Rahul9090
FULL MEMBER
- Joined
- Feb 21, 2014
- Messages
- 966
- Reaction score
- -1
- Country
- Location
WASHINGTON: Pakistan is likely to receive hundreds of mine-resistant ambush-protected vehicles from the United States, which can help protect Pakistani troops from improvised explosive devices, reliable sources told Dawn.
The vehicles, better known by their acronym MRAPs, are part of the excess defence articles that the United States has to dispose before it leaves Afghanistan by the end of this year.
The Washington Post reported earlier this week that the United States wanted to dispose $7 billion worth of military equipment before the expected withdrawal.
Besides the MRAPs, Pakistan is also interested in buying field hospitals, individual protective armours, night vision goggles and other equipment useful in the war against terrorists.
“Pakistan may get the MRAPs soon,” said a source familiar with the negotiations, “as it is a defensive equipment and it will be easy for the Obama administration to justify its sale”.
Improvised explosive devices have killed a large number of Pakistani soldiers, including a general, in the war against terror and Pakistan hopes that the MRAPs could greatly reduce these losses.
The United States produced more than 5,000 MRAPs for its troops when it faced IED attacks in Iraq and Afghanistan. More than 2,000 MRAPs are deployed in Afghanistan alone.
Negotiations for buying excess defence articles began in Dec 2012.
As a major non-Nato ally, Pakistan qualifies for buying the weapons that can be available at “dirt cheap rates”, as a source said.
“It is much easier than buying new weapons as they are already battle-tested. Besides, it saves the buyer from going through the lengthy process of selecting, testing and ordering new weapons that sometimes takes years to manufacture and deliver,” the source added.
Since it shares a long border with Afghanistan, Pakistan is better placed to buy these weapons than others. Another buyer will also have to bear the shipping expenses, routing the equipment through Pakistani or Russia.
The Washington Post reported that the potential sale could be, “part of an effort by the Pentagon to unload excess military supplies to US allies at no cost”.
The US does not want to pay to ship out leftover military hardware from the conflict in neighbouring Afghanistan.
Pakistan to purchase IED-resistant vehicles from US - DAWN.COM
The vehicles, better known by their acronym MRAPs, are part of the excess defence articles that the United States has to dispose before it leaves Afghanistan by the end of this year.
The Washington Post reported earlier this week that the United States wanted to dispose $7 billion worth of military equipment before the expected withdrawal.
Besides the MRAPs, Pakistan is also interested in buying field hospitals, individual protective armours, night vision goggles and other equipment useful in the war against terrorists.
“Pakistan may get the MRAPs soon,” said a source familiar with the negotiations, “as it is a defensive equipment and it will be easy for the Obama administration to justify its sale”.
Improvised explosive devices have killed a large number of Pakistani soldiers, including a general, in the war against terror and Pakistan hopes that the MRAPs could greatly reduce these losses.
The United States produced more than 5,000 MRAPs for its troops when it faced IED attacks in Iraq and Afghanistan. More than 2,000 MRAPs are deployed in Afghanistan alone.
Negotiations for buying excess defence articles began in Dec 2012.
As a major non-Nato ally, Pakistan qualifies for buying the weapons that can be available at “dirt cheap rates”, as a source said.
“It is much easier than buying new weapons as they are already battle-tested. Besides, it saves the buyer from going through the lengthy process of selecting, testing and ordering new weapons that sometimes takes years to manufacture and deliver,” the source added.
Since it shares a long border with Afghanistan, Pakistan is better placed to buy these weapons than others. Another buyer will also have to bear the shipping expenses, routing the equipment through Pakistani or Russia.
The Washington Post reported that the potential sale could be, “part of an effort by the Pentagon to unload excess military supplies to US allies at no cost”.
The US does not want to pay to ship out leftover military hardware from the conflict in neighbouring Afghanistan.
Pakistan to purchase IED-resistant vehicles from US - DAWN.COM
