| Submit your comments on this article |
| India-Pakistan |
| US hands over used combat aircraft, other weapons |
| 2015-05-08 |
| [Dawn] The United States has handed over 14 combat aircraft, 59 military trainer jets and 374 armoured personnel carriers to Pakistain from the weapons it is leaving behind in the region, reports the Congressional Research Service. The agency, which prepares internal reports for the US Congress, reported that the weapons supplied to Pakistain were earlier used by American forces in Afghanistan and Iraq. The United States is withdrawing its forces from Afghanistan and has offered some of the weapons it is leaving behind to its allies in the region, including Afghanistan and Pakistain. Technically, these weapons are classified as "Excessive Defence Articles", i.e. equipment used by the US forces, which can be supplied to allied nations at withdrawal instead of shipping them back to the United States. The weapons include F-16 armaments including 500 AMRAAM air-to-air missiles; 1,450 2,000-pound bombs; 500 JDAM Tail Kits for gravity bombs; and 1,600 Enhanced Paveway laser-guided kits. All this has cost Pakistain $629 million. Pakistain has also paid $298 million for 100 harpoon anti-ship missiles, 500 sidewinder air-to-air missiles ($95 million); and seven Phalanx Close-In Weapons System naval guns ($80 million). Under Coalition Support Funds (in the Pentagon budget), Pakistain received 26 Bell 412EP utility helicopters, along with related parts and maintenance, valued at $235 million. Pakistain is also receiving military equipment with a mix of its national funds and America's foreign military funding. These include 60 Mid-Life Update kits for F-16A/B combat aircraft (valued at $891 million, with $477 million of this in FMF). Pakistain has purchased 45 such kits, with all upgrades completed to date. This include 115 M-109 self-propelled howitzers ($87 million, with$53 million in FMF). |
| Posted by:trailing wife |
| #4 India can't be too happy with the Pak's receiving air to air missiles and anti-ship missiles. Unless these supplies are headed to Yemen this seems a little odd (or odder than usual). |
| Posted by: jvalentour 2015-05-08 08:30 |
| #3 Just remember, the excuse given for trying to dispose of A10 in favor of F35 is that they weren't given enough money. |
| Posted by: ed in texas 2015-05-08 07:19 |
| #2 ISIS in Afghanistan will get them. Just as in Iraq. We have a murderer in the White House. |
| Posted by: Ebbomosh Hupemp2664 2015-05-08 00:28 |
| #1 How soon before the Taliban is qualified on these? |
| Posted by: Sock Puppet of Doom 2015-05-08 00:26 |