Pak to get 60 US cobra gunship copters by year-end

[ullu]

:smokingc:


Pak to get 60 US copters by year-end

http://sify.com/news/international/fullstory.php?id=13276614
Saturday, 04 October , 2003, 16:11

Washington: Pakistan is likely get 60 attack helicopters from the US by the year-end. The Bush Administration has approved the sale, The Dawn has reported.
The helicopters, that will include the 'Cobra' gun ships, the paper said in its report, while adding that these copters would be used to help Pakistan fight Taliban and Al Qaeda activists hiding in the country's tribal belt.



According to the report, Islamabad believes that the differences over the US' request for Pakistani troops for Iraq will not delay their delivery.

It may be noted that both Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Zafarullah Khan Jamali have been strongly raising the issue of the arms imbalance vis-a-vis India.

After his talks with Jamali in Washington on Thursday, US Secretary of State Colin Powell had told a group of Pakistani journalists that the US would play its role in maintaining "the balance of power in South Asia."

Jamali is believed to have told Powell that India's recent military purchases from Israel and other sources had 'grossly disturbed' the balance of power in the region.

The Jamali-Powell talks focused mainly on the situation in Iraq and Afghanistan where US troops are facing a sudden resurgence in terrorist attacks, diplomatic sources said.ANI

 

[Red aRRow]

First of all this Pakistani attitude has to change. Pakistan seems to have a very short memory. What happened to all the military aid when the Americans withdrew from Afghanistan is common knowledge and now going back again to the same suppliers is madness. Alternative suppliers such as China or France should be engaged instead of relying on just one unreliable ( to say the least ) supplier; while steaming ahead with indigenization.

 

[Winter]

Let's face it....The U.S. in most respects has far superior military equipment then anything China or France could put a price tag on...Also there are other variables involved that may not be readily apparent to us.....Such as passive influence and going prices which could affect such a choice of supplier.

 

[Su_37]

Re: Pak to get 60 US cobra gupship copters by year-end

these chopers r free of cost but with strings attach . but this an excuse by the amercian to supply arms to pak so that they don;t think that r vurnable againt india .

More over amrica don;t wnat pak to become china market.

 

[ullu]

Re: Pak to get 60 US cobra gupship copters by year-end

Pakistan is a china market already just like INdia is Russian market.

 

[corsair7772]

Wat do u suppose China can give us in gunships?
The armed Dauphin and perhapes the Mi-17?
4get the dauphin. We shud get rooivalks from the South Africans and Mi-17s from China.

 

[umair]

Re: Pak to get 60 US cobra gupship copters by year-end

Guys this news is true.My dad's cousin is in army aviation and has been in the States since this September.All I can got to know from him was that he and some other pilots are under going training of somesort.
Ps: he was the commander of one of our two existing Cobra squadrons so I pretty much suspect that we may be getting the Ah1w or Ah1z Cobra cause if they are to be the same old Ah1s's then there would have been no need to send the pilots to the States for training.

 

[corsair7772]

But shud we take the gunships? Its really attractive but well be more dependant on spares than ever. We shud get the Rooivalks. The gunship is pretty good and itll do its job and nuthin lwess. The AH-1 sale is just another piece of american appeasment.

 

[Aussie Digger]

The Cobra is an extremely capable attack helicopter that is battle proven and has significant upgrade potential (just look at the new AH - 1Z). The Rooivalk is untested in warfare and their are currently only 12 examples in service with the South African Defence Force (which as far as I'm aware has no further plans to acquire any more.) this would surely create supportability issues, given that SADF is the sole user of this aircraft. The small number of aircraft would also mean that the cost of this aircraft would be little less if not significantly more than refurbished SuperCobra's. The Australian Defence Force was offered 40 AH-1W Supercobra's in the early 90's for $200million or thereabout. It declined this offer and subsequently went on to order 22 Eurocopter Tigers for $1.2 Billion. They sure are good 'shoppers' the Australian Government... I'm sure 40 upgraded AH-1W (to AH-1Z standard) would have cost less than the $1 Billion dollar difference and provided significantly greater capability, plus they would have been in service over 10 years earlier, but hey what would we know? The best argument for the Cobra for Pakistan is that it is a relatively cheap proven performer that you could have in service very quickly. Plus I believe Pakistan already operates an earlier model, thus ensuring a quick transition into useable capability. It's all very well to buy something new, but it takes a long time to properly introduce a new capability to an army. An expanded capability can however be introduced much quicker. Cheers.

 

[farooqjalalmalik]

I agree with Aussiedigger. First things frist though. We should firstly get these helicopter gunships from the U.S - I am sure the Senate blocked any sale of military hardware to Pak. If a sale was going ahead, Musharraf and his general cronies would have been publicising the deal by now (to increase Pak nation's morale/confidence) in light of India is massive accumulation of new weapon systems.

To be honest, you know what I would like. Not 100 gunships but the same amount of money going into Pakistani people - their health, education and longterm well being. Let PAk and India stop this nonsense. We must develop. Why should we be the dumping ground of the West's weapons. Why not call it a truce and look after our people. The Pakistan Ar,y does not want peace as Im sure the Indian Army. After all, they are both priviligd classes and who would wanna bite on the hand that feeds them.

I think we should use these forums to demand peace and mainatin a small deterrent. Then Pak/India should leave each other alone and concentrate on their people. They should become examples of good friendship and should remain as different countries but with similar values and desire for peace. They should resolve Kashmir (ideally through the Kasmiri peole but more likely by accepting de facto LOC). Guys, think of all those beggars, heroin addicts, taleban guys, sweepers, lower castes (in India) that could bebefit from our massive spending on defence.

Only Pak and Inida can bring about peace not these military suppliersa. They want us to grow hatred so we can but their weapons. Their countries are running on the blood and sweat of our poor.

I hope some military minded people in both countries read my post and wake up that its not our enemy that is our neighbour but our own desires and selfishness. We need to make a difference - thats why Jinnah and Gandhi created us both respectively. Let us not tarnish the visions of these two great individuals/statesmen.

Support Peace in South Adia and Economic/Human Development for ALL

 

[corsair7772]

Its not abt the Gunship. The AH-1 outstrips the rooivalk in performance. But the point is:
FREEDOM FROM EMBARGOES

 

[JTF-2 HOPE]

First of all this Pakistani attitude has to change. Pakistan seems to have a very short memory. What happened to all the military aid when the Americans withdrew from Afghanistan is common knowledge and now going back again to the same suppliers is madness. Alternative suppliers such as China or France should be engaged instead of relying on just one unreliable ( to say the least ) supplier; while steaming ahead with indigenization.

Your right about China but saying that France doesn't have
its stuff, you are way off buddy. France is one of the best providers
to Pakistan. Its 50 year old Mirages still have the balls to hit the sky,
and do a satisfactory job. That is called pure quality.

 

[Aussie Digger]

Well, if you think buying French is buying freedom from Embargoes why don't you ask Argentina if they share the same opinion? Or Australia for that matter... The French are as bad as anyone when it comes to supplying arms and equipment during wartime. Cheers.

 

[Majin-Vegeta]

yea but they dont hate pakistan and are willing to supply to em america isnt..remember wat happened when america only supplied HALF the fighters it promised? jeez..we dont want that happening agian..i wouldnt even talk to that cheap ugly freak again, just buy Chinese/European stuff..sure u could buy Western fighters off some other countries just like Pakistan's buyin F-16C's from Belgium...

I mean its like begging someone :S if they dont listen and beat u..dont go to them or u'll get the same attitude sometime in ur life again..just go with someone else :S

 

[Aussie Digger]

Still my advice would be to build up your logistical support facilities so that you are not relying on the somewhat fickle French government to supply you with parts and munitions during a time of crisis. As I've pointed out, things don't always go as planned...

 

[Oqaab]

Saturday, 04 October , 2003, 16:11

2003 gone. No sign of those 60 choppers..... :?

 

[elkaboingo]

not all 60 are ah-1, im positive about 20 are bell 407's and the rest may be the ah-1's.

who gives a @!#$% about embargoes, we survived the first one and are now indigenizing almost every thing. and the french are fairly reliable providers but their equipment is sometimes overrated.

yes the super cobra is a good choice. we know cobras very well. china is still working on an attack helo. if spares are needed canabalise the old cobras. the cobras are even better than apache which is too big a target.

plus, we need these helos to take out IA tanks like arjun and t-90

 

[gf0012-aust]

Is the PAF looking at UCAV's? Might be cheaper and more effective in some scenarios.. The US used Hellfire armed predators in Iraq and Afghanistan to effect.

 

[elkaboingo]

yes, integrated dynamics is working on UCAV's of our own.

 

[gf0012-aust]

cant see a rebel in a building holding a manpad or something

Not unless he wants to experience backdraft when he launches it :lolol ....