U.S. moves to sell howitzers to Pakistan
By Jim Wolf
Fri Dec 16, 4:41 PM ET
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.
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.
115 guns is A LOT of artillery. It should help even out the imbalance with India. Quite odd that the PA hasn't opted for the PLZ-45. I wonder if PA is thinking about buying it.
By Jim Wolf
Fri Dec 16, 4:41 PM ET
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.
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.
115 guns is A LOT of artillery. It should help even out the imbalance with India. Quite odd that the PA hasn't opted for the PLZ-45. I wonder if PA is thinking about buying it.
