Arabian Legend
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Saudi Arabia and Malaysia expressed interest in Pakistani-built French Agosta 90-B submarines
Saudi Arabia on other hand has almost finalized the deal . The main problem with the issue is that French and Pakistani engineers have changed Agosta into a platform that can launch nuclear strikes. This irked American Defense Department which was quick to use its ties with Pakistan on this issue. However Pakistan has assured United States that it will sell perfectly safe submarines to Saudi Arabia
DAWN WIRE SERVICE : 18 November 2000 Issue : 06/44
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Apparently we wanted to buy Pakistani submarines but Pakistan refused to sell due to American pressure really sad read for me.
what the US has to do with ?
Did you read the article ? The link doesn't even mention the sort of things the OP posted !
S. Arabia, Malaysia interested in Agosta
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By Shamim-ur-Rahman
KARACHI, Nov 16: Saudi Arabia and Malaysia have expressed interest
in Pakistan's expertise for building the French-designed Agosta 90-
B submarines and explored the possibilities for striking a deal in
this regard.
This was stated by the naval chief, Admiral Abdul Aziz Mirza while
briefing newsmen on navy's efforts for self-reliance at the media
centre of Ideas 2000 defence exhibition on Thursday.
"We have been successful in the sale of midgets and we are also
exploring the possibility of selling Agosta 90-B submarines to a
regional country," he said.
Admiral Mirza added that Saudi Arabia and Malaysia were interested
in the product. Qatar was also a buyer of Pakistan-built midgets,
he said.
Delegation of these countries visited the surface ships and
submarine rebuild and manufacturing facilities at the naval
dockyard.
He said that any tri-lateral deal with regard to Agosta 90-B would
not only boost Pakistan's image and credibility in international
market, but also help in earning sizable foreign exchange, required
for future development programmes of the services.
A deal in this regard would also result in considerable savings for
the prospective buyers, he added.
Admiral Mirza said the navy was looking for regional and other
markets for its products.
He said that the second Agosta, now being built at the dockyard,
would be delivered in 2002 and the third would be commissioned in
2004. Over 750 people were working on the project. Of them 500 had
been trained in France, he added.
As the production gathers momentum, "we will certainly go for
deletions for producing spare parts, which will enable us to reduce
dependence on others", the admiral said.
He said Pakistan believed in transfer of technology and told a
questioner that we have paid for all the assistance on transfer of
technology to France, which figured out at $1 billion and with
mark-up came at $1.4 billion. It included expenses incurred on
setting up of workshops and upgradation of the shipyard.
Pakistan's public sector defence companies and overhaul rebuild
capabilities were engaged in a wide-range of activities that could
be utilized by friendly nations, he said.
The navy, he said, had gone in a big way for indigenization in
shipbuilding with Chinese assistance. He said those countries, who
were using similar type of vessels, could also benefit from
Pakistan's expertise for training of its personnel besides repair
and maintenance of the vessels.
The French authorities had come under pressure from the European
Union, after 1998, but that was a temporary phase which was over
and "we have the best of relationship", the admiral said
The only related things I find in the link are these ... Now go back and read the links !
People are very quick and eager to jump on the bandwagon !
explain that line