US hands over used combat aircraft, other weapons

Published May 7, 2015
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. - File Photo
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. - File Photo

WASHINGTON: The United States has handed over 14 combat aircraft, 59 military trainer jets and 374 armoured personnel carriers to Pakistan 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 Pakistan were earlier used by American forces in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Take a look: US approves billion-dollar arms sale to Pakistan

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 Pakistan.


Arms supplied to Pakistan were earlier used by American forces in Afghanistan and Iraq


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 Pakistan $629 million.

Pakistan 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), Pakistan received 26 Bell 412EP utility helicopters, along with related parts and maintenance, valued at $235 million.

Pakistan 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).

Pakistan 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).

Published in Dawn, May 7th, 2015

On a mobile phone? Get the Dawn Mobile App: Apple Store | Google Play

Opinion

Editorial

Bilateral progress
18 Oct, 2024

Bilateral progress

WHILE there was no bilateral breakthrough during Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar’s visit to...
Bracing for impact
18 Oct, 2024

Bracing for impact

CLIMATE change is here to stay. As Pakistan confronts serious structural imbalances, recurring natural calamities ...
Unfair burden
18 Oct, 2024

Unfair burden

THINGS are improving, or so we have been told. Where this statement applies to macroeconomic indicators, it can be...
Successful summit
Updated 17 Oct, 2024

Successful summit

Platforms like SCO present an opportunity for states to set aside narrow differences.
Failed tax target
17 Oct, 2024

Failed tax target

THE government’s plan to document retailers for tax purposes through its ‘voluntary’ Tajir Dost Scheme appears...
More questions
17 Oct, 2024

More questions

THE alleged rape of a student at a private college in Lahore has sparked confusion, social media campaigns, ...