakistan worth $4.55bn during 2002-07

By Khalid Hasan

WASHINGTON: Major government-to-government arms sales and grants to Pakistan since 2001 have included items useful for counter-terrorism operations, along with a number of "big ticket" platforms more suited to conventional warfare, according to the Congressional Research Service (CRS). Not a great deal has changed since November 2007 except for the increased value of Foreign Military Financing (FMF) for maritime patrol aircraft and the increased value of Foreign Military Sales (FMS) for F-16 armaments. Negotiations on Hawkeye AEW remain inconclusive. Military sales: In dollar value terms, the bulk of purchases is made with Pakistani national funds. The Pentagon reports total FMS agreements with Pakistan worth $4.55 billion for finance years 2002-2007. In-process sales of F-16 combat aircraft and related equipment account for about three-quarters of this figure. The United States also has provided Pakistan with nearly $1.6 billion in FMF since 2001, including scheduled FY2008 funds, with a "base programme" of $300 million per year beginning in FY2005. These funds are used to purchase US military equipment. The CRS said that Pakistan also had been granted US defence supplies as Excess Defence Articles (EDA). Major post-2001 defence supplies paid for with FMF include: eight P-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft and their refurbishment (valued at $474 million); about 5,250 TOW anti-armour missiles ($186 million); more than 5,600 military radio sets ($163 million); six AN/TPS-77 surveillance radars ($100 million, all delivered and in operation); six C-130E transport aircraft and their refurbishment ($76 million, all delivered and in operation); and 20 AH-1F Cobra attack helicopters granted under EDA, then refurbished ($48 million, 12 delivered, 8 pending refurbishment). The CRS said supplies paid for with a mix of Pakistani national funds and FMF include: up to 60 mid-life update kits for F-16A/B combat aircraft (valued at $891 million, with $108 million of this in FMF - Pakistan's current plans are to purchase 46 of these); and 115 M-109 self-propelled howitzers ($87 million, with $53 million in FMF). Notable items paid for entirely with Pakistani national funds include: 18 new F-16C/D Block 50/52 combat aircraft, with an option for 18 more (valued at $1.43 billion); F-16 armaments including 500 AMRAAM air-to-air missiles; 1,450 2,000-pound bombs; 500 JDAM bomb tail kits; and 1,600 Enhanced Paveway laser-guided bomb kits ($667 million); 100 Harpoon anti-ship missiles ($298 million, 70 delivered); 500 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles ($95 million, 300 delivered); and six Phalanx close-in naval guns ($80 million). The CRS said while the Pentagon has notified Congress to the possible transfer to Pakistan of three P-3B aircraft as EDA grants that would be modified to carry the E-2C Hawkeye airborne early warning suite in a deal worth up to $855 million, negotiations have not progressed beyond the notification stage. If implemented, FMF could be used towards this purchase. Major EDA grants since 2001 include four F-16A/B combat aircraft (10 more such aircraft will be transferred to Pakistan as they become excess to the US Air Force) and 16 T-37 military trainer jets (20 more are pending). Under Coalition Support Funds (part of the Pentagon budget), Pakistan received 26 Bell 412 helicopters, along with related parts and maintenance, valued at $235 million.
Courtesy Daily Times

 

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