The U.S. State Department may soon be transferring 1,000 Hellfire missiles to Pakistan, along with associated equipment, parts, training and logistical support including attack helicopters and communications technology for an estimated cost of $952 million.
This week the Petagon’s Defence Security Cooperation Agency said that the State Department had approved a “possible” Foreign Military Sale to Pakistan for AH-1Z Viper Attack Helicopters and AGM-114R Hellfire II Missiles along with the additional defence supplies.
“This proposed sale will contribute to the foreign policy and national security of the U.S. by helping to improve the security of a country vital to U.S. foreign policy and national security goals in South Asia,” the DSCA said in the release.
The DSCA however emphasised that that the U.S. weapon deliveries were solely intended to “provide Pakistan with military capabilities in support of its counterterrorism and counter-insurgency operations in South Asia… [and] will not alter the basic military balance in the region.”
Explaining Washington’s perspective on how Pakistan would deploy the weapons and weapons systems after the transfer the DSCA noted that it would provide Pakistan with “precision strike, enhanced survivability aircraft that it can operate at high-altitudes. By acquiring this capability, Pakistan will enhance its ability to conduct operations in North Waziristan Agency, the Federally Administered Tribal Areas, and other remote and mountainous areas in all-weather, day-and-night environments.”
The Pakistani would have no difficulty absorbing these helicopters into its armed forces, the agency added.
If the U.S. Congress approves the transaction there is likely to be consternation in New Delhi regarding the risk that military hardware could be diverted from the Durand Line or other parts of Pakistan towards its troubled eastern border with India.
In addition to the 15 Viper Attack Helicopters, and the 1,000 Hellfire II missiles, the proposed package was said to include 32 T-700 GE 401C Engines (30 installed and 2 spares), 36 H-1 Technical Refresh Mission computers, 17 AN/AAQ-30 Target Sight Systems, 30 629F-23 Ultra High Frequency/Very High Frequency Communication Systems, 19 H-764 Embedded Global Positioning System/Inertial Navigation Systems, 32 Helmet Mounted Display/Optimized Top Owl, 17 APX-117A Identification Friend or Foe, 17 AN/AAR-47 Missile Warning Systems, 17 AN/ALE-47 Countermeasure Dispenser Sets, 18 AN/APR-39C(V)2 Radar Warning Receivers, 15 Joint Mission Planning Systems, and 17 M197 20mm Gun Systems.
