DefenceTalk,
Pakistan military officials visited 56th Stryker Brigade Combat Team (SBCT) at the Fort Indianatown Gap National Gaurd Training in central Pennsylvania on September 14.
This is where the delegation was able to see how the United States National Gaurd is transforming, the delegation was able to meet with different officials of the United States National Gaurd, and get briefing on the various aspects of the U.S. national guard.
Stryker Brigade Commander, Ferraro provided insight in to how Pennsylvania is progressing in its $1.5 billion transformation into a SBCT that will include 300 Stryker vehicles and 85 new construction projects. Ferraro stressed the SBCT is not just a vehicle, but a system and a concept that allows the Army to rapidly deploy, fight, survive and sustain troops in a range of environments from war to humanitarian assistance. The 56th SBCT is one of six Stryker brigades in the Army and the only one in the National Guard.
The Pakistani delegation was lead outside for a briefing on the $2.2 million Stryker vehicle, and was then given an orientation ride on the tank trails through Fort Indiantown Gap.
Pakistani officials were able to see how sophisticated and well equipped our force structure is becoming as the National Guard transforms from a strategic reserve and into an operational force, said Maj. Eric Christopher, an international affairs officer with National Guard Bureau.
Christopher, who has helped build a solid relationship with the Pakistan Embassy and NGB said that the Pakistan delegation was impressed with the professionalism of the Pennsylvania Guard members and the facilities on Fort Indiantown Gap. This visit served as an opportunity to build a strategic partnership between Pakistan and the NGB, he said.
Christopher added that Pakistan is also transforming its military to be better able to conduct counter insurgency operations and has suffered the loss of many soldiers in the Global War on Terrorism.
“This visit … showcased the combat, aviation, and maintenance capabilities that the National Guard has.”
Christopher said that a partnership with Pakistan could be the most strategic relationship in the NGB State Partnership Program.
“[It] is the only program that can bring continuity because unlike the active component it uses the same Soldiers and relationships year-after-year.
“I also believe the Pennsylvania National Guard has the best capabilities and resources to match with a country as large and complex as Pakistan.”
“ … Pakistan is probably our best ally in the War On Terror; what we must not forget is that the Pakistan people are also experiencing a tremendous loss in this War: their political system is fractured and many of their own soldiers have been killed.”
He told of a recent al Qaeda ambush in the northwest region of Pakistan bordering Afghanistan that killed 15 soldiers.
Anne Patterson who visited Pakistan this month assured the government of Pakistan that United States has taken various measures to strengten and equip the security forces of Pakistan, particularly the personnel of the Frontier Corps who are mostly being targetted on the war on terror.
The United States plans to spend $700 million on Frontier Corps of Pakistan to upgrade and equip the troops with efficent weaponry and equipment to better fight the war on terror.
Stryker vehicle, if becomes part of this plan will be a good effort by the United States to beef up the Frontier Corps capability in the NWFP making it fairly capable of operating in the rough terrain there which is too difficult for APCs and too dangerous for current Frontier Corps vehicles like Toyota HIACE/FORERUNNER.
The Frontier Corps of Pakistan is part of Para Military under the command of the Ministry of Defence, Frontier Regions, and Army Headquarters.
