CENTCOM chief Petraeus in Pak, to discuss weapons delivery

[Mig-29]

U.S. Central Command chief General David Petraeus has arrived here to hold discussions with Pakistan’s military leaders on expediting delivery of US equipment to Pakistan so it can expand its offensive against Taliban militants. The Dawn quoted US officials as saying that the Pakistan Army is short of equipment, and needs them for a large-scale ground operation.

‘It is part of a substantial effort to strengthen US-Pakistani military cooperation,’ US envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan, Richard Holbrooke, told a news agency while referring to General Petraeus’s visit. Holbrooke said on Tuesday that Washington was trying to expedite delivery of equipment requested by the Pakistani army, including helicopters and parts.

He said Pakistani army chiefs would also provide General Petraeus with their assessment of the battle in the Swat valley, northwest of Islamabad, after a three-month offensive in which Pakistani forces have pushed back militants. The United States also wants Pakistan to move against other militant factions, based in various areas including North Waziristan, which focus on battling western forces in Afghanistan. But Lieutenant-General Nadeem Ahmed, the Margala Corps Commander, said on Tuesday Pakistan would need months to prepare for a ground offensive against the Taliban in South Waziristan.

ASIAN DEFENCE: CENTCOM chief Petraeus in Pak, to discuss weapons delivery

 

[TOPGUN]

Wat will all be the list of wepons??

 

[Abu Zolfiqar]

probably night vision and other equipment

i doubt it will be weapons. Why would we need weapons when we are making them in our own country

for guerilla fighting, I dont see what help the americans can give --other than drone technology.

the americans have already lost 3 wars due to guerilla fighting. Vietnam was the first one, and I'm afraid Afghanistan will be the last one.

guerilla fighting requires guerilla tactics...if america wants to be helpful, then they should stop afghan refugees and drugs from entering Pakistan

 

[Munir]

I think super cobra. Maybe a little chance to ask some Apache...
The old A version...

 

[Super Falcon]

why not ask for apaches it will be good

 

[PAFAce]

Do you guys expect the supposed "Predator deal" to be discussed? What about Block 52s? Cobras? Anything major at all?

I think super cobra. Maybe a little chance to ask some Apache...
The old A version...

Ay, welcome back, buddy.

 

[fatman17]

Wat will all be the list of wepons??

IMHO

Cobras and ammo for the 20mm cannon
Hellfire capability for the cobras
med-lift helos (412s and Mi-17s)
Strykers!!!
Spare parts for both cobras and 412s
NVGs
Kevlar BP jackets

 

[fatman17]

Do you guys expect the supposed "Predator deal" to be discussed? What about Block 52s? Cobras? Anything major at all?


Ay, welcome back, buddy.

only CI equipment - to be financed from the CI Fund of US$ 700m which is in the control of Centcom chief!

 

[black tiger]

Hi,
You can include M-4 carbines and 40 mm grenade launchers as most troops in swat were carrying mp5's and AK's. Probably NVG's, regarding kevlar body armor i think it is supplied by some pakistani companies, but may ask for ceramic inserts, those were imported. Next would be precision guided munitions as PAF is using those a lot in recent fighting and more helicoptors...

 

[IceCold]

Its more talk and less the real thing. Mashroori zayda karta hain or deta kam. Typical yanks.

 

[nightrider_saulat]

it's time to ask for f-16

 

[fatman17]

U.S. general in Pakistan for talks on equipment

Wed Aug 19, 2009

By Adam Entous

ISLAMABAD, Aug 19 (Reuters) - U.S. General David Petraeus and Pakistan military leaders would discuss on Wednesday expediting delivery of U.S. equipment to Pakistan so it can expand its offensive against Taliban militants, U.S. officials said.

With U.S. troop strength growing in Afghanistan, the United States wants Pakistan to eradicate Islamist militant enclaves on its side of the border and prevent Taliban fighters from crossing into Afghanistan.

The Pakistani army has been battling militants in parts of the northwest for months but a commander said on Tuesday the army was short of equipment, including Cobra attack helicopters, needed for a large-scale ground operation.

"It is part of a substantial effort to strengthen U.S.-Pakistani military cooperation," U.S. envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan, Richard Holbrooke, told Reuters, referring to the Patraeus visit.

Holbrooke said on Tuesday that Washington was trying to expedite delivery of equipment requested by the Pakistani army, including helicopters and parts.

Pakistan's request for equipment would "come up for sure" in talks between Petraeus and senior Pakistani military officials, Holbrooke said.

He said Pakistani army chiefs would also provide Petraeus with their assessment of the battle in the Swat valley, northwest of Islamabad, after a three-month offensive in which Pakistani forces have pushed back militants.

Pakistan forces have also stepped up attacks on Pakistani Taliban fighters led by Baitullah Mehsud in the South Waziristan region on the Afghan border.

Mehsud is widely believed to have been killed this month in a missile strike by a U.S. pilotless drone aircraft.

OTHER FACTIONS

The United States also wants Pakistan to move against other militant factions, based in various areas including North Waziristan, which focus on battling Western forces in Afghanistan.

But a senior Pakistani commander, Lieutenant-General Nadeem Ahmed, said on Tuesday Pakistan would need months to prepare for a ground offensive against the Taliban in South Waziristan.

Some U.S. officials have expressed concern Pakistan will lose momentum if it puts off the offensive for too long.

"The United States continues to encourage Pakistan to apply pressure on militants in the wake of Mehsud's death," a U.S. defence official said.

Ahmed said the army was attacking militants with aircraft and artillery with the goal of "wearing them out" before ground forces go in.

But he added the army was short of "the right kind of equipment" and urged Holbrooke to help Pakistan obtain Cobra attack helicopters.

In addition to Cobras, Ahmed cited shortfalls of protective gear, intelligence-gathering and night-vision equipment, and precision weapons.

"If we can really get these shortfalls addressed promptly, the operation will be that much more effective," he said. (Editing by Robert Birsel and Jerry Norton)

 

[fatman17]

ASIA PACIFIC
Date Posted: 21-Aug-2009

Jane's Defence Weekly

Pakistan asks US for hardware to enable Waziristan offensive

Farhan Bokhari JDW Correspondent - Islamabad, Pakistan

Key Points
Pakistan has told the US it needs more military hardware in order to attack the Taliban in South Waziristan

The delay to the operation could cause Islamabad to lose the opportunity provided by the death of Taliban leader Baitullah Mehsud


Pakistan has asked the US to expedite the delivery of AH-1 Cobra attack helicopters, night vision kits, protective gear and precision weapons, a senior Pakistani government official has told Jane's .

Pakistani officials have told Washington that they need the equipment in order to press ahead with plans for a military campaign against the Taliban in South Waziristan, the source said on 20 August.

After meeting with US envoy Richard Holbrooke on 18 August, Lieutenant General Nadeem Ahmed, one of the Pakistan Army's most senior officers, said that the planned attack on South Waziristan - first announced in June - "may happen in winter or even beyond".

Security officials have claimed that the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has fallen into disarray following the death of the group's leader, Baitullah Mehsud, in an airstrike in early August. However, the government official told Jane's that the army was currently unable to take advantage of the confusion in TTP ranks because of a shortage of adequate hardware and that as a result the Waziristan offensive had been delayed.

Western defence officials in Islamabad said Pakistan was seeking equipment under its status as a non-NATO US ally - a category that allows Pakistan to receive hardware declared by US forces as excess defence articles (EDAs) .

"If orders are placed for new equipment, that will take time," said one official. "My hunch is the Pakistanis may get some EDAs in the short term."

On 19 August General David Petraeus, head of the US Central Command, discussed Pakistan's specific equipment needs during meetings with senior military leaders in Islamabad in the wake of Gen Ahmed's comments.

Gen Ahmed did, however, suggest that the Waziristan operation would still go ahead. "Once you feel that the conditions are right and you have been able to substantially dent their infrastructure and their fighting capacity, then you go in for a ground offensive," he commented.

"The ongoing assessment is that we won't be able to avoid large casualties if an operation is staged right now," said the government official. "We need different types of hardware to reduce the risk [to troops]."

A second security official based in Peshawar, the provincial capital of North West Frontier Province (NWFP), said the army had effectively placed South Waziristan "in quarantine" over the past two months following the Taliban's defeat in the northern Swat valley.

"We can afford to delay [the South Waziristan offensive] and make certain that some of the Taliban's most vital supply routes are choked off," he said. "[But] taking charge of South Waziristan eventually is vital for Pakistan."

 

[Abu Zolfiqar]

We need light-weight high impact flak jackets, ToT on night-vision equipments (meeting current NATO operational standards), and if they can't give us Predators (which i kind of doubt they would) --they should at least consult with us on how we can upgrade the structure of our locally made drones such that guided 350-500 lb bombs could be fired remotely


I dont think we should opt for Apaches, but perhaps they can send some for trial purposes.



oh -- and we also need spares for some of the Bell Cobras --- some of them are grounded due to lack of spares.

 

[Munir]

I agree that we should not go for expensive Apache but 12 on lease for a year to destroy these terrorist hideouts would be good. In the meantime getting those trusted old cobra's (hellfire please!!!)