Pakistan to get 115 SP artillerys

[Kaiser]

U.S. moves to sell howitzers to Pakistan
By Jim Wolf
Fri Dec 16, 4:41 PM ET

BANANA.GIF BANANA.GIF

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Bush administration said on Friday it tentatively planned to let Pakistan buy 115 155mm self-propelled howitzer artillery pieces as well as related gear and services valued at up to $56 million. BANANA.GIF

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The sale of M109A5 howitzers would not affect the basic military balance in the region, the Pentagon's Defense Security Cooperation Agency said in a notice to Congress.

The big guns at issue are in the U.S. Army's current inventory, said Jose Ibarra, an agency spokesman. The total value of the deal, if all options are exercised, could be as high as $56 million, the notice to Congress said.

Such notice is required by law. Congress has the power to block such a government-to-government arms sale but has never done so. No contractor would be involved in the deal.

Pakistan currently operates an earlier-generation self-propelled howitzer, the M109A2. It would use the newer model to re-equip existing units and retire older artillery pieces, the Pentagon said.

The sale would help Pakistan enhance "internal command and control of the mountain range bordering its country," the notice said.

It said a U.S. technical assistance team and a U.S. government quality assurance team would spend a year to check out the howitzers. In addition, a U.S. technical assistance team would take part in "program management and technical reviews" twice annually for two weeks at a time, the Pentagon said.

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http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20051216/wl_nm/...kistan_usa_dc_1

 

[Kashif]

I have heard that Pakistan was getting these kind of this from China too.China sells products to Pakistan on a reasonable rates but the US products are 10~ times costly.Pakistan must consider this factor too.The main purpose of these from US might be the reverse engnering.Reverse engnering isnat a bad this the countries which cant make first class goods they have to copy those things to make it inexpensive.

 

[Mubashar.]

115 units of these artillary comibines heavy punch. The reason they will be usefull is because they can be easilly dispatched to along side a unit & supply that firepower needd to take out important positions held by the enemy. seeing that they were very effective with US & UK forces in Iraq rather than having trouble tranporting Towed Artillary. A lot of countries have realised the capability and i see Pakistan has also made the right decision. :afro:

 

[Hammad]

Guys do you know how is our current capability in terms of artillery? Is it in good position? Because remember we always try to be ahead of India in quality in the land warfare.

 

[Das Reich]

currently apart from a few M109s we mainly have the chinease 122mm,180mm and I think some old british 155mm ........but not sure

 

[Sid]

We are weak in our artillery strength as we have inadequate pieces. These 115 pieces that we are buying will replace the ageing ones currently in service. So basically, it doesn't 'add' anything to our artillery strength as far as numbers are concerned. We should buy more to pack the punch that is badly needed.

 

[Bull]

India has presently around 4700 artileery guns and another 400 MRBLs.

The Indian Army is shortly expected to place an order for new 155mm/52-caliber howitzers as part of its Field Artillery Rationalization Plan. It is expected that a total of up to 4000 howitzers will be procured to equip its 185 tube artillery regiments. This procurement programme is expected to be spread over the next two decades, and filled through a combination of outright purchase and licensed manufacture.

 

[Spring Onion]

Originally posted by Sid@Mar 1 2006, 11:17 AM
We are weak in our artillery strength as we have inadequate pieces. These 115 pieces that we are buying will replace the ageing ones currently in service. So basically, it doesn't 'add' anything to our artillery strength as far as numbers are concerned. We should buy more to pack the punch that is badly needed.

[post=6431]Quoted post[/post]​

yes u right and i think we should have been done that before or atleast we must had planned these purchases earlier as it was badly needed to replace the old ones. besides looking the use of artilllary in some troublled parts of the counrty its a right decision.

 

[Sid]

Yes, adequate artillery strength used with careful planning and skillful strategy can go a long way in uprooting and destorying the save havens of militants anywhere in our country.

 

[sigatoka]

Originally posted by Sid@Mar 2 2006, 12:16 AM
Yes, adequate artillery strength used with careful planning and skillful strategy can go a long way in uprooting and destorying the save havens of militants anywhere in our country.

[post=6491]Quoted post[/post]​

Yeah, right. Heavy artillery effective in low intensity conflicts? Artillery never has been useful in low intensity conflicts and i am doubtful it will be useful in Pakistan's case. Each and every one of these artillery pieces should be parked on the Ind-Pak border where it will be most useful. Against internal militant Helicopters or more Infantry Fighting Vehicles would be much more useful.

 

[Sid]

Yes I should have been more precise. I meant 'militant strongeholds', like a particular area that is known to be of value/use to the militants can be effectively taken out without risking birds or sending in infantry.

Ofcourse when it gets more complicated as urban warfare usually does; helicopter gunships and close proximity of infantry goes a long way.

 

[InsightDubai]

Militants? Is there any country that will not use this word on their own people. now we have terrorist in every country after 911?

what is the effective range of these beauties, as far as i know it might be 25 kms.....

These kind of armament are used in war not internal conflicts, may be....

It would be nice if these can fire missiles also.... thses one which are lazer guided and a contact should be in enemy line for effective targetting as i saw on CNN. Is there any kind of munition with us Pakistanis.

 

[sigatoka]

The South African G-35 Nostrums should have been purchased instead. They have up to 35kim range with conventional ammunition and 70kim iwth base bleed shells.

 

[Bull]

arn't conventional artilieries been substituted by guided munitions??/

 

[sigatoka]

arn't conventional artilieries been substituted by guided munitions??/

Yes, by nations which face high labour costs and hence substitute out of Artillery which is relatively labour intensive into guided systems which are relatively labour un-intensive. Like Russia and U.S.