Article

2005-07-02 Afghanistan/South Asia

Archived material is restricted to Rantburg regulars and members. If you need access email fred.pruitt=at=gmail.com with your nick to be added to the members list. There is no charge to join Rantburg as a member.

Posted by Fred 2005-07-02 00:00|| || Front Page|| [7 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 It bothers me than India is stuck with Mig-21 widow makers when they could have high quality Super Hornets. It's not right. I'm haveing trouble sleeping at night. You guys set for General Purpose frigates? We gottem several low hour OHP Class for the right country.

Posted by Shipman 2005-07-02 13:44|| 2005-07-02 13:44|| Front Page Top

#2 LPH? LSDs? Sure why not. They're kinda manpower intensive, but hey, maybe that not a problem you have.

Posted by Shipman 2005-07-02 13:45|| 2005-07-02 13:45|| Front Page Top

#3 No Minutemen III, we don't know you that well. You may however leave a card, and call on Sunday aftertnoon.

Posted by Shipman 2005-07-02 13:46|| 2005-07-02 13:46|| Front Page Top

#4 Don't we have a carrier we plan to decommission? I think it would make a great addition to the Indian navy. Of course, we'll give Japan and Taiwan first offers, but I doubt they'll wish to make that kind of purchase - at least, not right now. Yep, India has cash, and the US has some obsolescent weapons systems that would be first-line in India. Sounds good to me!

Posted by Old Patriot">Old Patriot 2005-07-02 14:00|| http://oldpatriot.blogspot.com/]">[http://oldpatriot.blogspot.com/] 2005-07-02 14:00|| Front Page Top

#5 They would have had the LCA to replace the Mig-21's, if Clinton hadn't decided to cut off their supply of engines.

My suggestion: they buy a parts stockpile for whatever they get, to ride out the next change-of-administration.

Posted by Phil Fraering 2005-07-02 14:07|| http://newsfromthefridge.typepad.com]">[http://newsfromthefridge.typepad.com] 2005-07-02 14:07|| Front Page Top

#6 Or license the engines and other essentials for local manufacture.

Posted by mojo">mojo 2005-07-02 14:30|| 2005-07-02 14:30|| Front Page Top

#7 Sure, several of the oil-burners (Ranger, JFK, Saratoga) should be available. We've pretty much gone all-nuke for our CVs.

Plus it would be ironic that they would need to call the USA for tech support.

Posted by Jackal">Jackal 2005-07-02 15:29|| home.earthlink.net/~sleepyjackal/index.html]">[home.earthlink.net/~sleepyjackal/index.html] 2005-07-02 15:29|| Front Page Top

#8 OP-
Agree with you wholeheartedly that at CV might be a good idea, but the operating cost is a real problem. Let's go with Ship's suggestion and expand on it a bit: some OHP frigates and as many of the VLS Spruances we can rustle up. With the SLCM capability the Sprucans can provide, ol' Perv ought to have a lot of sleepless nights.

Mike

Posted by Mike Kozlowski 2005-07-02 16:11|| 2005-07-02 16:11|| Front Page Top

#9 lol, Jackal! "Uh, yes, this is India calling, can you patch me through to GE?"

"Yes, sir. We here at GE are here to help. How are you all enjoying your new boats?"

Posted by BA">BA 2005-07-02 16:14|| 2005-07-02 16:14|| Front Page Top

#10 No Minutemen III, we don't know you that well. You may however leave a card, and call on Sunday aftertnoon.

Shipman -- too funny! Were you planning on serving English tea or chai when they come to call?

Posted by trailing wife 2005-07-02 18:45|| 2005-07-02 18:45|| Front Page Top

#11 Perv, since you can't find Osama, coming soon to a city near you...

Posted by john 2005-07-02 19:50|| 2005-07-02 19:50|| Front Page Top

#12 :> TW. Good manners is important. One of my Great Aunts kept all her calling cards from gentlemen friends until she shuffled off (in style), a fine collection.

Posted by Shipman 2005-07-02 20:34|| 2005-07-02 20:34|| Front Page Top

#13 Pakiwakiland understands why we did this. The Indians & ChiComs are in bed together, so it is only logical to jump in bed with them.

Alliances are not always for alliance but a simbiotic use and exploitation of each other on a gentleman's level. Makes for great PR too.

We only sucked up to the Pakis during the cold war to help build an electronic surveillance fence around the USSR.

We sucked up to the Pakis while the USSR was bogged down in Afghanistan to help get stingers and other assistance to the mujidhadeen fighting the Soviets. Payback for Vietnam? Who cares.

We only sucked up to Pakiwakiland after 9-11 to help squash the ape-like Taliban being used by Pakiwakiland to keep the Northwest Frontier Province and other areas somewhat stable.

Pakiwakiland knows this and should stop sobbing... hell didn't we just sell them some more fighter aircraft?

Posted by Ebbolutle Glomoter8655 2005-07-02 21:10|| 2005-07-02 21:10|| Front Page Top

#14 Pakistanis are quite ungrateful.

US military aid has provided various weapon systems that will neutralize any Indian conventional advantage

6 C-130E Refurbished Hercules
26 Jetranger helicopters
Tactical Radios
Training in heliborne night operations
(to counter any Indian ops in Kashmir)

40 Cobra helicopters
2,000 TOW missiles,
(To deal with Indian Army T72 tanks)

5 Aerostat radars
(for looking deep into India)

155mm Howitzers
6 AN/TPS-77 radars plus Command & Control software
(for counter battery fire on Indian artillery)

8 P-3C Refurbished & Upgraded Orions
6 Phalanx CIWS,
60 Harpoon missiles,
(to deal with the Indian Navy)

300 Sidewinder missiles,
75 F-16s (with advanced BVR missiles and PGM capability)
(to deal with the Indian air force)

Posted by john 2005-07-02 21:19|| 2005-07-02 21:19|| Front Page Top

#15 John, I think you must have one of those special T1+ lines, either that or you know someone at the phone co. (Pak-Bell)

Posted by Red Dog 2005-07-02 22:04|| 2005-07-02 22:04|| Front Page Top

#16 John, what kinda BVR missile? Don't think they're getting AMRAAM, and I'm not certain if a Sparrow works from an F-16?

Posted by Shipman 2005-07-02 22:36|| 2005-07-02 22:36|| Front Page Top

#17 The PAF is making noises about AMRAAM.

I would not be surprised if they get it.

Object of some in the US Gov't is to provide Pak with enough weaponry that they begin to feel secure wrt India. Thinking seems to be that a secure Pak will be more amenable to making peace in Kashmir and finally tackling the Islamists.

Needless to say, this strategy of arming Pak is fraught with danger.

Posted by john 2005-07-02 22:47|| 2005-07-02 22:47|| Front Page Top

#18 fraught with danger

I call it feeding the hyenas

Posted by Frank G">Frank G 2005-07-02 23:39|| 2005-07-02 23:39|| Front Page Top

23:43 Frank G
23:42 Frank G
23:39 Frank G
22:53 Jan
22:47 john
22:43 muck4doo
22:40 Bomb-a-rama
22:36 Shipman
22:29 Barbara Skolaut
22:15 muck4doo
22:09 Rocky
22:05 Sock Puppet 0â Doom
22:04 Red Dog
21:54 Frank G
21:42 Mangy w/haircut
21:31 Atomic Conspiracy
21:19 john
21:10 Ebbolutle Glomoter8655
21:09 Jackal
21:04 Frank G
20:52 Ebbolutle Glomoter8655
20:44 Shipman
20:43 Shipman
20:38 Shipman