As US pulls out of Afghanistan, its weapons head for Pakistan

[thestringshredder]

EXCLUSIVE : As US pulls out of Afghanistan, its weapons head for Pakistan

With the United States all set to withdraw from Afghanistan, alarm bells have begun to ring in New Delhi as reports indicate that a lot of arms being used by the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) could end up with the Pakistani military.

The last time Pakistan received advanced weapons from the Americans in the 1980s, it led to the eruption of a terrorism movement in Kashmir. It is understood that New Delhi’s concerns have been communicated to US vice president Joe Biden who was on a state visit here last month.

India’s security establishment has been receiving steady reports that a large consignment of advanced arms is being claimed by Pakistan. On the cards are large consignments of night vision devices, sniper rifles, laser target designators for the Pakistan Air Force and counter-IED equipment. But what has alarmed New Delhi is a move by Pakistan to get weapon systems that don’t have anything to do with counter-terrorism.

Reports indicate that the United States is considering handing over AMRAAM air-to-air and sidewinder missiles as well as M-270 multiple launch rocket systems. It is believed that since these could come under strict export controls, the weapon systems will be first handed over to a friendly third country, which, in turn, will hand them over to Pakistan. While India has expressed its concern over transfer of such weapon systems, the United States has been non-committal to New Delhi on the issue.

Indian analysts believe that this is a worrying development but needs to be handled with maturity and not alarm. Washington is committed to resuming military aid to Pakistan under the Pakistan Counter Terrorism Fund (PCF) and the Pakistan Counter-Terrorism Capability Fund (PCCF). “Some of this equipment in Afghanistan could fall under either category setting it off against the committed value of aid already authorised by US Congress,” says Rana Banerji, former special secretary with R&AW and a noted Pakistan expert. “Both the Pakistan Army and the US want to repair the relationship which went sharply downhill after the Raymond Davis Affair in January 2011.” According to him, the visit by US secretary of state John Kerry could be a major resumption of a strategic dialogue between the United States and Pakistan.

Former ambassador to Afghanistan Vivek Katju is also circumspect about the developments. “Things have changed significantly since the 1980s and our conventional superiority against Pakistan is quite impressive. So if they get some weapons, it is worrying but we should not react without getting to understand the mechanics of any deal to transfer weapons.” According to Katju, the United States needs Pakistan desperately to ensure a peaceful withdrawal from Afghanistan next year. “The role of Pakistan is critical and in Pakistan the military is critical. So Washington needs to engage the military and keep them happy. This could be one such move,” he told dna.

Link - dna exclusive: As US pulls out of Afghanistan, its weapons head for Pakistan - India - DNA

 

[Pak47]

Paranoid much?

 

[Kompromat]

Paranoid much?

Something our Indian friends are very good at.

AMRAAMs, AIM-9X and M-270 can be a critical deterrent against the Indian aggression which they are hoping to carry out as part of the cold start doctrine. M-270 & A-100 MBRLs are the best MRBLs on the market right now, AMRAAMs, and AIM-9X will dramatically improve PAF F-16's and JF-17s [If AIM-9Xs are integrated on them] air combat capability.

 

[Rank]

We don't need these.... They are EXTREMELY Expensive, Hard to Maintain, Expensive maintaince and required big infrastructure, Required Life-Time-Upgradation, Expensive Spare Parts and dependency....

 

[Dillinger]

M-270 MLRS and the Laser designators are the concern. Particularly the MLRS. Other than that the rest is chump change.

 

[Kompromat]

M-270 MLRS and the Laser designators are the concern. Particularly the MLRS. Other than that the rest is chump change.

You reckon , AMRAAMs and AIM-9X are NOT a concern from the IAF's perspective,especially when ALL of PAF F-16s are being upgraded to integrate Block-52 avionics,radar, JHMCS - all of whom will be integrated with EriEye AESA AWACS. ?

 

[Dillinger]

You reckon , AMRAAMs and AIM-9X are NOT a concern from the IAF's perspective,especially when ALL of PAF F-16s are being upgraded to integrate Block-52 avionics,radar, JHMCS - all of whom will be integrated with EriEye AESA AWACS. ?

We can contend with the PAF with or without the AMRAAMs BUT the MLRS is the most proficient system of its type and class out there. I wouldn't miss a beat if Pakistan got its hands on everything else except for the MLRS.

 

[Kompromat]

@Stealth

I believe these MPVs are way too expensive to operate for our budget, however we should have a handful of these to be maintained by SSG for COIN ops.

We can contend with the PAF with or without the AMRAAMs BUT the MLRS is the most proficient system of its type and class out there. I wouldn't miss a beat if Pakistan got its hands on everything else except for the MLRS.

Pakistan also builds A-100, so from our perspective M-270 is not a game changer. AMRAAMs, and AIM-9X however mean a lot to the PAF.

 

[Dillinger]

@Stealth

I believe these MPVs are way too expensive to operate for our budget, however we should have a handful of these to be maintained by SSG for COIN ops.



Pakistan also builds A-100, so from our perspective M-270 is not a game changer. AMRAAMs, and AIM-9X however mean a lot to the PAF.

Yaara the MLRS specially with the FCS upgraded to the HIMARS standard is levels above the A-100 or the similar Smerch system we employ. Range ain't everything.

The PAF on the other hand is knee deep in dealing with acquiring everything from ZDKs to JFTs on soft loans from China. If the PAF could ride a strong economy, mark my words, the first thing they would petition for would be to fill the plentiful gaps within their ADGE. A new BVRAAM is the last of the PAF's concern.

 

[Pakistanisage]

Paranoid much?

Bro, More like BUUUTTT HURTTT MUCH ?

 

[Pak47]

Indians poured billions into Afghanistan for this??

Bro, More like BUUUTTT HURTTT MUCH ?

Yaar, take it easy.. They already lose enough

 

[Dillinger]

@Aeronaut Besides Pakistan had already ordered AIM-120C-5s (the D variant has JUST entered production so that's out of the picture) back in 2006, 500 of them to the best of my knowledge. Our current threat perception takes that into consideration and its not all that impressive. Furthermore, the PA already has helmet mounted NVGs, I am sure you've spotted them (if not then @DESERT FIGHTER can help you with that) same case wrt high powered rifles. Ergo I stated that they are chump change. The MLRS on the other hand will be a new thing in the equation altogether.

 

[Kompromat]

Yaara the MLRS specially with the FCS upgraded to the HIMARS standard is levels above the A-100 or the similar Smerch system we employ. Range ain't everything.

HIMARs are a lighter truck mounted variant of the same rocket system.These Rockets have the same range to YARMUK rockets we build, both can carry sub munitions and both have similar guidance systems.A-100 rockets have a longer ranger than the Smerch, about 120kms and they can fire various different types of rockets with different warheads, submunitions and so on - A-100 also is a guided rocket system,able to achieve metric target accuracy. For countries that only use M-270 further upgrades if any may be feasible but in our case it may provide extra fire power but is by no means is a game changer.

The PAF on the other hand is knee deep in dealing with acquiring everything from ZDKs to JFTs on soft loans from China. If the PAF could ride a strong economy, mark my words, the first thing they would petition for would be to fill the plentiful gaps within their ADGE. A new BVRAAM is the last of the PAF's concern.

Good news is that all of the procurements have been made and the F-16s with AMRAAMs,AIM-9X,MLU-MIII upgrades and Erieye AWACs system will remain at the forefront for at least another decade.

 

[Dillinger]

HIMARs are a lighter truck mounted variant of the same rocket system.These Rockets have the same range to YARMUK rockets we build, both can carry sub munitions and both have similar guidance systems.A-100 rockets have a longer ranger than the Smerch, about 120kms and they can fire various different types of rockets with different warheads, submunitions and so on - A-100 also is a guided rocket system,able to achieve metric target accuracy. For countries that only use M-270 further upgrades if any may be feasible but in our case it may provide extra fire power but is by no means is a game changer.




Good news is that all of the procurements have been made and the F-16s with AMRAAMs,AIM-9X,MLU-MIII upgrades and Erieye AWACs system will remain at the forefront for at least another decade.

I was referring to the FCS on the specific system, it goes a long way in making it more lethal. Otherwise rocket artillery has always been primarily an area denial weapon.

Read my previous post.

 

[Kompromat]

@Aeronaut Besides Pakistan had already ordered AIM-120C-5s (the D variant has JUST entered production so that's out of the picture) back in 2006, 500 of them to the best of my knowledge. Our current threat perception takes that into consideration and its not all that impressive. Furthermore, the PA already has helmet mounted NVGs, I am sure you've spotted them same (if not then @DESERT FIGHTER can help you with that) for high powered rifles. Ergo I stated that they are chump change. The MLRS on the other hand will be a new thing in the equation altogether.

M-270 indeed is a potent weapon but is not a game changer and must not be turned into a wunderwaffe of sorts. As i mentioned before Pakistan builds short/medium range rockets and A-100s all of whom are guided, so M-270s will supplement them sure but won't become the backbone of PA's artillery corps.