Monday 10 January 2011

US military aid to Pakistan continues to rise

Two reports from the Congressional Research Service, published by the Federation of American Scientists, update the picture on American aid to Pakistan since 2001. A one-page summary of Direct Overt US Aid and Military Reimbursements to Pakistan, FY2002-FY2011 shows that since 2001 the total declared amount provided to Pakistan (there is also substantial covert aid) reached $19.595 billion. From this figure, $13.305bn paid for security-related items. The largest annual aid package came in 2010, when it totalled $4.347bn.
A second paper entitled Major US Arms Sales and Grants to Pakistan since 2001 notes that most purchases by Pakistan have been made with Pakistani national funds, but these purchases have been eclipsed in recent years by purchases funded by US grants.
Foreign Military Sales agreements with Pakistan for FY2002-FY2010 totalled about $5.4bn, with sales of F-16 combat aircraft and related equipment accounting for more than half of this.
Major post-2001 defence supplies provided under US Foreign Military Financing include:
* eight P-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft, of which two have been delivered so far;
* about 6,312 TOW anti-amour missiles;
* more than 5,600 military radio sets;
* six AN?TPS-77 surveillnace radars;
* six C-130E transport aircraft;
* one ex-Oliver Hazard Perry class missle frigate;
* 20 AH-1F Cobra attack helicopters;
* 121 refurbished TOW missile launchers.
Pakistan itself paid for 18 new F-16C/D Block 50/52 combat aircaft, (of which 17 have been delivered), 500 air-to-air missiles, 1450 2000-lb bombs, 100 Harpoon anti-ship missiles, 500 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles and six Phalanx Close-in Weapons System naval guns.
Major transfers under the Excess Defense Articles programme include 14 F16A/B combat aircraft, 59 T-37 military trainer jets and 550 M-113 amoured personnel carriers.
Under various other programmes Pakistan has also received 26 Bell 412 utility helicopters, four Mi-17 multi-role helicopters, two King Air 350 surveillance aircraft, 450 vehicles for the Frontier Corps and huge amounts of equipment such as body armour, helmets, first aid kits, night vision devices, etc.
All-in-all, more than enough to launch a major military operation into North Waziristan.

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